Amid escalating concerns surrounding current issues in college athletics, the Big Ten and SEC have joined forces to establish an advisory committee, the conferences announced Friday. The purpose of the committee is aimed at examining the future of college sports, while addressing those issues effecting the landscape.
“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 in a joint release. “We recognize the similarity in our circumstances, as well as the urgency to address the common challenges we face.”
The statement from the two conferences describes challenges such “recent court decisions, pending litigation, a patchwork of state laws and complex governance proposals” as a reasoning behind the formation of the joint advisory committee. It will work with other groups, including input from athletes and leaders from both conferences, as needed, per the release.
The advisory group will not make decisions on its own and will provide advice, per the release. Members, rules and schedule have not been set for the committee. However, the committee will consist of university presidents, chancellors and athletics directors.
“There are similar cultural and social impacts on our student-athletes, our institutions, and our communities because of the new collegiate athletics environment,” SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said in the release. “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.”
The Big Ten and SEC are viewed as the two “power conferences” in college athletics following recent waves of expansion. The Big Ten is adding Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington this summer, while Oklahoma and Texas are set to join the SEC at the same time.
The joint announcement from the Big Ten and SEC comes on the heals of the Tennessee and Virginia attorney generals filing a lawsuit this week aimed at the NCAA for antitrust violations stemming from the college sports governing body’s probe into the alleged breaking of NIL laws in the Volunteers’ recruitment of 2023 five-star quarterback signee Nico Iamaleava. Per CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd, Tennessee and Virginia “are seeking to do away with NIL guidelines adopted by the NCAA in July 2021. Those guidelines have been modified since their initial introduction.”
Tennessee alleges that the NCAA has violated antitrust laws by denying student-athletes the opportunity to profit off of their name, image or likeness.
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Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee released a statement on Wednesday morning, saying, “The University of Tennessee has been nothing but forthcoming with the NCAA, and I thank Chancellor Donde Plowman for taking a stand on behalf of all universities and student athletes. It’s time for the NCAA to establish clear rules in the interest of student athletes, rather than try to retroactively enforce ever-changing name, image and likeness guidance.”
Brad Crawford contributed to this report.
