Several high-ranking leaders in college athletics agreed on Wednesday that it is the right time to find a new leader, but the position is ambiguous as to the future of the organization itself.
The job of the Pac-12 commissioner is very difficult. I am not sure anyone would want it.
The NCAA is in the midst of restructuring its entire organization while the transfer portal and name, image and likeness (NIL) rights have already created consequences.
There is a major transformation going on right now, and we are not sure where it is. It is probably the right time to pass the baton to a new leader. I think that the board made the decision to have it all done by next June because they wanted to see where the work was being done. Maybe there would be a little bit of overlap, and eventually a changing of the guard.
Mountain West Conference commissioner Craig Thompson, who is the most senior commissioner in the country, agreed withPhillips.
The timing is perfect because there is a bit of a ramp-up of more than a year potentially.
Mike Aresco, commissioner of the American Athletic Conference, said he is concerned that once the NCAA's structure is determined, nobody will like it because it could be a pay-for-play scenario that sucks money from things like nutrition programs and facilities. The next leader of the NCAA needs to know what his or her role will be.
Will he or she be in charge of dismantling the NCAA? Aresco wondered if that person would be expected to try to get some of these issues resolved or under control. NIL is not what we wanted it to be. It is the Wild West. It seems like buying players and making sure you retain them is not what was intended. A perfect storm has been created by the portal and NIL. What is our goal? Is this going to be a semi-pro sport, or is there going to be a retention of the amateur model? Those are some of the things that will face a new president.
NCAA member schools adopted a new constitution in January and are changing their mission and structure. The NCAA's responsibility is expected to diminish as more power is given to the conferences and schools. Jon Steinbrecher, commissioner of the Mid-American Conference, said that the transformation period started by Emmert provides a good pivot point.
Steinbrecher said he was anxious to see what the Board of Governors came back with in terms of what they were looking for in the next leader.
The next NCAA president needs to have a pulse of where this is evolving, and be progressive rather than reactive, according to Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne.
It has to be different, and what I hope is that we still have the ability to have broad-based programs that gives a wide variety of young men and young women to come in and compete at all different levels. I hope we can get to the point where we recognize that there is so much good in what takes place in college athletics and if we don't do a better job of controlling the narrative, then it could look different down the road.
The NCAA's current structure may not last for the new leader.
The NCAA is a trade organization that represents lots of schools that are in different businesses and different business models.
Amy Perko, CEO of the Knight Commission, stressed that the group believes it is critical for the Division I Board to include independent directors who aren't employed by the universities.
The next leader may not matter if the board composition is not changed. They are employed by the universities and conferences that benefit from the current system.
Sankey said that the NCAA needs to engage with the people who are leading the leagues and athletic programs in order to understand the demands.
Sankey said it was a good model, with great university presidents who talk to their commissioner. While the Knight Commission may opine about independent members, what I think we need is effective vision, clear vision, and effective leadership.
When asked if he was interested in leading the NCAA, Sankey said, "No, I'm busy with what I do."
He wasn't the only one who distanced himself from the opening. Washington State president Kirk Schulz said in a statement that he is not interested in being considered as the next NCAA president.
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