D1.ticker Top Ten - the most clicked stories of the past week |
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#10: CBS’ Matt Norlander shares a look at the patch the Loyola Chicago men’s basketball team will wear to honor the late Sister Jean. (link) |
#9: San Diego President James Harris argues in an New York Times op-ed that the Power 4 has grown so dominant that it should form a standalone football association run by pro-style administrators with its own rules, revenue distribution, and scheduling. “That would allow these programs to reap the benefits of their popularity while not setting the course for the rest of the member schools, like a tanker pulling a line of rowboats. Why is this drastic step necessary? Consider one common misconception about major college football — that it generates much of the funding for lower-level football programs and for other sports. In reality, the massive revenue that the top football conferences generate from TV deals goes directly back to them. The rest of the NCAA membership relies almost exclusively on the revenue from the Division I men’s basketball tournament. … Yet the wider Division I membership shares the burden of paying for the lawsuit settlements that the Power Four schools either largely created or would benefit the most from.” Harris goes on to posit that “if the football programs did separate as I am suggesting, I think we would see another major realignment of athletic conferences, with schools opting for ones closer to their campuses for their other athletes. This would save those schools money and reduce time out of class as well as renew traditional rivalries. … As the president of a university with competitive sports teams outside of the Power Four, I think this solution is the only way to allow a level playing field for all student-athletes, nurture other non-football sports programs, support more opportunities for women and focus more attention on Olympic sports.” (link)
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#8: Penn State AD Pat Kraft tells the media he won’t provide details on the finances of former Nittany Lions HC James Franklin’s buyout, remarking: “This is an athletics issue. This is not the institution's issue, so we in athletics are absorbing all the costs associated with this.” (link)
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#7: Take a drone tour of the progress USC is making on its $225M Football Performance Center. (link) |
#6: Charlotte Chancellor Sharon L. Gaber confirms the “terms of Mike Hill’s contract will be honored, including a financial payout of his $420,000 base salary through June 30, 2030. The payout is subject to standard mitigation obligations." (link)
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#5: Some members of the Penn State Board of Trustees are "aggrieved" over two specific elements from the Adidas and Nike apparel offers they say were never disclosed to the board, per Front Office Sports’ Daniel Roberts and Dennis Young, who report that Nike’s offer included more than $30M in upfront cash, while the Adidas contract included an “annual product allotment of $500K in retail value for athletic director Patrick Kraft,” starting in 2027, separate from the annual $8M athletic department product allotment. In response to FOS, Penn State BOT chair David Kleppinger and vice chair Rick Sokolov vigorously denied any misconduct around the deal. PSU Deputy AD for Strategic Engagement and Brand Advancement Leah Beasley confirmed both the $500K product allotment and the AD contract wording, remarking: “That’s pretty standard for apparel deals, and it is for the discretion of the athletic department, it is not for Pat Kraft personally. It is encompassing of many things. It’s for the university and athletic department to take care of coaches, staff, and athletes, it’s for co-marketing dollars, we can do a lot with that money.” The activist trustees also see a conflict of interest with Kraft's reportedly close friendship with Adidas marketing executive Chris McGuire, who negotiated the deal. (link)
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#4: Horizon League Commissioner Julie Roe Lach is departing the league after almost five years in the big chair to become the Executive VP with Pacers Sports & Entertainment, the corporate identity exemplified by the Indiana Pacers, Indiana Fever, Noblesville Boom, Pacers Foundation and Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Roe Lach: “Today is bittersweet. Being a part of the Horizon League has been so meaningful. Our staff, presidents, chancellors, athletics directors, sports administrators, coaches, faculty athletics representatives and student-athletes are remarkable. Traveling to our campuses and seeing the transformational opportunities in action has been such a privilege. Our league is filled with committed, talented and impactful leaders. I’m grateful to have been a part of the HL.” Roe Lach will remain in her Commissioner’s role and assist in the transition through the academic semester. (link)
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#3: New video released by Texas Tech shows a Kansas football player pick up an object from a spot on the Jones AT&T Stadium sideline last Saturday night after a Jayhawks staff member had possibly just dropped an object at the same spot. According to the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal’s Don Williams, the object “is a closed pocketknife; there's no disagreement on that. … Tech athletics officials who reviewed the video circled the unidentified Kansas staff member in coaching attire and illustrated with two arrows that his right hand moved away from his pants pocket and he purportedly dropped something as he proceeded up the sideline. His actions are shown in ground-level and high-angle video. Moments later in the high-angle video, a Kansas player coming from the other direction reached down to the same spot…casually reached down, picked up the object and handed it to another staff member. The player walked on without pause to a Jayhawks' sideline huddle. The object was then given to Kansas football coach Lance Leipold, who angrily asserted after the game that one of his staff members had been hit by the pocketknife.” (link)
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#2: Charlotte AD Mike Hill is no longer leading the 49ers. Chancellor Sharon Gaber: “Over the past seven years, Mike has led our athletics department with deep commitment. He played a pivotal role in many important advances for our athletics department, including the move to the American. His hiring of Head Football Coach Tim Albin has also set us on a path toward success. We deeply appreciate Mike's service, dedication and contributions, and we wish him the very best in his future endeavors.” Vice Chancellor for Institutional Integrity/General Counsel Jesh Humphrey will lead athletics in the interim. (link)
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#1: Little Rock will depart the OVC and join the UAC starting on July 1. Trojans AD Frank Cuervo: “Joining the United Athletic Conference marks an exciting new chapter for Trojan Athletics. The UAC's vision for growth and stability aligns perfectly with our mission to build champions in the classroom, in the community and in competition. This move reflects our unwavering commitment to positioning Little Rock as a leader in intercollegiate athletics during a time of great change and opportunity. As the landscape continues to evolve, we are energized by the possibilities ahead and confident that this partnership will help us elevate our programs, strengthen our national profile, and build a bright future for our student-athletes, fans, the Little Rock community and all of Trojan Nation.” CBS’ Jon Rothstein was first to officially report the move. (link, link)
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