Does College FB Need a Commish?

ESPN’s Bill Connelly writes, “When no one's in charge, that really means that the most powerful and self-interested figures in the sport are in charge. And their only goal is to reinforce the power structure.”

August 26, 2025

Bill Connelly's Book Looks at College Football's Future
As an excerpt from ESPN writer Bill Connelly's book "Forward Progress: The Definitive Guide to the Future of College Football" notes, “There was an explosion of commish talk in 2016, thanks to a number of issues like College Football Playoff selections, conference schedules (mainly that some conferences play eight conference games and others play nine), and high school satellite camps, an issue that was all the rage for a few months and then vanished from consciousness altogether, to the point where I don't even feel the need to define it here. ‘There needs to be somebody that looks out for what's best for the game,’ Alabama's Nick Saban said at the time, ‘not what's best for the Big Ten or what's best for the SEC or what's best for Jim Harbaugh, but what's best for the game of college football -- the integrity of the game, the coaches, the players, and the people that play it. That's bigger than all of this.’ (Harbaugh was at the center of the satellite camp issue that I'm still not going to explain further.) But even with Saban's high-visibility comments, nothing came of it. Nothing ever comes of it.”
^ESPN

WNBA CBA Deal ‘Probably Not Going to Happen’ Before Deadline
Sportico’s Eric Jackson reports: “Representatives from the WNBA and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) reconvened last week in New York to continue negotiations, and the union sent a new proposal to the WNBA in response to the league’s June counter that was met with a public backlash by players. WNBPA officials held a player meeting on Monday to provide an update on last week’s talks. Both sides are still at odds on defining which income streams fall under team revenue—an impasse that has wide implications for a revamped revenue-sharing system that players desire in this CBA.”
^Sportico

Northwestern AD Singles Out Volleyball As Sport to Invest In
FOS’ Colin Salao writes, “Northwestern athletic director Mark Jackson told Front Office Sports that the school’s new Ryan Field stadium played a “big part” in his decision to join the program last year. But in the ever-changing college world, overseeing the $862 million stadium is far from the only thing on his to-do list—which includes managing the NCAA’s new revenue-sharing model following the House v. NCAA settlement in June.”
^{Front Office Sports}

MLB, Netflix Strike Media-Rights Pact for World Baseball Classic in Japan
SBJ’s Austin Karp writes, “MLB and Netflix have a new media rights deal that will see the streaming platform become the home of the World Baseball Classic in Japan, a tournament that has produced huge numbers in the country. This will mark the first time Netflix will have any event livestreamed in Japan, with all 47 games of the 2026 WBC set to air there. Financial terms were not disclosed. The deal is far from insignificant in baseball-crazed Japan, as the country delivered the best WBC audiences among any place where it was broadcast.”
^{Sports Business Journal}

NFL Owners to Meet Tuesday to Discuss ESPN Deal
SBJ’s Ben Fischer writes, “NFL owners will gather by video conference on Tuesday to hear a detailed presentation on the proposed deal to sell NFL Network to ESPN in exchange for 10% of ESPN equity, among other deal terms. No vote is scheduled on the proposal, because the deal is not final and still must undergo regulatory review. A vote would be required to proceed with a definitive agreement at a later date, a league spokesman said.
^{Sports Business Journal}

Report: NBC Eyeing Return of Sunday Morning MLB Package
NBC is “expected to get back” the Sunday morning MLB package it launched in 2022 on Peacock, which now streams on the Roku Channel, in its potential new MLB media deal. It is “unclear if Roku will exit its deal early,” or if NBC “will wait to take over the package” in 2027. Roku’s three-year deal to stream an exclusive MLB game on Sunday mornings runs through 2026. The Sunday morning package would be in addition to NBC potentially landing Sunday Night Baseball and some postseason games in a reported $600M deal.
^{Philadelphia Inquirer via Sports Business Journal}

Zaber Takes Over as Chief Revenue Officer for Nationals
SBJ’s Mike Mazzeo reports: “The Nationals have named CHRIS ZABER as Chief Revenue Officer. He started the role Monday and will oversee ticket sales, corporate partnerships and team events. Zaber most recently served as CRO for the Penguins, and had previously spent six years with the Mets and five years with the Pirates on the ticketing side.

“Last month the Nationals parted ways with longtime GM MIKE RIZZO, who had been in the role since 2009. The team won the World Series in 2019 but has finished last or next-to-last in the NL East every year since and has not reached 2.1 million in attendance in any of those seasons.”
^{Sports Business Journal}

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As College Football Season Kicks Off, NIL Deal Approval Process Still Lags
FOS’ Amanda Christovich writes, “The College Sports Commission, the new enforcement entity established as part of the House v. NCAA settlement, began scrutinizing NIL deals in mid-June. Almost three months later—and as football season kicks off—the process continues to lag. Players are waiting weeks or longer for deals to be approved, sources tell Front Office Sports. Athletes are losing opportunities to do certain deals with tight turnarounds as a result—potentially setting up more litigation opportunities.”
^ESPN

Pavia Judge Denies Hoops Player’s Bid for Eligibility at Vanderbilt
Sportico’s Michael McCann writes, “Derrin Boyd, a 25-year-old basketball guard who earned his bachelor’s degree in 2023 and an MBA in 2024, has been denied the opportunity to play hoops for Vanderbilt in the new school year. 

“Chief U.S. District Judge William L. Campbell Jr., the same judge who allowed Vanderbilt quarterback and former JUCO transfer Diego Pavia to play for the Commodores this fall, has denied that remedy to Boyd. On Friday, Campbell reasoned that Boyd’s situation is different from Pavia in important ways. Unlike Pavia, Boyd didn’t accrue time playing college sports at a junior college; Boyd instead attended and earned a B.A., MBA and a graduate certificate in urban and regional planning from three four-year colleges.”
^Sportico

Sen. Cantwell Lobbies School Leaders Against GOP-Led SCORE Act
Sportico’s Daniel Libit reports: “In her letter, Cantwell criticized the Republican-backed bill, which aims to codify the House v. NCAA settlement into federal law while granting antitrust immunity to governing bodies and conferences in college sports. She argued that the legislation would exacerbate existing inequalities among NCAA member institutions by consolidating power within the SEC and Big Ten. Cantwell also warned that it would entrench the ongoing ‘arms race’ in college football, jeopardize funding for women’s and Olympic sports, and roll back recent legal advancements that have strengthened the rights of all college athletes.”
^Sportico

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