Todd Brommelkamp / 1600 ESPN
Fine. I’ll do it.
I’ll run college football.
After all, it’s not like the folks who have been in charge of the sport up until now have been doing a bang-up job. How hard could it be?
Earlier this week, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that once the House vs. NCAA settlement becomes final, part of the resolution will include the creation of a new organization complete with CEO to oversee college athletics.
Former Alabama football coach-turned-vacation home pitch man Nick Saban appears to have a lot of support to be the country’s initial College Football Czar. However, Thamel wrote the expectation is for the new CEO role to be filled by someone outside of college athletics. That person is also not expected to be a household name.
Sorry, Nick, you’re 0-for-2 buddy.
Why, perhaps you’re asking yourself, would I want the seemingly thankless job of running college sports in the Name, Image, Likeness era?
“The CEO will earn a seven-figure salary.”
Where do I send my resume?
The newly created College Sports Commission will feature a board of directors made up of the commissioners of the Power Four (Big Ten, SEC, Big 12 and ACC) conferences. While I have a strong independent streak, I can absolutely become a worthless toady and a puppet to uber-rich overlords. As a baseball fan, I’ve been watching Rob Manfred do just that for the entirety of his tenure as MLB commissioner.
Whoever is tasked with leading the CSC will be in charge of overseeing newly implemented rules and systems, including the $20.5 million “salary cap” that comes with direct revenue sharing with student athletes. Managing and signing off of NIL deals is part of the gig as well.
This day has been on the horizon for quite a while. It seemed like only a matter of time before the NCAA would truly wither away and become obsolete, thanks in no small part to its own doing. For years the NCAA contradicted itself when it came time to governing college athletics, selectively enforcing rules and generally twiddling its fingers while the word “amateur” in amateur athletics slowly disappeared like Marty McFly’s family photo from “Back to the Future.”
“I think one of the most important things that we can do is, let’s get a commissioner of college football that is waking up every single morning and going to bed every single night making decisions that’s in the best interest of college football,” Penn State football coach James Franklin said last year.
I wake up every single morning. I also go to bed every night. I’m telling you, I’m perfect for this.
According to CBS Sports, the NCAA will continue to enforce a number of rules, including eligibility issues, sports betting, academic requirements and others.
That’s good. I wouldn’t want too much on my plate if I’m only making seven figures.
We’ll see how the new CSC and its CEO handle the Wild, Wild West of NIL deals and the transfer portal, but if you’re banking on major changes for the better coming to college sports, I wouldn’t hold out hope if I were you.
Notice I said “for the better.”
Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to figure out where to send my resume. Are cover letters still a thing?
Todd Brommelkamp is the host of “The Todd Brommelkamp Show” and can be heard weekday mornings on 1600ESPN from 6:30 to 9 a.m.
