As we wrap up the year, enjoy the Top 10 Most Read stories from 2023. |
#10: After Florida pitcher Neely was tossed out of a baseball game for celebrating a strikeout, Gators P/DH Caglianone celebrated a grand slam by not celebrating. Pretty comical. (link) |
#9: The Seattle Times’ David Gutman takes a behind the scenes look at how Washington’s decision to leave the Pac-12 played out drawing from emails & text messages involving UW President Ana Mari Cauce. Included is an exchange with then-Stanford President Marc Tessier-Lavigne which seems to indicate the Cardinal were committed to voting San Diego State into the Pac-12 once a new media deal was reached, which was “essentially unanimous.” There’s also a text exchange with former Huskies & current USC AD Jen Cohen after Pac-12 Commissioner George Kliavkoff initially introduced the new media deal with Cohen telling Cauce: “This isn’t going to work. He went backwards on benefits of this since Friday. It's not close. This is bad!” Lots more, including Cauce’s balancing interests on August 3rd of trying to keep a Pac-12 option viable, while also reaching out to Big Ten peers. Fascinating read. (link)
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#8: Ball State selects Southern Miss Deputy AD Mitchell as the Cardinals’ next AD. BSU Chief Strategy Officer Alexander, who chaired the search committee: “Throughout the hiring process, Jeff displayed a genuine sense of passion and creativity that will be an asset to our athletics department—and to our University. Jeff’s emphasis on diversity, inclusion, and community engagement aligns with our University’s values and will serve him well in this role.” (link)
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#7: NCAA President Charlie Baker is set to introduce new student-athlete compensation proposals at this week's SBJ Intercollegiate Athletics Forum, per Sports Illustrated's Pat Forde. From Baker's letter: "First, we should make it possible for all Division I colleges and universities to offer student-athletes any level of enhanced educational benefits they deem appropriate. Second, rules should change for any Division I school, at their choice, to enter into name, image and likeness licensing opportunities with their student-athletes. [...] Third, a subdivision comprised of institutions with the highest resources to invest in their student-athletes should be required to do two things: Within the framework of Title IX, invest at least $30K per year into an enhanced educational trust fund for at least half of the institution's eligible student-athletes. Commit to work with their peer institutions in this subdivision to create rules that may differ from the rules in place for the rest of Division I." Among the 10 benefits Baker highlights in the proposal is this: “It kickstarts a long overdue conversation among the membership that focuses on the differences that exist between schools, conferences and divisions and how to create more permissive and flexible rules across the NCAA that put student-athletes first. … It also gives the NCAA a chance to propose a better way to support student-athletes at the highest revenue schools by providing significant financial support to student-athletes in revenue positive and non-revenue sports alike.” Lots more. (link)
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#6: U.S. District Court Judge Claudia Wilken has granted class-action status for damages in the House v. NCAA case. USA Today's Steve Berkowitz explains: "Attorneys for the NCAA and the conferences had written in legal filings that the athletes are seeking more than $1.4 billion. The filings did not specify whether that figure takes into account the tripling of damages awards that occurs in successful antitrust cases. If it does not, then more than $4.2 billion could be at stake in the case. Specifically, the suit claims that football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball players at schools in the Power Five conferences are entitled to damages related to the use of their NIL’s during telecasts of games and that athletes in any sport at a Power Five school are entitled to damages related to social media earnings." Also notable from today's proceedings, per Boise State Asst. Professor Sam Ehrlich: "The NCAA's expert witness (testifying on the Title IX impact of revenue sharing) is excluded. ... Two plaintiff economics experts are kept in the case." (link, link)
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#5: Illinois State AD Brennan has resigned after nearly two and a half years leading the Redbirds, per The Pantagraph's Reinhardt. (link) |
#4: San Diego AD Bill McGillis has resigned after six-plus years leading the Toreros, per Action Network's Brett McMurphy. (link) |
#3: The DI Transformation Committee has delivered its wide-ranging final report to the DI Board of Directors ahead of next week's NCAA Convention. On the topic of "Elevating support for student-athletes' mental, physical, and academic well-being," the committee's extensive recommendations include requiring a minimum of two years of medical coverage following graduation or completing one's athletic experience for athletic-related injuries, a requirement for a "direct pathway for full-time clinical services of a licensed mental health professional exclusively dedicated to serving student-athletes," providing 10 years of graduation completion funds for full scholarship student-athletes, a new DI governance structure with greater student-athlete participation and more. Related to enhancing the championship experience, the committee is recommending to "Accommodate access for 25% of active Division I members in good standing in team sports sponsored by more than 200 schools," and alter the DI revenue distribution model to "reflect contemporary Division I values and account for athletic performance in more sports than men’s basketball," among other recommendations. Finally on "Building a faster, fairer, and more equitable Division I," the committee is recommending the BoD be the highest governing body in the NCAA and consider revising its composition while maintaining its size, and eliminate the volunteer coach designation and alter official and unofficial visits and much more. Tons more. (link)
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#2: The Big Ten has hired former MLB COO/MLB Network CEO Petitti as its next commissioner, according to multiple reports. ESPN’s Thamel: “Petitti emerged from a group of finalists who interviewed in the past 48 hours and was selected Tuesday after a vote of the league's presidents and chancellors. … His media experience comes from working for ABC Sports, CBS and the MLB Network. His work with college sports includes helping create the Bowl Championship Series back when he was with ABC and working with the NCAA tournament while at CBS. He also worked extensively with the NFL while at CBS.” (link)
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#1: St. Francis (NY) is eliminating its athletics program at the conclusion of the semester as part of an overall restructuring. SFC will honor the scholarships of student-athletes who wish to stay. The SFC Board of Trustees also granted President Martinez-Saenz’s request for personal leave and has appointed COO Cecere as Acting President. (link); Terriers AD Garcia: “I am heartbroken that a decision has been made to eliminate the college’s athletics program. … The COVID-19 pandemic has left an indelible imprint on St. Francis College and, as a result, Terrier athletics. … Our athletic department has been an outlet of opportunity for student-athletes from every walk of life and from every corner of our globe, and I sincerely hope that will be the legacy of Terrier Athletics. (link)
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