PAC 12 Attempts to Rebuild, FSU Pushing to Leave the ACC, ASU Pressuring the NCAA to Reform Hockey Rules, and More | Newsletter #271
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Today’s newsletter includes the PAC 12’s push for a new and improved conference, a CHL hockey player’s attempt to bypass NCAA rules through his verbal commitment to Arizona State, Florida State-ACC court updates, and other other news that occurred last week
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This Monday Newsletter includes:
1. Pac 12 Updates: The Pac 12 adds four new teams for 2026 with the hope to have at least 8 total
2. A CHL players push for NCAA eligibility
3. Legal Updates: Florida State files a motion for partial summary judgment
4. News/tips for administrators and student athletes
Major News
The Pac 12 Adds Four Teams From The Mountain West Conference And is Eyeing Even More Additions
The Pac 12 is officially adding Boise State, Colorado State, San Diego State and Fresno State, starting in 2026, to try and retain their conference status. And, they are eyeing at least two more 2026 additions.
Right now, the Pac 12 is operating under a two-year grace period given to it by the NCAA. The Pac 12’s two remaining schools — Oregon State and Washington State — have a one-year scheduling agreement for football with the Mountain West and an agreement to play its basketball in the West Coast Conference.
In order to remain a standalone league, however, the Pac 12 must have eight members by July of 2026 to meet the minimum number of schools for an NCAA conference.
In addition to the six schools officially on board to play in the Pac 12 in 2026, the conference has some interest in adding Tulane and Memphis from the AAC conference, among others.
CLICK HERE to learn more.
CHL Hockey Player Gives Verbal Commitment to Arizona State Despite Being Ineligible
Braxton Whitehead, a 20-year-old on the Western Hockey League’s Regina Pats, made a verbal commitment to join Arizona State’s Division I hockey program next year despite the fact that a current NCAA bylaw renders junior hockey players ineligible.
This comes after Rylan Masterson, a 19-year-old Ontario hockey player, sued the NCAA and 10 universities in a New York federal court last month over a “boycott” of Canadian Hockey League players. The defenseman is ineligible to play NCAA D-I hockey because he played two exhibition games for the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires in 2022… making him a pro athlete in the eyes of the NCAA. Masterson hopes for his case to be certified as a class action, and Braxton Whitehead plans to join him if the NCAA rules that he is in fact ineligible.
Masterson argues that the NCAA’s policy denies players of educational and athletic opportunities, and that it is hypocritical given that the NCAA permits former pro hockey players on European teams to play D-I hockey and allows college athletes to sign lucrative, pro sports-like NIL deals.
Because Braxton Whitehead committed to ASU, the NCAA must resolve the legal dispute prior to the fall of 2025, when Whitehead would enroll at ASU. According to ESPN, both Whitehead and ASU are “confident those restrictions will be lifted before he joins the Sun Devils in 2025.”
CLICK HERE to learn more.
Other Notable Stories to Follow
Disney & DirecTV end dispute - LINK
Co-Counsel for the college athlete plaintiffs in Johnson v. NCAA attacks the NCAA’s “Slavery Exception” employment argument - LINK
Oklahoma State Head Coach, Mike Gundy, explains that he recruited a player because he was “inexpensive” - LINK
Kansas’ athletic department enters into partnership with Deloitte - LINK
Colorado State and Arkansas to add on-field corporate logos
Legal Updates
Florida State Filed a Motion for Partial Summary Judgment
As part of the Seminoles motion for a partial summary judgement, they challenged that the ACC misinterpreted its 2016 amended Grant of Rights, the enforceability of the league’s liquidated damages and claims the ACC has breached its constitution.
As a result, Florida State is seeking to leave the ACC without paying an exit fee and the cost of buying out its remaining media rights. An exit fee and media rights buyout could otherwise cost upwards of $500 million.
The Seminoles also argues that the ACC breached the league’s constitution by (a) repeatedly failing to provide the school with agendas for this year, and (b) failing to obtain the required vote in amending the ESPN Tier 1 agreement.
CLICK HERE to learn more.
Utah Judge Ruled That Public Universities Don’t Have to Produce Athlete NIL Agreements
A Utah judge ruled against a newspaper company asking public universities for athlete NIL agreements because their state law shielded NIL agreements from public record requests.
The relevant state law was enacted in 2023, and the judge ruled that agreements entered into before the effective date of the law are also shielded from production
CLICK HERE to learn more.
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FOR ADMINS
Notes for the Week
In the wake of recent news related to the House v. NCAA case, Big Ten athletic director’s are rethinking everything - LINK
Missouri approves renovations to football stadium - LINK
Nebraska opens new athletic facility - LINK
Tip of the Week: Do not be afraid of Private Equity
Although it might sound scary, traditional private equity may be a better approach to generating revenue opposed to private credit and traditional lending practices - LINK
Thanks for Reading!
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