Report: College football top executives discussing new ‘Super League’ model
College presidents and college football executives are discussing a new private equity-backed ‘Super League’ model from a group called College Sports Tomorrow, according to a report from The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand and Stewart Mandel.
The proposed model would take the sport away from the College Football Playoff and NCAA’s governance, and create a separate league consisting of the top 70 programs — every former Power Five conference member plus Notre Dame and SMU. The programs would be divided into 10-team divisions, joined by an eighth division consisting of second-tier programs.
That second tier, put simply, would be like the European soccer model of promotion and relegation. Schools on the outside of this model would get the chance to play their way into the league, while struggling teams would be sent down.
For Badgers fans: Wisconsin would be firmly entrenched in the proposed 70-team league and would not be at risk of relegation.
Details from @AndrewMarchand and @slmandel on the private equity-backed CFB Super League idea from a group called "College Sports Tomorrow" that includes a top tier and a promotion/relegation tier.
The group, College Sports Tomorrow, includes Brian Rolapp (the NFL’s No. 2 executive), Philadelphia 76ers owner David Blitzer and Len Perna of TurnkeyZRG search firm. It also includes collegiate leaders Kent Syverud (Syracuse chancellor) and Gordon Gee (West Virginia president).
There have been rumblings since conference realignment began about a future model like this one. College football needs a firm structure and firm governance, even if it means becoming a de-facto professional league.
This won’t happen for some time, and there are thousands of details and legal processes to play out, but at least there appears to be a bit of progress.
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UEFA pushed back against the proposed league seeing it as a threat to the current Champions League. It created regulations barring teams from joining. Today, the European Union’s highest-ranking court ruled those regulations were unlawful, per Reuters. Super League backer A22 Sports Group pounced immediately unveiling this new proposal.
This new, bizarre format is expansive. The pool jumped from 20 teams to 64 on the men’s side and 32 on the women’s. Teams would compete with each other midweek and games would be broadcast on a free streaming service supported by the Super League’s unnamed “investors.”
It all sounds good in theory. But it’s almost literally the same thing that was proposed before — just way bigger. But the problem with the Super League before wasn’t its size. Instead, rather, it’s that it tossed merit aside and removed incentives for teams to spend by imposing a salary cap on clubs.
UEFA’s Champions League is far from perfect. But it’s a tournament where the best teams earn their spots. A club can become the champion of a smaller European league or nearly win a championship in one of the bigger leagues to earn a place in the Champions League. With the Super League, you’re just invited.
Merit has always been a key part of the European football system. Without it, we’re looking at a bunch of rich dudes just hoarding money and putting out a product that’s not quite as compelling. Nobody wants to watch that.
Good try, Super League. But please. Go away. Again.
The College Football Playoff destroyed the ACC
It sure does seem like Florida State is about to bail on the ACC and it certainly feels like the College Football Playoff is to blame.
FSU has a scheduled emergency meeting with its board of trustees, The Athletic’s Nicole Auerbach reports, which is the first concrete step it needs to take to take legal action challenging the ACC for its grant of rights.
The grant of rights is a legally binding document for a school that essentially controls its image. It gives the ACC control of FSU’s publicity rights through 2036. Challenging that and breaking it would free up FSU to leave the conference.
The school hasn’t made a move yet, Auerbach writes, but has been examining the document for “more than a year” just in case a move needed to be made. 247 Sports’ Bud Elliot says he expects a legal filing to come soon.
I expect the FSU Board of Trustees to approve a legal filing Friday — the first step in an exit from the ACC.
Maybe this is just convenient timing, but the connection between this and FSU’s College Football Playoff snub is too easy to make.
Obviously, the Jordan Travis injury meant a lot there. But conference play mattered, too. FSU’s undefeated ACC schedule meant less to the committee than a one-loss SEC or Big 12 schedule. That mattered.
Leaving the conference is the only way for FSU to change that. It seems like FSU is doing it. And, with that, yet another conference shakeup will shift college football as we know it.
Thanks a lot, CFP.
Put your bets on Chet
Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports
Coming into this NBA season it was obvious the Rookie of the Year race had two horses in it: Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren.
Most people expected Wembanyama to be at the top with Holmgren trailing close behind him. But, as our Prince Grimes writes in Layup Lines, it’s actually in reverse right now. Chet is the favorite by a slim margin.
