Wholesale change is unavoidable in college athletics. The Fighting Irish athletic director thinks a total realignment of Division I is coming with it. | The Boneyard

Wholesale change is unavoidable in college athletics. The Fighting Irish athletic director thinks a total realignment of Division I is coming with it.

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Wholesale change is unavoidable in college athletics. The Fighting Irish athletic director thinks a total realignment of Division I is coming with it.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick told Sports Illustrated that he believes the breakup of college sports at the NCAA Division I level is “inevitable,” and puts a potential target date on that seismic change as the mid-2030s. Swarbrick also said there are “so many” schools trying to leave their current conferences, but they’re handcuffed by existing contracts.

In a wide-ranging interview with SI, the only athletic director who is part of the College Football Playoff Management Committee said the fracture lines within the 130-member FBS could leave two disparate approaches: schools that still operate athletics within a traditional educational structure, and those who tie sports to the university in name only.

“There’s always been sort of a spectrum—and I want to stress that everything along the spectrum is valid; it’s not a criticism,” Swarbrick said.

“On one end of the spectrum, you license the school name and run an independent business that’s engaged in sports. The other end of the spectrum, you’re integrated into the university in terms of decision making and requirements, and some follow that.

“I think both can produce great athletic competition. But it’s really hard to get there given the contractual obligations that already exist.”

And when those contractual obligations begin to run out, that’s when big changes could occur.

“Absent a national standard, which I don’t see coming, I think it’s inevitable,” Swarbrick said. “Mid-30s would be the logical time.”




https://www.si.com/college/2022/04/23/no...n-1-change
 

CL82

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Since we are on the outside looking in, change is good news. I thought the whole notion that the ACC might consider kicking someone is of the conference is interesting. I’m inclined to believe that were they to do that, it would probably be one of the former Big East teams.
 

RioDog

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I can't see how such a sea change won't result in the destruction of athletics for the schools that choose to go that route. Does anyone believe that a de-facto pro team with naming rights sold to a university is going to hold the same allure to fans as a team of student-athletes from the ole' Alma Mater? As thin as the veil of amateur student athlete status is, especially in college football, it's still the reason I watch college athletics and not pro leagues. Does that make me a romantic fool? Maybe, but I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in that. I'd also be willing to bet that those who feel like I do represent a financially significant proportion of the total fan base, especially in those states with NFL franchises. Why waste your limited resources supporting a farm league team when you have the real McCoy? "Those who tie sports to the university in name only" will become sad ghosts of their former selves, farm teams for the League. Farm leagues are fun in baseball and futebol, but they don't make the kind of money that the 'Bamas and ND's of the world are looking for. The culture of the sport will be destroyed and the goose that laid the golden egg along with it. JS is as smart guy, and there could many reasons for him to say the things he did in the interview. I'm also a smart guy, and old enough and successful enough to trust my intuition when it's barking at me.

Could it be wishful thinking that doesn't want to see the end of what, for me, is the most entertaining level of the most entertaining team sport ever conceived? Maybe. And there is a sea change coming to college athletics; I just think that Swarbrick's vision of it is wrong, and I'll believe it when I see it.
 
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RioDog

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I can't see how such a sea change won't result in the destruction of athletics for the schools that choose to go that route. Does anyone believe that a de-facto pro team with naming rights sold to a university is going to hold the same allure to fans as a team of student-athletes from the ole' Alma Mater? As thin as the veil of amateur student athlete status is, especially in college football, it's still the reason I watch college athletics and not pro leagues. Does that make me a romantic fool? Maybe, but I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in that. I'd also be willing to bet that those who feel like I do represent a financially significant proportion of the total fan base, especially in those states with NFL franchises. Why waste your limited resources supporting a farm league team when you have the real McCoy? "Those who tie sports to the university in name only" will become sad ghosts of their former selves, farm teams for the League. Farm leagues are fun in baseball and futebol, but they don't make the kind of money that the 'Bamas and ND's of the world are looking for. The culture of the sport will be destroyed and the goose that laid the golden egg along with it. JS is as smart guy, and there could many reasons for him to say the things he did in the interview. I'm also a smart guy, and old enough and successful enough to trust my intuition when it's barking at me.

