New College Football League Proposal Gains Traction Among Key Figures

The proposed two-tier league structure for college football is causing quite a stir among college presidents, a senior NFL executive, and a co-owner of the Philadelphia 76ers. The collective known as ‘College Sports Tomorrow’ (CST) is looking to revolutionize the current college football landscape by including all 134 schools playing in the NCAA’s Division 1 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).

Under the CST’s plan, the top 70 programs, including members of the former Power conferences, Notre Dame, and Southern Methodist University, would become permanent members of the league. These schools would be divided into seven ten-team leagues, with an eighth division consisting of teams promoted from the second tier. The second tier would consist of over 50 schools vying for promotion to the upper level, similar to the promotion and relegation system seen in European soccer.

One of the key aspects of the CST’s proposal is the establishment of a single entity to negotiate with a potential player union on name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights, salary structure rules, and a player transfer portal. This move could potentially bypass any antitrust concerns that have plagued the NCAA in the past.

Despite the potential benefits of the proposed league, the CST is facing resistance from schools, with the Big Ten, SEC, and Big 12 all cancelling planned meetings to discuss the plan. The ACC is the only conference to have been briefed on the proposal so far, with other conferences hesitant to engage with the group for fear of upsetting their broadcast partners.

While the CST’s proposal may face challenges in gaining support from schools, the potential for a new and improved college football system is certainly intriguing. With the backing of influential figures such as NFL executive Brian Rolapp and Philadelphia 76ers co-owner David Blitzer, the CST’s vision for the future of college football could potentially reshape the sport as we know it.