“Just two months into the season, and Chet Holmgren’s odds to win Rookie of the Year have already closed the gap on Wembanyama’s, even passing his odds at some sportsbooks. BetMGM still has Wembanyama as a slight favorite at -120 to -110, but FanDuel (-130) and DraftKings (-125) each give Holmgren the edge. FTW’s Bryan Kalbrosky elevated Holmgren over Wembanyama in his rookie rankings three weeks ago.”
These things are subject to change — it’s only December. But Holmgren’s case is getting stronger and stronger by the day.
Quick hits: New James Harden memes dropped…Angel Reese, the Baltimore Barbie…and more
Just when Collin Morikawa was going to pick up his clubs the last week of December to start getting ready for 2022, he picked up something else.
COVID-19.
Still smarting a bit from squandering a five-shot, 54-hole lead with a final-round 76 and finishing in a tie for fifth in the Hero World Challenge earlier in December, the coronavirus threw the world No. 2 off-kilter and behind schedule.
It was a bitter end to a historic season. One in which he won his second major at the Open Championship at Royal St. George’s, became the first American to win the Race to Dubai by capturing the DP World Tour Championship, won his first WGC title at the Workday Championship at the Concession, and went 3-0-1 in his debut in the Ryder Cup, clinching the U.S. rout on Sunday.
Team USA player Collin Morikawa reacts on the sixth green during day two four-ball rounds for the 43rd Ryder Cup golf competition at Whistling Straits. (Photo: Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports)
But his health – and appetite – are robust heading into the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club, some 35 miles from where he grew up. Especially when Riviera lights up his eyes and two of his favorite restaurants – Tsujita Annex (“Just get ready to take a nap,” he said) and Killer Noodle – are close by.
“It’s just very comfortable,” he said of the area where he’ll spend this week.
And he’s back to being comfortable on the course. After a surprising tie for fifth in the year-opening Sentry Tournament of Champions about 15 days after contracting COVID-19, Morikawa, 25, headed to the Middle East and tied for 62nd in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and 18th in the Dubai Desert Classic.
“I just didn’t have it. The game wasn’t feeling great, body wasn’t feeling great. Sometimes that happens and I needed a full reset,” Morikawa said Tuesday after a practice round. “Coach came out last week, figured some things out, and right now I’m feeling great. So the confidence is back, glad to be back in L.A. and I’m just excited to see everyone and ready to play some great golf.”
He has yet to do so at Riviera. Despite saying it’s one of his favorite courses in the world, Morikawa has finished in ties for 26th and 43rd in his two Genesis starts.
Collin Morikawa takes a shot during the Pro-Am at the 2020 Genesis Invitational. Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images
“I’ve just made a lot of mistakes,” he said. “For me it’s just at this point normally in the season I end up making too many mistakes. Normally I do that in the fall and then I slowly realize that and by the time I get to (The) Players (Championship in March), I’m like, OK, wake up. It’s just a learning experience and it’s just knowing what kind of golfer you are, and you have to be ready every week. You can’t be ready just in April, you can’t be ready just in June, you can’t be ready just in October, whatever. You’ve got to be ready every single time I tee it up.”
Despite coming off his best season on the PGA Tour, a lingering sour taste from 2021 remains. Although an official announcement has yet to be made, it has been reported that Morikawa finished 11th in the inaugural $40 million Player Impact Program for 2021 that pays out to only the top 10 players. The payout is $50 million for the top 10 players this year.
Morikawa joked he would change his lucky number from 5 to 11. He changed his social media bios to include “Co11in.” And he was visibly perturbed about the issue when asked in his press conference.
“How do I answer this? I’m trying to think, because like how many other leagues or sports pay out the top‑10 players for what they do for the game?” he said. “Now, it is a good thing, and it is a bad thing because I think, you know, do guys deserve more? Do guys that have really moved the needle, that have produced what we have done for the game, do they deserve more? Yes, right? They’ve changed our game and our game is constantly changing and evolving and opening it to more people, that’s the biggest thing.
Collin Morikawa reacts before teeing off on the sixth hole during the Pro-Am at the BMW Championship golf tournament, Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2021, at Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills, Maryland. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
“But, I mean, $50 million? That’s crazy to me; $50 million to the top‑10 players that can impact this game.”
