The off-season is certainly not the slow season, because another week has given news that has an impact on PAC-12 inherited schools and in other universities in the region.
Here are four developments that you may have missed.
1. Extension for Commissioner Big 12 Brett Yormmark
Nitty Gratingy: Yormark, whose contract was to expire in 2027, received an extension of three years from the board of directors which expired in the summer of 2030.
Why is it important: The extension itself is not a surprise: Yormark has done first-rate work by modifying the structure of the members of the conference and by building its brand. But timing is deeply significant, in that it allows Yormark to shape the future.
The Big 12 media rights agreement expired in the summer of 2031, which means the following The contract will probably be signed and sealed in the spring of 2030 – during Yormark’s mandate. (Media transactions are generally formalized 12 to 18 months before the start date.)
Assuming that he does not leave Big 12 on his own will, Yormark will direct strategic decisions on expansion and network partners and, with hand-selected advisers, will negotiate the agreement with the media for 2031 and beyond.
But that’s not all. It is not close to everyone.
The extension means that Yormmark will be at the top of the Big 12 at the Vitale window 2028-29, when 1) The university football playoffs examine the changes in format, 2) The expansion of the Big Ten Mulls for its next media contract cycle and 3) the best football brands of the ACC are planning to leave the conference while their exit costs are immersed.
Whatever university football in the 2030s, the form will probably become clear in the last years of the 2020s. The extension of Yormmark gives it the opportunity to position the Big 12 in the changing landscape.
2. Presidential commission on university sports
Nitty Gratingy: The Trump administration would have prepared to appoint a commission to study university sports and seeking solutions to numerous insoluble industry questions. The former Alabama coach Nick Saban, and the billionaire Cody Campbell, a Texas technology booster, should lead the group, according to Yahoo.
Why is it important: University sports are transformed into anarchy with the transfer portal, uncontrolled Nile payments and a competition calendar which is increasingly difficult.
Even the House vs ncaa The regulation of prosecution, which will create a model for sharing income and a mechanism for applying zero law, is limited (if it is approved). It will not end, for example, the antitrust case dam deposited against the NCAA on its amateurism policies.
An agreement collectively negotiated with college athletes would provide the desired law and order, but requires that players be declared employees, a stage of the university presidents hesitate to take.
The other option: a life of the congress, which has the power to provide antitrust protection and to codify the rules of the NCAA. But years of lobbying by university sports officials have not gone nowhere.
Trump’s commission will not have the power to make significant changes on the legal front, but this could potentially generate the momentum that legislators push legislators.
“I am always a little reluctant to ensure that the federal government rushes into my company, guest or not invited,” a source of industry told The Hotline. “However, in this case, it could potentially do good so that some of the higher level problems are understood.”
3. Extension of university football playoffs… at 16?
Nitty Gratingy: ACC commissioners, Big 12, Big Ten and Dry met this week in New York and discussed the future of the CFP, with an event of 16 “more preferred” teams for the contract cycle from 2026, according to ESPN.
Why is it important: At this stage, the account of the media around the expansion of the CFP focused on a field of 14 teams. Now, it seems, power conferences are focused on 16-and increasing the number of space positions.
The model most likely to be adopted would provide four automatic offers to the dry and the Big Ten, two at ACC and to Big 12, one to the best team of the group of six, which includes the Reconstruled PAC-12 and three to the teams in general. (It is called 4-4-2-2-1-3 by the commissioners.)
Notre Dame would have a management path to one of the large -scale offers, leaving two for additional teams from the power leagues.
The move to 16 is straight out of the more stupid game book, but there is a tip for the expansion to work: the calendar.
In order to limit the event to four laps, the 16 teams would compete on weekends before Christmas.
Where would the four additional CFP games be put in a crowded sports window that includes NFL matches on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday?
ESPN, who holds the rights of the playoffs, want additional games? Did this underlift them at TNT or TBS? And how much would the network pay for additional matches that are not likely to generate impactful notes?
These are critical details which must be considered as the CFP electrical brokers grow more than more.
4. Next step for PAC-12, Mountain West
Nitty Gratingy: Conferences have agreed to mediate their legal disputes – yes, both:
The so-called case of “poaching penalties”, deposited by the PAC-12 against the West mountain more than $ 55 million in fees; And the so-called “case of exit costs”, deposited by Boisse State, Colorado State and Utah State against the West mountain on at least $ 100 million in exit costs due by the schools coming out.
The first mediation session is scheduled for May 19.
Why is it important: None of the two conferences wants a judicial trial; University Presidents Never want legal trials. Mediation has therefore always been the most likely result for both cases.
A mediator, who is not identified in court documents, will supervise the two cases.
We do not expect an immediate resolution. The process could take a few days or weeks. However, this will probably not last a few months, because the two restructured conferences need clarity when they negotiate the media rights agreements for the 2026-27 competition year.
Based on conversations with sources, the hotline gives the PAC-12 a slight advantage in the case of poaching penalty and the Mountain West a slight advantage in the case of exit costs.
In both cases, this is an appropriate dollar figure – and if the final count leaves the West mountain with enough money to respect its financial obligations towards UNLV and Air Force and prevent the duo from possibly leaving the conference.
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