NEW YORK ― While this year’s IMG Intercollegiate Athletics Forum was vastly less explosive than last year’s, the pressing issues remain unchanged.
In 2012, the discussions at the forum centered on conference realignments — some of which were made public as the event was taking place. This year the mood was calmer, but no less decisive in terms of the undisputable disparities in Division I intercollegiate athletics.
It is without question that the 351 institutions that compete in Division I vary widely in terms of the number of sports offered, media exposure and resources. Conversation continues about a break in Division I, with the top five conferences separating, but by all indications that is less likely than a year ago. The five largest and wealthiest conferences — the Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12, Southeastern and Atlantic Coast — do want more autonomy.
In a session moderated by SportsBusiness Daily/Global/Journal executive editor Abe Madkour, NCAA president Dr. Mark Emmert said he anticipates changes to the scholarship model will move forward at the upcoming NCAA convention in January.
“I think this is going to be, I hope, a seminal moment in the NCAA, especially for Division I,” said Emmert. “The presidents have been talking for some time now about the need to have a decision-making structure and governance structure that allows them to make decisions more facilely and accommodate the huge, mostly economic differences across Division I.
“Right now, they’re trying to write the rules collectively and in some areas that’s very, very difficult,” he continued. “Changes would provide greater autonomy and the ability for large budget conferences — especially big five BCS equity conferences — that would allow them to have greater authority over a handful of areas so they can spend money more effectively on student-athletes and student-athletes’ success.”