He also lumped the new program that rewards any player $50,000 if he plays in 15 PGA Tour events this season. Morikawa reckoned that’s another $10 million.
“I don’t think that’s the best use of $60 million, but I don’t have an answer for that,” he said. “I probably should start thinking about this because I am in a position now to where I can help out and voice my opinion and hopefully be heard. I really don’t know, you know, other ways we can do it, but there’s got to be something. To pay out that amount is pretty crazy.”
Speaking about crazy money, Morikawa was asked about the potential Super League backed by Saudi Arabia that is expected to pay out exorbitant guaranteed money to players and would be a direct rival to the PGA Tour. While Morikawa has said he’s been approached, he’s waiting on more details.
“I’m all for the PGA Tour,” he said. “Has it opened up things for us as professional golfers to open up things for the PGA Tour to look at what to do better? Absolutely. We’ve seen a lot of changes, some good, some bad, some that are still going to be amended I’m sure as time goes on.
“Right now you look at the best players that I see and they’re all sticking with the PGA Tour and that’s where I kind of stay and that’s where I belong.
“The only way I can start thinking about other tours, other leagues, whatever you call it, I need concrete evidence. I need to be able to see a sheet in front of me and know what’s out there, right? And as of now, for what I know, I don’t know what’s out there. All I’ve heard are rumors, all I’ve heard is talk and that’s hard to do, right? I’m still open to learning because I want to learn what’s out there.
“I want to know the details, too.”
Right now, his concentration is on Riviera and two of his favorite restaurants. And receiving the championship hardware from tournament host, Tiger Woods.
As PGA Championship week gets underway, PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh gave his thoughts on the potential for a breakaway league in golf.
KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. – It was inevitable that PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh would be asked his thoughts on the potential for a breakaway league disrupting what he calls “the golf ecosystem.”
Waugh, not surprisingly, was ready for such question and he had a lot to say. Let’s skip ahead to the key point. For the first time, one of golf’s governing bodies that runs one of golf’s majors said publicly that any defectors will not be welcome.
“If someone wants to play on a Ryder Cup for the U.S., they’re going to need to be a member of the PGA of America, and they get that membership through being a member of the Tour,” Waugh said. “I believe the Europeans feel the same way, and so I don’t know that we can be more clear kind of than that. We don’t see that changing.”
But money talks and England’s Lee Westwood expressed why the concept of a Super League or Premier League still is being discussed. Asked if it would be hard to turn down $50 million to jump ship from competing on the PGA and European Tours, Westwood said, “For me, at nearly 50, it’s a no-brainer, isn’t it?”
Asked how much of a deterrent it would be to be banned from the other professional tours and the majors, he said, “That’s something you have to take into account. When all these things come along it’s a balancing act, isn’t it? You’ve got to throw the balls in the air and juggle them for a while and see what comes up. You have to get all the facts together, first of all. I can see it from both sides, but I haven’t really gone into depth in it, no.”
Waugh didn’t mention whether he had spoken to Westwood, but said he had talked to several players and looked them in the eyes and delivered a pointed message: “Be careful what you wish for, because short-term gain feels good for a little while, but long-term gain is what makes lives.”
Waugh comes from the world of high finance and he understands why a renegade league would come along.
“I actually think it’s healthy. You either disrupt or you get disrupted. That’s what this is,” he said. “You know, should it be a hostile takeover of the game? I think is way too far. They’ve created this conversation, which by the way isn’t new. It’s been around since 2014 in different forms, has created change. It’s created an alliance of the European Tour and the PGA Tour, which we think is really healthy for the game.
“Change is happening, and I think it’s healthy change. Is it enough? I’m not sure yet. I struggle with what they’re solving for. The game is not in crisis. The game has never been better from a participation standpoint. I think the players have never been better served than they are right now.
“You’re going to have a great life if you can get here.”
Waugh didn’t see the upside of slaying the current golden goose for a different, unknown one with potentially unethical backers.
“There has to be an exit. There has to be a profit. There has to be shareholders. There has to be a lot of things that change that dynamic of not-for-profits doing the right thing and always thinking about the game first, and their players,” he said.
Of the involvement of backers from Saudi Arabia, Waugh didn’t hold back. When asked if the players should be mindful where the money is coming from, Waugh said, “I think very mindful. I think enough said. But I think very mindful,” he said, adding, “Money is money, right, and so money needs to have a return and have all those things that are associated with it, but some money is better than other money.”
