In June 2023, we convened 100+ changemakers and thought leaders — including elected officials, conference commissioners, university presidents, athletic directors, coaches, student athletes, industry leaders, leaders of collectives, and members of the media — conversation about where college athletics is headed.
The Future of College Athletics
Washington, D.C. | June 7th & 8th, 2023
A groundbreaking conversation about college sports
Conversations with Congress
We kicked off with an evening reception on Capitol Hill, where we enjoyed unstructured time and conversation with elected officials and select staff who are contemplating legislation that could shape the future of college athletics, including:
What comes next in the
wild, wild west of college athletics?
We kicked off the day-long summit with a lively conversation about the future. Amidst a flurry of legislation and litigation, the long-held question of amateurism for student-athletes seems headed toward an answer. But what will that new reality look like? Our panelists explored the pitfalls and benefits of student-athletes as employees, new legislative questions, the potential for new conferences, and the looming possibility of intervention from the courts.
NIL: What is the state of play?
Less than a decade after O’Bannon v. NCAA began to move college sports away from traditional ideas of amateurism, today’s student-athletes have taken an even greater leap forward to reap the often abundant rewards of their NIL. Get the unvarnished truth about the current NIL landscape—from legal experts, conference leaders, parents, and athletes themselves.
In Conversation...
Renowned college sports journalist and author Armen Keteyian shared insights, stories, and his insider perspective on the state of college athletics today — how we got here and where we might be headed.
Transfer rules and the transfer portal:
What is the new world of college athletics?
Since its debut in 2018, the transfer portal and associated changes to transfer regulations have given student-athletes more agency over where they spend some of the most important years of their lives. It has also been one of the biggest disruptors for coaches and programs in college athletics history. Now that we have experienced the many unintended consequences of the transfer portal, have we discovered there is such a thing as too much freedom? And what will it take to make the transfer portal better for both coaches and student-athletes?
What’s really driving conference realignment?
Across the Power Five and beyond, news of conference realignment seems to make more noise than the fans. But what factors really drive decision-making inside conferences and institutions? Is it market size? Television viewing numbers? Academic excellence? A powerhouse football team? We heard from experts inside the conversations that are driving conference realignment.
Select media coverage
ESPN SportsCenter - SC Reports - Featured by Michele Steele on Future of College Athletics Summit and Interview with UArizona President Robert C. Robbins (6/7/23)
Sports Illustrated - College Football’s Biggest Names Land in D.C. for Talks on Athlete Compensation - Story by Ross Dellinger (6/7/23) (Note: Dellinger now writes for Yahoo Sports)
On3 - Collectives, coaches to converge on Washington, D.C. over push for NIL uniformity - Story by Pete Nakos (6/7/23)
Associated Press - Arizona president says realignment talk premature until Pac-12 has hard numbers on TV deal - Story Ralph D. Russo (6/8/23)
USA Today - NCAA president Charlie Baker on NIL legislation this year, sports betting “opportunity” - Story by Steve Berkowitz (6/8/23)
Arizona Daily Star - Hansen’s Sunday Notebook: UA president posted a win for Wildcats via D.C. summit - Column by Greg Hansen (6/10/23) (subscription required)
Forbes - NCAA Leader Sees Expanded Media Rights, Gambling as New Revenue Opportunities for College Sports - Story by Karen Weaver (6/11/23)