College football is eating itself

The Future. College football conferences are going through a shakeup, and the changes are breaking up long-time rivalries and overwriting regional loyalties. While it might make money in the short-term, many think the changes could gut the soul of college football… all in the name of commercialization.

Call an audible
What’s going on in college sports?

• In early July, the Big Ten athletic conference announced that it was adding UCLA and USC (long-time members of the Pac 12 conference) to its membership in 2024.
• The announcement sent shockwaves through the college sports community, as the shift would break up traditional rivalries, customs, and regional loyalties.
• And that’s not all. The Big 12 conference is reportedly discussing adding up to six additional teams from the Pac 12 in the coming years.

Blitzed out
“Plain and simple, these moves are about money,” writes Jemele Hill for The Atlantic. USC and UCLA’s defections to the Big Ten are set to generate millions of dollars of revenue. You can hardly blame them, Hill continues, but the signs of trouble are evident.

But while it might help pay the bills, the moves aren’t necessarily good for the players or student body, said Sally Jenkins, an opinion columnist for the Washington Post. And for those who aren’t hopping on the reorg train, entire athletic departments might get left behind.