As PGA Championship week gets underway, PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh gave his thoughts on the potential for a breakaway league in golf.
KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. – It was inevitable that PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh would be asked his thoughts on the potential for a breakaway league disrupting what he calls “the golf ecosystem.”
Waugh, not surprisingly, was ready for such question and he had a lot to say. Let’s skip ahead to the key point. For the first time, one of golf’s governing bodies that runs one of golf’s majors said publicly that any defectors will not be welcome.
“If someone wants to play on a Ryder Cup for the U.S., they’re going to need to be a member of the PGA of America, and they get that membership through being a member of the Tour,” Waugh said. “I believe the Europeans feel the same way, and so I don’t know that we can be more clear kind of than that. We don’t see that changing.”
But money talks and England’s Lee Westwood expressed why the concept of a Super League or Premier League still is being discussed. Asked if it would be hard to turn down $50 million to jump ship from competing on the PGA and European Tours, Westwood said, “For me, at nearly 50, it’s a no-brainer, isn’t it?”
Asked how much of a deterrent it would be to be banned from the other professional tours and the majors, he said, “That’s something you have to take into account. When all these things come along it’s a balancing act, isn’t it? You’ve got to throw the balls in the air and juggle them for a while and see what comes up. You have to get all the facts together, first of all. I can see it from both sides, but I haven’t really gone into depth in it, no.”
Waugh didn’t mention whether he had spoken to Westwood, but said he had talked to several players and looked them in the eyes and delivered a pointed message: “Be careful what you wish for, because short-term gain feels good for a little while, but long-term gain is what makes lives.”
Waugh comes from the world of high finance and he understands why a renegade league would come along.
“I actually think it’s healthy. You either disrupt or you get disrupted. That’s what this is,” he said. “You know, should it be a hostile takeover of the game? I think is way too far. They’ve created this conversation, which by the way isn’t new. It’s been around since 2014 in different forms, has created change. It’s created an alliance of the European Tour and the PGA Tour, which we think is really healthy for the game.
“Change is happening, and I think it’s healthy change. Is it enough? I’m not sure yet. I struggle with what they’re solving for. The game is not in crisis. The game has never been better from a participation standpoint. I think the players have never been better served than they are right now.
“You’re going to have a great life if you can get here.”
Waugh didn’t see the upside of slaying the current golden goose for a different, unknown one with potentially unethical backers.
“There has to be an exit. There has to be a profit. There has to be shareholders. There has to be a lot of things that change that dynamic of not-for-profits doing the right thing and always thinking about the game first, and their players,” he said.
Of the involvement of backers from Saudi Arabia, Waugh didn’t hold back. When asked if the players should be mindful where the money is coming from, Waugh said, “I think very mindful. I think enough said. But I think very mindful,” he said, adding, “Money is money, right, and so money needs to have a return and have all those things that are associated with it, but some money is better than other money.”
Where the Oklahoma Sooners rank in a college football “Super League”.
The recent news about European football teams pursuing a super league has sparked conversation across multiple sports leagues. With the constant discussions surrounding possible College Football Playoff expansion, why not a college football super league? Andy Staples of the Athletic proposed a 15-team super league for college football, so where would that put the Oklahoma Sooners?
According to the Athletic (subscription required), the Sooners were among the 15 teams that would make up the super league. Among the teams listed, Oklahoma joins the Texas Longhorns as the only two teams from the Big 12 Conference. Teams like the Texas A&M Aggies and Tennessee Vols missed the cut but both Nebraska Cornhuskers and Michigan Wolverines did make the top 15.
The super league wouldn’t be a catch-all for teams that missed out on the College Football Playoffs. While some teams were on the outside looking in for the four-team playoff, this would allow more teams to get involved but there would still be arguments for not being in with the 15 other teams. It would be an interesting way to put top teams against each other each week.
The list of all 15 teams:
Alabama
Auburn
Clemson
Florida
Georgia
LSU
Michigan
Nebraska
Notre Dame
Ohio State
Oklahoma
Oregon
Penn State
Texas
USC
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After reports that Chelsea, Manchester City, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona were pulling out of the European Super League, it was beyond clear that the ill-advised breakaway league was never going to come to fruition. All it took was 48 hours of sustained anger from the soccer world, which included actual protests in the streets.
