Why SEC, Big Ten advisory group points toward super league in college sports

Earlier today, the SEC and Big Ten announced they will be forming a joint advisory group of university presidents, chancellors, and athletics directors to “address the significant challenges facing college athletics and the opportunities for betterment of the student-athlete experience,” per a statement released by the SEC.

Both Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti and SEC commissioner Greg Sankey included statements in the release. The announcement claimed the group’s lone purpose is to be for consultation on the matters at hand that they deem fit.

“These challenges, including but not limited to recent court decisions, pending litigation, a patchwork of state laws, and complex governance proposals, compel the two conferences to take a leadership role in developing solutions for a sustainable future of college sports,” the statement read.

“The advisory group will engage with other constituencies as necessary, including consultation with student-athletes and other key leadership groups from within both conferences.”

The SEC and Big Ten will both welcome multiple new schools in 2024. With so much change on the horizon, it’s easy to assume a group will be necessary for issues that arise. On Friday, On3’s Andy Staples weighed in on the new joint advisory group.

“They insist it’s not a break away from the NCAA. But, I thought the same thing you did: super league,” Staples said. “That is where this seems to be headed because these two conferences are different from everybody else. We’ve spent all week talking about how we’re going to replace the term ‘Power Five.’ It’s not accurate anymore. We couldn’t just go to ‘Power Four’ and drop the Pac-12 because the ACC and the Big 12 are different from the Big Ten and the SEC.

“The Big Ten and the SEC are above everyone else in terms of money and stature and eyeballs and everything else. Well, they have now declared it. They are the ‘Power Two,’ or as a friend of mine put it this week, ‘Big and Rich.’ That is who will be shaping the future of college sports. Probably, it’s who should be shaping it because those are most of the teams that people watch. Those are the ones that make most of the money.”

The advisory group was formed in reaction to “recent court decisions, pending litigation, a patchwork of state laws and complex governance proposals,” according to the Big Ten’s news release. Now, the pair of powerful conferences will have a group prepared to address any future grievances.