Kevin Warren acknowledges Big Ten could implement paying players, further expansion

Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren has not been shy about making big moves that, in his mind, protect the long-term existence of college athletics. After expanding the Big Ten to 16 teams and inking a reportedly massive TV rights deal recently, the commissioner spoke to HBO’s Bryant Gumbel on Real Sports about what might be next in college sports.

In an excerpt from the yet-to-be-released episode (it airs on Tuesday) shared by SI’s Ross Dellenger, Warren told Gumbel that further expansion and sharing television revenue with players are both real, if still somewhat distant, possibility. Gumbel asked Warren if he foresees a time when athletes are being paid directly. Generally, Warren thinks that’s a possibility.

“Those are the things that we have to resolve,” Warren said. “We have to. So I want to be part of this conversation, and will be part of this conversation of what we can do to make this better.”

Here is the exchange between Bryant Gumbel and Kevin Warren during the @RealSportsHBO interview. Full episode airs Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/NAWLvkAfTL

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) August 19, 2022

The major phase of realignment that college football is currently experiencing, of course, was also discussed.

“And I think during that period there’s gonna be a lot of disruption. And that’s OK. We need to embrace it if we want to make sure that we continually build college athletics in a position where it’s here 100 and 200 years from now,” Warren said.

Warren also admitted that the Big Ten could seek to expand beyond 16 members.

“I could see perpetual and future growth,” Warren said.