CHANGING COURSE, PART 6: FAQ, CONTINUED

There’s still a lot of ground left to cover, so let’s get to it.

How will Big East membership change NAAA’s financial picture?

Both VADM Miller and Chet Gladchuk have been very clear about their concern for college football’s future and why they feel that Navy needs to join the Big East. There are other implications of Big East membership that haven’t really been addressed, though, with the most notable being how it affects NAAA’s financial outlook. There are a couple of reasons for this, I think. One, until the new TV contract is actually signed, there aren’t any details to talk about. Two, any time you talk about money, it brings out the cynics who believe that athletic departments can instead be funded by platitudes and pep talks. For PR’s sake it probably makes more sense to focus on other things.

In a way, the financial impact of joining the Big East has been addressed, just in different terms. When we talk about remaining in the top tier, we’re really just talking about money. The divide in college football that many fear is around the corner will be based on finances, separating big-money athletic departments from those with smaller budgets for competitive and legislative purposes. If remaining in the top tier of college football is the goal, then NAAA’s financial health must be addressed.