The two superpowers in the world of college athletics are joining forces. In a joint press release on Friday, the Big Ten and SEC announced the formation of an advisory board to get in front of the ever-changing landscape of college athletics.
With all of the changes that we’ve seen over the last few years, and with the NCAA’s struggles with overseeing it all, college athletics two most powerful conference have decided to try and tackle the issue themselves. From court cases, to name, image and likeness, there’s a lot that has, and probably will, continue to change.
“The Big Ten and the SEC have substantial investment in the NCAA and there is no question that the voices of our two conferences are integral to governance and other reform efforts,” Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti said. “We recognize the similarity in our circumstances, as well as the urgency to address the common challenges we face.”
The advisory group will be made up of university presidents, chancellors, and athletic directors. it could engage with other constituencies as necessary, including consultation with student-athletes and other key leadership groups from within both conferences according to the release.
“There are similar cultural and social impacts on our student-athletes, our institutions, and our communities because of the new collegiate athletics environment,” said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey in a statement. “We do not have predetermined answers to the myriad questions facing us. We do not expect to agree on everything but enhancing interaction between our conferences will help to focus efforts on common sense solutions.”
Sources: The SEC and Big Ten are set to announce that they are setting up an advisory committee. It’s expected to look at the entire college sports landscape and solutions within it.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) February 2, 2024
The advisory group does not have the ability to act independently and will only serve in a consulting body. The makeup and timing of the committee is still to be determined.
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