The SEC and Big Ten conferences announced Friday they are forming a joint advisory group to address problems in college sports, news that quickly exploded on social media.
Many fans and analysts claimed the move will bring the end of the NCAA.
According to an SEC statement, the group will include presidents and athletic directors from the two conferences, who will “address the significant challenges facing college athletics and opportunities for the betterment of the student-athlete experience.”
NEWS | @SEC and @bigten announce the formation of a joint advisory group of university presidents, chancellors, and ADs to address significant challenges facing college athletics and opportunities for the betterment of the student-athlete experience. https://t.co/HwTkSeZcux
— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) February 2, 2024
Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger reported SEC commissioner Greg Sankey and the Big Ten’s Tony Petitti told him that “the B1G-SEC joint venture is not a move toward an NCAA breakaway.”
Commissioners Tony Petitti & Greg Sankey tell @YahooSports that the B1G-SEC joint venture is not a move toward an NCAA breakaway. They remain part of both NCAA governance & competition.
“We want to see a healthy national organization.”https://t.co/KNGAgxOOGY
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) February 2, 2024
According to the SEC statement, “The advisory group will have no authority to act independently and will only serve as a consulting body,” and “specific questions it might examine, have yet to be determined.”
Fans were skeptical, amused and frustrated at the SEC-Big Ten news. The two mega-conferences have been blamed for many of the ills in college sports. Those issues include realignments — such as the moves that decimated the Pac-12 Conference — along with a lack of NIL and transfer portal guidelines and rules enforcement issues.
The people who messed everything up have met to come up with new ways to mess everything up https://t.co/nXNnfxEZKT
— ¡BUM CHILLUPS AKA SPENCER HALL! (@edsbs) February 2, 2024
I love when university administrators get together to discuss the challenges facing college sports. That always means they’re about to make great decisions with the best interests of student-athletes and fans in mind. https://t.co/CcIKknIUSL
— The Scott & Holman Pawdcast (@SHPawdcast) February 2, 2024
Turn off the lights when you leave NCAA. Your failure to adapt to the changing world of college athletics & bring any structure to transfer portal, timely investigations & enforcement, policy & guardrails in NIL & consistency in discipline were your own undoing. https://t.co/lbcUN3iHE7
— Matt Finkes (@MattFinkes) February 2, 2024
this is like when Luke Skywalker and Han Solo joined up to destroy the Death Star.
Nice knowing you, @NCAA https://t.co/8aHydHRvaj
— 🏈emily🌲 (@emilyofeasttx) February 2, 2024
Oh fantastic. Cant wait to see how the ruin collegiate athletics next. https://t.co/79gMTUBYnW
— Josh (@TheZagaholic) February 2, 2024
These two are going to split off from eveyone else eventually and have their own National Championship.
It’s been boiling for a while https://t.co/wYAKK2B3L7
— CFBLIVE247™ (@CFBLive247_) February 2, 2024
[Ross Dellenger, Yahoo Sports]
