Is College Football Creating Its Own European Super League?
The Big Ten and SEC may have become so powerful that they are willing to reshape the sport in their own image, even if it comes at the expense of everyone else.
When I read Ross Dellenger’s latest column on Yahoo Sports, I immediately thought about one of the most fascinating stories in modern sports history.
The attempted European Super League. How could you not? Especially with soccer soon to be on the big stage, with the World Cup coming to the United States in less than three weeks.
If you are not familiar with what happened, the richest and most powerful soccer clubs in Europe decided they were tired of sharing power and revenue with everyone else. Clubs like Real Madrid CF, Manchester United F.C., and Juventus FC believed they were the primary reason the sport generated so much money, and therefore they deserved greater control over its future.
Sound familiar?
From a purely business standpoint, their argument made sense.
From the standpoint of tradition, competitive balance, and the health of the sport, fans saw it as an act of greed.
The backlash was immediate and overwhelming. I loved it. The people rose up and told the greedy to piss off! Supporters flooded the streets. Politicians got involved. Within days, the plan collapsed. I was so proud of humanity.
The message from fans was simple:
Just because you have the power to do something does not mean you should.
And now I cannot help but wonder if college football is standing at the exact same crossroads.
Ross Dellenger’s reporting suggests that leaders within the Big Ten Conference and Southeastern Conference are increasingly frustrated with the current governance structure in college sports.
That frustration is understandable.
The system is a mess.
In short, college sports is trying to function like a professional industry while still pretending to be governed by an outdated collegiate model.
We all get it at this point. The bottom fell out.
And the two richest conferences appear to be asking an obvious question:
Why are we still waiting for everyone else? Why can’t we do our own thing? People love us!
That is where the European Super League comparison becomes impossible to ignore.
The Big Ten and SEC generate the overwhelming majority of television value in college football. Their brands dominate ratings. Their schools possess the largest stadiums, the biggest budgets, and the strongest national followings.
Programs such as University of Alabama, The University of Texas at Austin, The Ohio State University, and University of Michigan are not just athletic departments anymore. They are billion-dollar entertainment brands. The cultural influences these schools have in their states are undeniable. They are much bigger to the community than simply a place of higher learning. They serve as identities for the people and sources of pride for the state’s residents.
And with that financial power comes a growing belief that they should control the rules.
That logic may be sound from a boardroom perspective.
But it raises a far more important question.
What happens to everyone else?
What happens to the Atlantic Coast Conference?
The Big 12 Conference?
The American Athletic Conference?
What happens to the regional traditions and the broad ecosystem that helped make college football so compelling in the first place?
What happens when the richest schools decide they no longer need the rest of the sport?
To be fair, there is another side to this.
The Big Ten and SEC would argue that they are carrying the greatest financial burden. They are responsible for the largest payrolls, the highest coaching salaries, and the most expensive facilities. Their games drive the largest television contracts with ESPN, FOX Sports, CBS Sports, and NBC Sports.
Their view is straightforward:
If we create the overwhelming majority of the value, why should we not control the overwhelming majority of the decision-making?
That is a valid argument.
But valid arguments can still produce harmful outcomes.
I will say it again to all who need to hear it. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should!
Maybe I will say it just one more time for those in the back. JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN DOESN’T MEAN YOU SHOULD!!!!!
Got it?
This is what makes the moment so significant.
College football has always been larger than its richest brands.
It has been built on regional passion, longstanding rivalries, underdogs, and the idea that the sport belongs to more than just a handful of powerful institutions.
I used to watch a documentary called “Rites of Fall" over and over again when I was growing up. I loved it. It documented what made college football special. Traditions, bands, students. Not money.
If the Big Ten and SEC choose to formalize their dominance, they may create a more efficient business model.
But they may also accelerate the transformation of college football into something far narrower and more corporate than what generations of fans fell in love with.
At its core, this is a question of stewardship.
Do the most powerful institutions have an obligation to protect the broader ecosystem that helped make them successful?
Or do they have every right to maximize their own financial interests, regardless of what happens to everyone else? For those who fall in that line of thinking, I question your soul or lack thereof.
That is the exact debate that engulfed European soccer.
And it is now staring college football directly in the face.
I understand why the Big Ten and SEC are frustrated.
I understand why they believe they deserve greater authority.
But I also believe fans should be very careful about cheering for a system that concentrates too much power in too few hands.
Because history has shown us that when institutions become convinced they are bigger than the sport itself, the people who usually pay the highest price are the fans.
And in the end, that is who this should be about.
How do you feel about this? Should the Big Ten and SEC be allowed to do their own thing, or will it ruin the greater good of college sports? Leave a comment and share with anyone who may need to read this!
I am vehemently against expanding the CFP to 24 teams! First of all these kids are in college. They’re supposed to be taking classes. They are not playing professional football. That is yet to come for a select few so the focus of college should be getting a freaking degree, not making more money and expanding the CFP. This is just an abomination kudos to Greg Sanky for holding out. That said I do think they should get rid of the conference championships because again these kids are in college. Their priorities should be getting a degree. And yeah, I know people are gonna say that’s not college football today. We’re in a different world yada yada yada well we may be in a different world, but we sure as hell shouldn’t be. I am just so sick and tired of money being the end all and be all, driver for every fucking thing in society especially in the United States. It is disgusting and despicable. Are we really going to let this be the future?
Live in Big 10 country and they have 6 or 7 bottom feeders , not as strong as they believe …I agree with Iowa State AD go ahead see what happens