Cody Campbell’s Commercial Critiquing Power-Conference Greed Rejected by Networks

ARLINGTON, Texas — Billionaire Cody Campbell, a Texas Tech supporter, is facing challenges in airing his latest commercial which criticizes the Power Four commissioners of college sports for their greed. Major networks, including Fox and ABC, have declined to broadcast the ad that advocates for significant changes in how college athletics operates.

According to Amanda Christovich of FrontOfficeSports.com, Campbell’s ad pushes for the replacement of the NCAA with a new governing body and calls on Congress to amend the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961. Campbell believes that by allowing college football to sell TV rights collectively, like NFL teams do, more revenue could flow toward women’s and Olympic sports.

In the commercial, Campbell states, “To conference commissioners, it’s all about money and control. Their greed is bankrupting all but the biggest schools — and women’s sports and Olympic programs everywhere are paying the price.” This is a shift from his previous messaging that suggested universities were operating at a deficit in athletic budgets.

Campbell’s message now indicates that while some universities are profiting, others are still being left behind as wealthy conferences resist sharing revenue. He argues that larger national revenue may be beneficial, serving all schools rather than just the top tier.

ESPN and other networks have requested further documentation regarding the claims made in Campbell’s commercial, which he did not provide in a timely manner. An ESPN source indicated that this lack of documentation likely influenced the decision to not air the ad.

Campbell, a lobbyist against the NCAA-supported SCORE Act, stated on social media that, after paying for ad space, he received little explanation from Fox and ABC regarding their refusal to air his commercial. He mentioned that a representative from one of the networks described it as a “business decision.”

As tensions mount over the future of college sports governance, Campbell continues to advocate for his view that the NCAA is ineffectively managing collegiate athletics and that significant reforms are necessary.