On Thursday, August 7, the NCAA Division I board of directors voted in favor of allowing the Big 5 conferences to make some of their own rules. This vote comes amid a wave of national criticism of the NCAA’s strict adherence to potentially outdated rules. Primarily the NCAA has received criticism over its refusal to share its billions in revenue with the student-athletes who help generate it.
The Big 5 conferences, ACC, Big 10, Big 12, SEC, and Pac 12, will now have broader authority to set their own rules. Speculators anticipate this as the first step toward student-athlete compensation. These conference will now be able to change regulations specifically in areas affecting players financially. Regulations surrounding scholarships, insurance, family traveling, recruiting, and agent communications are all anticipated to be the focus of these conferences rule changes. The new autonomy however does not allow for student-athletes to secure endorsements, and it maintains in effect many current rules, including academic requirements and amateur status.
The decision to grant more autonomy wasn’t met with complete agreement, however. The dissenters and objectors feel that granting the five richest conferences may have detrimental effects. President of Dartmouth College, Philip Hanlon, fears this new power will “further escalate the arms race in college sports.” By allowing these conferences to relax regulations on recruiting and scholarships, they are given an even greater advantage in acquiring the more sought after athletes.
The decision will now enter a sixty day comment period during which universities may express their disapproval. If 75 universities do so, the board will be forced to reconsider its decision. If 125 disapprove, implementation of the new structure will be suspended. The board then has the opportunity to reaffirm the original decision which can only be overturned by a 5/8 majority vote among all universities.
Embattled NCAA lets richest colleges play their own game
N.C.A.A. Votes to Give Richest Conferences More Autonomy