More sport-by-sport governance, enhanced expectations for Division I schools, and allowing 25% of teams in certain sports to compete in championship events are some of the recommendations made by the NCAA Division I transformation committee.
The final report from the committee was released Tuesday and will be presented to the Division I board of directors next week.
The 21-member committee, made up of college sports administrators and university presidents, met weekly for most of the past year.
The report mostly explains the concepts that Sankey and others have been talking about.
More than 350 schools make up the highest and most lucrative level of college athletics. Changes will most likely go unrecognized by college sports fans.
Championship participation is the most front facing change. The March Madness basketball tournament could be expanded to as many as 90 teams if the 25% recommendation for all sports is followed.
The committee's recommendations are the first step in a process that could take years to complete. It goes for most of the recommendations.
The committee recommended that schools be given two years to meet enhanced membership expectations.
The committee said that the revenue from the NCAA could be used to subsidize schools.
There are notable recommendations.
To serve student-athletes, schools must create a direct pathway for full-time clinical services of a licensed mental health professional.
The NCAA uses student-athletes to be more involved in decisions.
Training and certification for coaches should be required.
Expansion of permissible benefits to athletes include more pay for travel, elite training away from the school and more money for housing and meals.
A review of membership requirements to the top tier of Division I football was recommended by the committee. Most of the requirements are tied to attendance minimums
The committee recommended the creation of sport-by-sport oversight committees like those used in basketball and football. There was a movement to decentralize the governance of college athletics after the Supreme Court ruled against the NCAA in an antitrust case.
The outgoing president of the NCAA called for changing the power structure of the association to create a less regulated version of college sports. The NCAA streamlined its constitution in order to focus on providing opportunities for participation in college sports and having those involved remain students.
There are more than 300 Division I schools with athletic budgets ranging from $100 million to $10 million. Division I membership qualifications, athlete benefits, access to championship events, revenue sharing, governance and enforcement were examined by the transformation committee.
Sankey tried to temper expectations about the committee's work, saying that what qualifies as transformation of Division I was never clearly defined by the board.
Radical change would not happen because the committee's recommendations regarding sport specific time periods when athletes could transfer and retain immediate eligibility have already been adopted.
The committee gave the items to the NCAA Division I Legislative Committee Modernization of the Rules Subcommittee.
Rules regarding athletes entering professional drafts and using agents should be reviewed by the board.
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