In a sense, it should have been expected that a collective of powerful billionaires and ownership groups got together to create a self-serving league to line their pockets. What was surprising, though, was how quickly that plan fell apart for all the world to see.
And you best believe that Twitter took great pride in the collapse of the Super League.
The proposed European Super League appears to have had a long and storied history of about, uh, three days.
From the very moment 12 of Europe’s biggest soccer clubs — like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United, Juventus and Chelsea — announced plans to break away from UEFA’s Champions League structure to form its own Super League, fans almost universally responded to the news with absolute outrage.
There were protests in the streets. Soccer governing bodies threatened unprecedented sanctions against Super Team clubs and players. Governments even threatened to get involved.
Well, after three days of sustained outrage, Chelsea was the first domino to fall. Ahead of Tuesday’s match against Brighton, it was reported that Chelsea FC would file paperwork to withdraw from the Super League.
BREAKING I understand Chelsea are now preparing documentation to request withdrawing from the ESL
Once that news went public, the Chelsea protestors outside Stamford Bridge changed their tune from anger to jubilation. This was their reaction:
The news report of Chelsea's withdrawal from the European Super League has reached the fans outside Stamford Bridge who were protesting 🔥 pic.twitter.com/231CXhM5Fy
As that news spread, it was also reported that Manchester City would withdraw from the Super League as well.
Manchester City pulling out of Super League. City have told organisers they no longer want to be part of the £4.6billion scheme. Full details coming @SunSport@TheSunFootball@TheSun
Would Penn State be worthy of being invited to a college football Super League? Absolutely, says one college football writer.
Remember in the good old days of college football conference realignment? The talk of potential super conferences with 16 members in the Big Ten and SEC, ripping apart the Big 12 and leaving the scraps for the Pac-10 (at the time)? Those were fun times, for some of us at least. Well, the fun hypothetical talk about super conferences has been awakened from its slumber, thanks to developments in the world of soccer.
For those who are unaware of what we’re referring to, here’s a quick rundown. In brief, 12 of the top soccer clubs in Europe have agreed to form their own super league as a replacement for the existing Champions League. Some of the clubs involved in the super league being formed include Real Madris, Manchester United, Arsenal, and Barcelona. You can read more about the basic info of this super league on For The Win.
Basically, this would be like Ohio State, Clemson, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Notre Dame starting up their own conference with a few chosen others. So, naturally, as we are having fun with this discussion, the question becomes where Penn State would fit into the mix. Would Penn State be considered worthy of inclusion in a super league?
According to Andy Staples of The Athletic, absolutely. The Nittany Lions would be worthy of being invited to partake in a college football super league. Penn State was named in Staples’ list of 15 programs he would include in a super college football conference.
You can read Staples’ full list here, but it does include a few other Big Ten programs. You won’t struggle to figure out which of those schools are there. Ohio State and Michigan are automatics. But a fourth Big Ten member is also included with Nebraska making the cut. Tradition and history apparently must count for something, right?
Patrick Bamford did not hold back about the state of European soccer.
The formation of the Super League in European soccer has lit a fire under sports fans and players alike. The creation of the new league, which would break 12 of soccer’s biggest European clubs away from the European Club Association into one tournament — effectively replacing the UEFA Champions League — has been a hot button issue since the news dropped over the weekend.
From commentators to fans, the soccer world has not held back on tearing into the Super League and what it would do to the European soccer scene.
Players too have been vocal about the new league, and Leeds United’s own Patrick Bamford is the latest to speak out on Monday. Bamford, however, didn’t hold back in his comments, pointing out the double standard of the higher ups in the soccer world on an issue like this compared to racism.
🗣 "It's amazing the amount of opera that comes in to the game when somebody's pockets are getting hurt, it's a shame it's not like that with racism."
Patrick Bamford speaks openly about his thoughts on the prospect of a 'European Super League' pic.twitter.com/DolVMBBg7p
Racism is a major problem in the European soccer world, an issue that has yet to be majorly addressed in any way shape or form. Just last December, a Champions League game between Paris Saint-Germain and Istanbul Basaksehir was suspended after players from both teams walked off the field, alleging that an official had used a racial slur against an assistant coach.
Bamford, in his comments about the Super League, said the quiet part out loud about European soccer. And good for him too, as he’s not wrong at all in the slightest here.
