#10: The North Carolina Board of Trustees has approved an audit of the athletic department “amid concerns and anger over the Tar Heels' revenue, management and changes to college sports,” according to WRAL’s Brian Murphy, who adds the board “approved a top line of $134.97M for the department as part of its all-funds budget that is due to the Board of Governors this week, but demanded further discussion with athletics director Bubba Cunningham.” Board Chair John Preyer: "I think it's imperative for the board to hear all of this in closed session. I don't think they understand the level of bad data that has been provided, and I think it is incumbent on us to get it right." Trustee Jen Evans noted the athletic department submitted a preliminary budget proposal with a $17M deficit for the 2024-25 academic year and $100M in cumulative deficits moving forward. "With no plans to address that, to mitigate that, I don't want anyone to think we're talking in code. There are real issues here, a real concern that one of the most valuable assets and something that really generates revenue is not being managed properly. That is the need for the question and answer and that is the need for the audit." Trustee Ralph Meekins defended Cunningham and said that the deficits were forecast during COVID because the school did not cut programs. “I don't appreciate the comments and inferences that the athletic director has not been forthcoming and available when we want to talk to him.” Trustee Dave Boliek said he wants UNC to join a league with higher revenue. "I am advocating for that. That's what we need to do. We need to do everything we can to get there. Or the alternative is the ACC is going to have to reconstruct itself. I think all options are on the table.” (link)
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#9: The Big Ten names Wisconsin Senior Assoc. AD/SWA Katie Ahrens Smith as VP for Policy and Compliance. (link) |
#8: Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde profiles ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips and his leadership in this moment in time and posits: “The burning question for the ACC is whether an idealist can guide it through today’s cutthroat landscape of college athletics.” Former Duke Men’s Basketball HC Mike Krzyzewski tells Forde: “His values as a leader are needed. But it’s a really tough time. People [in the ACC] have not been forthright in expressing their agendas. They have hidden agendas. Fans would be amazed by all the stuff that is secretly happening in our conference. It finally came to fruition with Florida State, but Florida State’s not the only one looking at different things. It’s a hell of a job right now.” Phillips sends congratulatory messages to every ACC Athlete of the Week in every sport and sends messages of support or celebration to coaches and ADs after tough wins or losses. Forde notes that “some within the league see such interpersonal pleasantries as a sign Phillips is focused on the wrong things.” One AD says: “I don’t think [SEC Commissioner] Greg Sankey is spending time sending out those emails. Jim is incredibly nice, and believes that being nice will get you where you need to go. But it’s not the same as having a strategy. … You’ve got to be so strategic and so aggressive in this business.” Still others defend Phillips, including Pittsburgh AD Heather Lyke, who says: “He’s shifted the mentality in regards to football while maintaining everything that’s great about ACC basketball. Instead of being humble about how great we’ve been, we’re starting to go ahead and brag a little bit.” Lots more. (link)
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#7: ESPN’s Dan Murphy and Pete Thamel report the “tentative terms” of a settlement in the House case include the “NCAA paying more than $2.7B in past damages as well as setting up a system for its most powerful conferences to share a portion of their revenue with athletes moving forward. One major obstacle to reaching a settlement has been finding a way for the NCAA and its schools to protect themselves from future lawsuits, including potential claims they would be colluding to cap player compensation without using a collective bargaining agreement.” Steve Berman, co-lead counsel for the plaintiffs, tells ESPN he and his team have proposed a solution that would extend the class-action settlement on an annual basis. In this scenario, athletes would receive a notice each year providing them with the opportunity to object to the terms of the revenue-share agreement. Berman explains those athletes would then have the chance to attend a hearing and persuade the judge that the revenue-share arrangement was unfair in order to push for a change. "Each year we would have a hearing where any new athlete who wasn't previously bound [by the settlement] can come and object. They would have to come and say, 'I don't think this is fair.' That would be a hard burden to prove." Murphy and Thamel also report the belief that the power conferences have the majority votes to settle. “The Big Ten is generally on board with settling. The SEC has some detractors of settling but is trending to a majority. The Big 12 is expected to follow along. There's some dissension in the ACC, which has amplified why Florida State and Clemson are suing to leave the league, but sources say it's unlikely the ACC will end up voting against it.” Lots more. (link)
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#6: North Carolina AD Bubba Cunningham opted not to go into depth when asked about criticism from some members of the UNC Board of Trustees, telling the News & Observer’s Andrew Carter: “I really don’t have any reaction. I haven’t talked to anybody. You know I’ve been here the whole time.” Cunningham adds that he’ll “prepare for Thursday'' when he meets with the board. (link)
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#5: Yahoo’s Ross Dellenger has obtained a document detailing the proposed House settlement and notes the NCAA and power conferences are looking at being on the hook for upwards of $20B in damages should they lose the case at trial. Dellenger notes the “settlement, believed to be in the final stages of adoption, consists of three main concepts: billions in back damages; a new compensation model permitting schools to share as much as $22M annually with athletes in a capped system; and an overhaul of the NCAA scholarship and roster structure.” He also reports the total figure that would be owed to the affected class in back damages is $2.776B, which the NCAA would pay over a 10-year period. Meanwhile, according to the document, estimated $20B in damages would likely be payable “immediately” after final judgment and “not over 10 years.” Additionally, the court is “expected to reaffirm the NCAA’s remaining rules around compensation, ‘including the prohibition on booster payments if they are not true NIL.’” The settlement also includes the development of a new “enforcement infrastructure,” and Dellenger reports the “plaintiffs will agree to cooperate with the NCAA’s years-long congressional lobbying effort ‘regarding antitrust exemption,’” according to the document. Left open is the possibility of athletes being deemed employees, as the agreement permits an adjustment “to an employment model with collective bargaining.” Also notable is the inclusion of what the document calls a “release” of antitrust compensation claims from current, former and future athletes for 10 years as part of a “substitution” system for new plaintiffs. Not included is protection from future lawsuits brought by state attorneys general, the preemption of state NIL or revenue-sharing laws and any “real ruling” on Title IX’s application. More from Dellenger. (link)
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#4: Severe weather in Tallahassee caused significant damage to Florida State Baseball’s Dick Howser Stadium, taking down at least one foul pole, wrecking the video board and more. Have a look. (link, link)
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#3: The NCAA Softball Championship bracket is set. Texas, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Florida are the top four seeds, respectively. (link); Last four in: Indiana, Ole Miss, Penn State & UCF. Siena, Southeastern Louisiana & Dayton are making their first-ever appearances. (link)
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#2: 247Sports' Chris Karpman reports Arizona State Executive Sr. Assoc. AD/Chief Business Officer Graham Rossini "is expected to soon be promoted to athletic director, people familiar with the plans said. There were some hiccups last month but this has been Michael Crow's preference for several months or longer and it's close to happening." (link)
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#1: Iowa Women’s Basketball HC Lisa Bluder announces her retirement. (link) |
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