Report: Document reveals proposal to remake NCAA governance, give power conferences more control

Power conferences are seeking more control and are forming a proposal to remake NCAA governance, according to a document obtained by Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger. It would give more authority to the leagues over key responsibilities such as rule-making and postseason events.

The proposal – considered a “working document” that does not have full approval – would allow the Autonomous 4 to manage postseason championships. That’s currently the NCAA’s responsibility. The document would also create a subdivision under the NCAA’s purview similar to president Charlie Baker’s proposed Project D-I plan.

In addition to postseason event control, according to the document, conferences would also gain authority on other key issues such as revenue distribution and selection committees. However, Dellenger reported, it does not indicate a true breakaway from the NCAA.

A proposal from power conferences stands to remake NCAA governance & shift control of championships, per documents obtained by @YahooSports.

SEC, Big Ten, Big 12 & ACC are seeking an expansion of A4 powers to include management of NCAA postseason events.https://t.co/lXouQlg5g1

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) January 8, 2025

The SEC’s Greg Sankey and other power conference commissioners confirmed the document exists. Sankey also said they told Baker about it, noting the need for change as the landscape shifts and the House v. NCAA settlement awaits final approval.

“There have been seven to eight months of discussions about the NCAA governance decision-making process,” Sankey told Dellenger. “We have a responsibility to develop an idea. We’ve circulated this with our conferences. We’ve let the NCAA president know. This is an important time for change. We think it is important to provoke thought.”

How March Madness fits into the proposal

At the center of the discussion around postseason tournaments would be both the men’s and women’s March Madness. Those events are perhaps the biggest in the NCAA, with the men’s bringing in upward of $1 billion in revenue and the women’s tournament exploding in popularity last season with record TV viewership.

Currently, all 32 conferences get a representative in the NCAA tournament. The commissioners made it clear the spirit of the tournament is important, and the ACC’s Jim Phillips told Yahoo Sports he’s “adamant” each league should have access to the “national treasure.”

In a statement to Yahoo! Sports, Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark said the goal isn’t to drastically change March Madness. Instead, he said the goal would be to “adjust” it given the current state of the landscape.

“We have no desire to compromise what makes college athletics so special, but instead we want to make necessary adjustments to reflect where the industry is going,” Yormark said.

NCAA governance has been a point of discussion since the House v. NCAA settlement came together, which would signal the revenue-sharing era in college athletics if it receives final approval in April. The House settlement also keeps the power conferences and NCAA together through 2035, meaning any vote to potentially withdraw – if there’s not a consensus – could be a problem.