Could it be wishful thinking that doesn't want to see the end of what, for me, is the most entertaining level of the most entertaining team sport ever conceived? Maybe. And there is a sea changing coming to college athletics; I just think that Swarbrick's vision is wrong, and I'll believe it when I see it.
Amazing- apparently the word D-U-P-E can't get past the filter. Wow.
 
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I can't see how such a sea change won't result in the destruction of athletics for the schools that choose to go that route. Does anyone believe that a de-facto pro team with naming rights sold to a university is going to hold the same allure to fans as a team of student-athletes from the ole' Alma Mater? As thin as the veil of amateur student athlete status is, especially in college football, it's still the reason I watch college athletics and not pro leagues. Does that make me a romantic fool? Maybe, but I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in that. I'd also be willing to bet that those who feel like I do represent a financially significant proportion of the total fan base, especially in those states with NFL franchises. Why waste your limited resources supporting a farm league team when you have the real McCoy? "Those who tie sports to the university in name only" will become sad ghosts of their former selves, farm teams for the League. Farm leagues are fun in baseball and futebol, but they don't make the kind of money that the 'Bamas and ND's of the world are looking for. The culture of the sport will be destroyed and the goose that laid the golden egg along with it. JS is as smart guy, and there could many reasons for him to say the things he did in the interview. I'm also a smart guy, and old enough and successful enough to trust my intuition when it's barking at me.

Could it be wishful thinking that doesn't want to see the end of what, for me, is the most entertaining level of the most entertaining team sport ever conceived? Maybe. And there is a sea change coming to college athletics; I just think that Swarbrick's vision of it is wrong, and I'll believe it when I see it.
My initial take was that Jack was criticizing those on the other side without actually saying it. Notre Dame would certainly be one of the schools who stuck to its educational roots. I think he's trying to get ahead of it because having a bunch of programs going the other route would be very bad for Notre Dame.

"Should the schism come, Notre Dame would be among those that still tied its athletics to the educational mission of the school and answered to its president and academic administration. Others could essentially be spun off while retaining the school name and branding. A theoretical example (not proffered by Swarbrick): Oregon Ducks Athletics, Inc."
 

RioDog

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My initial take was that Jack was criticizing those on the other side without actually saying it. Notre Dame would certainly be one of the schools who stuck to its educational roots. I think he's trying to get ahead of it because having a bunch of programs going the other route would be very bad for Notre Dame.

"Should the schism come, Notre Dame would be among those that still tied its athletics to the educational mission of the school and answered to its president and academic administration. Others could essentially be spun off while retaining the school name and branding. A theoretical example (not proffered by Swarbrick): Oregon Ducks Athletics, Inc."
I agree with your take. I think it raises another question about how many programs it would take to attain critical mass of self-sustainability. I would say at least something well north of 25 schools, and I doubt there are that many who hold their academic mission in such low regard. Those that do could just form up a conference with the likes of Louisville and and Boise State and call it a day.
 
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Wholesale change is unavoidable in college athletics. The Fighting Irish athletic director thinks a total realignment of Division I is coming with it.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick told Sports Illustrated that he believes the breakup of college sports at the NCAA Division I level is “inevitable,” and puts a potential target date on that seismic change as the mid-2030s. Swarbrick also said there are “so many” schools trying to leave their current conferences, but they’re handcuffed by existing contracts.

In a wide-ranging interview with SI, the only athletic director who is part of the College Football Playoff Management Committee said the fracture lines within the 130-member FBS could leave two disparate approaches: schools that still operate athletics within a traditional educational structure, and those who tie sports to the university in name only.

“There’s always been sort of a spectrum—and I want to stress that everything along the spectrum is valid; it’s not a criticism,” Swarbrick said.

“On one end of the spectrum, you license the school name and run an independent business that’s engaged in sports. The other end of the spectrum, you’re integrated into the university in terms of decision making and requirements, and some follow that.

“I think both can produce great athletic competition. But it’s really hard to get there given the contractual obligations that already exist.”

And when those contractual obligations begin to run out, that’s when big changes could occur.

“Absent a national standard, which I don’t see coming, I think it’s inevitable,” Swarbrick said. “Mid-30s would be the logical time.”




https://www.si.com/college/2022/04/23/no...n-1-change
I wonder what we would be...Would we keep operating athletics under the school or would we have UConn Sports LLC a private company? I wonder what Stanford, Northwestern, OSU and Duke would do? Any thoughts?
 

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