SEC and Big Ten join forces to address pressing issues in college sports amid NCAA probes and conference realignment

Following the level of changes the world of collegiate athletics has witnessed in recent years, the SEC and the Big Ten are coming together to respond jointly. This marks an unprecedented partnership between the two mighty conferences in the landscape.

The two biggest conferences in the world of college sports announced on Friday that they would create a joint advisory group of university presidents, chancellors, and athletic directors. It will be a bid to tackle the series of unique challenges the realm of college sports is battling.

"The Big Ten and the SEC have substantial investment in the NCAA and there is no question that the voices of our two conferences are integral to governance and other reform efforts," Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti said.

"We recognize the similarity in our circumstances, as well as the urgency to address the common challenges we face."

This comes amid issues concerning the ongoing antitrust lawsuits, transfer portal activities, NIL inducements, and a host of other issues that have plagued the structure.

Role of the Joint Advisory Board

The newly created joint advisory board has been assigned the responsibility of addressing the industry's most pressing challenges. The commissioners of the two conferences characterize this mission as urgent, emphasizing the need to swiftly identify and implement solutions.

"There are similar cultural and social impacts on our student-athletes, our institutions, and our communities because of the new collegiate athletics environment," SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said.

"We do not have predetermined answers to the myriad questions facing us. We do not expect to agree on everything but enhancing interaction between our conferences will help to focus efforts on common sense solutions."

It’s worth noting that the announcement clarified that the joint advisory board will have no authority to act independently and will only serve as a consulting body for the two conferences. This comes as a noteworthy development in the unsettled college sports landscape.

A breakaway route for the SEC and Big Ten

Considering the number of changes that have been witnessed in the collegiate athletics realm over the last couple of years, the idea of conferences breaking away from the NCAA is not far-fetched. The creation of the joint advisory board by the SEC and Big Ten points towards that.

However, the two commissioners have dismissed any notion that the creation of this advisory board is a move toward cutting ties with the college sports governing body. The NCAA has notably been in charge of collegiate athletics administration since its establishment in 1917.

The plan, according to the commissioners, is for the Big Ten and SEC to remain prominent members of the NCAA, both in governance and national competition. They are also committed to overseeing notable changes in the domain of college sports following a period of turmoil.