Who Controls College Football? SEC, Big Ten, or Congress
College football’s facing a seismic shift as key leaders from the SEC and Big Ten wrestle with the future College Football Playoff (CFP) format. The sport’s top conferences have met to hash out the playoff structure, but clashing views on automatic qualifiers and at-large bids have led to a stubborn stalemate.
This debate among power brokers just shows how fragmented college football governance really is. Meanwhile, new regulatory bodies, Congressional meddling, and larger-than-life personalities are all fighting for control, making the sport’s future unpredictable—and, honestly, kind of wild.
The Power Struggle: SEC vs. Big Ten
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Back in February, leaders from the SEC and Big Ten—college football’s two real heavyweights—got together in New Orleans to talk about the playoff’s future. The SEC wanted more at-large bids, while the Big Ten pushed for automatic qualifiers.
This disagreement has opened up a rift between the conferences, even though they both hold massive sway over the sport. The SEC’s Greg Sankey and the Big Ten’s Tony Petitti have become the faces of this debate, each pushing a different vision for the CFP.
Greg Sankey’s Vision
Greg Sankey, the SEC’s longtime commissioner, has championed at-large bids for the CFP. Fans seem to like this approach, maybe because it feels more inclusive.
Sankey’s run has seen some disruptive realignment moves and, let’s be honest, a bit of SEC self-importance. But his current take on the playoff format has actually won him some new supporters.
Tony Petitti’s Approach
Tony Petitti, who used to work in TV and now runs the Big Ten, pushes for a model built around automatic qualifiers and TV-friendly play-in games. This stance has left Petitti a bit isolated, but the Big Ten’s recent success and deep pockets let him weather the criticism.
Both Sankey and Petitti wield a ton of influence over where college football heads next.
The Role of the College Sports Commission (CSC)
The new College Sports Commission (CSC), headed by Seeley, wants to bring some order to the chaos of college sports. Seeley, who used to lead investigations for Major League Baseball, got the job thanks to his reputation for enforcing rules.
The CSC’s tasked with regulating revenue-sharing caps and figuring out fair-market value for name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals. Still, a lot of folks doubt the CSC can really make a difference.
Enforcement and Regulation
The CSC’s main goal is to keep bad actors and rule-benders in check, something the NCAA never really managed. They’re supposed to enforce revenue-sharing caps and scrutinize NIL deals.
If the CSC pulls this off, it could become a real force in college sports governance. But legal challenges are already popping up, so it’s hardly a sure thing.
Challenges Ahead
Seeley’s got a tough job, especially since the commission’s launch hasn’t exactly been smooth. Whether the CSC can enforce its rules without getting bogged down in lawsuits will make or break its future.
Congressional Involvement
Plenty of college sports leaders are turning to Congress for help. The NCAA and the big conferences are lobbying hard for federal laws and antitrust exemptions, hoping to stabilize the sport.
They’re trying to lock in the new House settlement, which allows revenue sharing but still treats athletes as students, not employees.
The SCORE Act
The SCORE Act just became the first bill to make it through committee markups and could get a House vote this fall. But it’s got almost no bipartisan support, and plenty of people are lining up against it.
Without consensus in Congress, legislative fixes look pretty tough.
Presidential Influence
President Trump recently jumped in with an executive order aimed at stabilizing college athletics. Executive orders can’t make laws or grant antitrust exemptions, but they can nudge Congress.
The order also hinted that federal funding decisions might be used to push certain policies, which adds another wrinkle to the whole debate.
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The NCAA and Its Future
The NCAA, under President Baker, has tried to get ahead of the House settlement, ditching the old amateurism model and working to keep the industry steady. Baker’s even been willing to hand some power to the big conferences just to keep the NCAA relevant.
Even with less influence these days, the NCAA is still the closest thing to centralized leadership college sports has got.
Stabilizing the Industry
Baker’s tried to get everyone on the same page when lobbying Congress. This strategy has helped the NCAA avoid another expensive court loss and stay in the game, at least for now.
Future Prospects
The NCAA’s future really hinges on how well it can work with Congress and the major conferences. If they make progress on legislation, the NCAA will stick around at the table.
If not, its role might keep shrinking.
Other Influential Figures
It’s not just commissioners and regulators shaping college football’s future. Mega boosters, coaches, agents, and even the courts all play their part in this tangled web.
Mega Boosters and Coaches
Billionaire oilman and Texas Tech mega booster Campbell hasn’t been shy about using college football’s TV appeal to drive revenue. Coaches like Nick Saban, Kirby Smart, and Deion Sanders remain big voices in the sport, too.
They might not hold formal power off the field, but their opinions sway fans and sometimes even conference decisions.
Agents and the Court System
Superagents like Jimmy Sexton, who seems to represent half the SEC’s coaches, have a lot of sway in contract talks and the sport’s overall landscape. The courts have also played a major role, opening the door to new NIL rules and multiple penalty-free transfers.
Legal battles over antitrust, employment, and Title IX are still looming, so the courts aren’t stepping out of the spotlight any time soon.
The Role of Television Networks
TV networks like ESPN, Fox, CBS, and NBC have changed college football in huge ways. Conference TV deals and the resulting realignment have torn up the sport’s old map.
Media personalities—think Kirk Herbstreit or Pat McAfee—also help shape public opinion and how the sport gets covered.
Future Negotiations
The next round of TV rights talks will be massive. How the networks handle these negotiations could steer college football for years.
It’s worth watching how their influence on scheduling and talk of a super league might play out.
Public Perception
TV networks really do shape how fans see college football. Their coverage choices and the personalities they put front and center will keep molding the sport’s evolution.
It’s easy to forget, but these networks are the real power players behind the scenes, calling a lot of the shots both on and off the field.
Conclusion
College football’s future? It’s being pulled in all sorts of directions. Conference commissioners, regulatory bodies, and even Congress want a say.
Television networks are in the mix too, shaping the game in ways that sometimes catch everyone off guard. With all these groups wrestling for control, the sport feels like it’s stuck in a whirlwind.
Honestly, it’s a bit chaotic—maybe that’s why college football stays so fascinating. If you’re curious and want to dig into the tangled world of its governance, check out the full article on The New York Times.