#10: ESPN’s Pete Thamel reports that “all sides are working to complete the longform of the settlement in the House case, which is expected to be finalized in the upcoming weeks and presented to Judge Wilken. A few details need to be hashed out in the near future, per sources. The range of roster limits being discussed is between 100 and 110, with the Big Ten lobbying for the higher side of that range. There’s discussion of a ‘phase in’ on this, so teams with giant rosters – think 130/140 – potentially don’t have to make immediate giant cuts for 2025. “There’s framework being discussed about the enforcement mechanism around collectives. Those details may not be fully hashed out until after the longform is done. Enforcement, always, is vexing for everyone. Don’t expect immediate clarity on how athletic departments will handle monetary distribution. That’s still a major topic, but not one required to be addressed in this settlement.” (link)
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#9: Florida State is set to announce a new 10-year multimedia rights agreement with Legends, Seminoles AD Michael Alford tells SBJ’s Ben Portnoy. He adds: “When you look at the changing environment of the collegiate landscape, you have to look at what you can do to make up the difference to be able to support your student athletes at an elite level – and that’s looking at various new revenue streams that we haven't looked at before. I go back to our relationship [with Legends] on the premium sales side that we're doing extremely well. We've had the best couple years we've ever had in concessions at [Doak Campbell Stadium] and throughout all of our athletic venues, and now [adding] the MMR side of things. We’re constantly going to be looking to be innovative in what we can bring to the table that makes sense for Florida State to drive those revenue streams.” (link)
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#8: The NCAA has released a statement on the Johnson ruling, which reads: “Our focus remains on the ongoing effort we are leading to modernize college sports. The NCAA is expanding core guaranteed benefits for student- athletes to include health insurance, scholarships, academic counseling, mental health support, and career preparation. The Association is also advancing a proposal to allow schools to deliver far greater direct financial benefits to student-athletes. In modernizing college sports, student-athlete leadership from all three divisions agree that college athletes should not be forced into an employment model, which they expect will harm their experiences and needlessly cost countless student-athletes opportunities in women's sports, Olympic sports, and sports at the HBCU and Division II and Division III levels. We look forward to working with all stakeholders – including Congress – to continue to promote needed changes in the best interest of all student-athletes." (link)
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#7: Nike has laid off 32 VPs, 112 senior directors and 174 directors, accounting for more than 40% of the jobs the company eliminated this year. According to The Oregonian’s Matthew Kish, workers who supported Nike’s executives have also been laid off, including 22 senior administrative assistants. CEO John Donahoe last week said the layoffs are behind the company and the focus is now on getting new products into stores. “Teams are focused on driving for the consumer innovation and execution” and are “100% focused on driving the growth and innovation we’ve been talking about.” (link)
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#6: UMass Lowell names Denver Deputy AD for Student-Athlete Excellence/SWA Lynn Coutts as its next AD. Chancellor Julie Chen: "She demonstrates a passion grounded in personal experience, professional success and determination. Her desire to grow this position, working not only with coaches and student-athletes but across the UMass Lowell community, is one of many reasons I know she will succeed leading the River Hawk team." Collegiate Sports Associates assisted with the search. (link)
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#5: Former Utah State Deputy AD Jerry Bovee intends to “file a grievance pursuant to USU policy” after he was terminated last week following an external review of alleged noncompliance with university policies that implement Title IX law. Utah State alleges that Bovee and former Football Director of Player Development and Community Engagement Austin Albrecht both violated school policies “related to the reporting of sexual and domestic violence and failures of professional responsibilities.” Bovee says he was blind-sided by the school’s decision, “based on an inconclusive and untimely review of an incident that took place more than a year ago in April of 2023.” In his statement, Bovee “is vigorously defending his reputation as [an] Aggies alum and stellar associate vice president and deputy athletics director. … In his tenured career, he has never incurred disciplinary action or accusations of misconduct of any kind.” (link)
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#4: Utah State has parted ways with Executive Assoc. AD for Internal Affairs/SWA Amy Crosbie. The university did not disclose the reasoning behind Crosbie’s dismissal. (link)
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#3: Texas Tech unveils its new word mark, which, “when paired with the Double T, embraces the spirit and character of Texas Tech.” VP of Marketing & Communications Mark Dewey: “Texas Tech's visual identity is more than a logo or a set of colors. It represents our values, aspirations and commitment to excellence. After months of planning, research and collaboration, we have developed a new visual identity system that captures the essence of what Texas Tech is and where it's headed.” From the Red Raiders’ release: “Texas Tech's branding reflects its modern innovation, academic advancements and continuous growth and achievements. It also ensures consistency with the brand throughout all colleges and departments within Texas Tech, presenting a flexible yet uniform appearance. The Double T, one of the most iconic logos in all of higher education, will remain the same.” Have a look. (link)
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#2: Iowa unveils its new football locker room. See for yourself. (link)
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#1: Florida State has unveiled a new academic logo and will reserve the Seminole head logo exclusively for athletics. FSU Chief Marketing Officer Susannah Wesley-Ahlschwede. “Previously, FSU was one of the only public universities in the country without three identifying marks. … Most prestigious and R1 universities use a university seal, their primary institution identity which is text, and a primary athletic mark. For many years, FSU has only had two marks — the seal and athletic mark.” (link)
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