Texas Tech Booster Calls Out College Sports Commissioners

ARLINGTON, Texas — Cody Campbell, Texas Tech‘s billionaire head of regents, criticized college sports commissioners on Thursday for obstructing necessary changes in the industry that could boost revenues.

During a panel discussion hosted by the Knight Commission, Campbell claimed conference commissioners are primarily self-interested, asserting they do not prioritize the needs of individual institutions. He emphasized that a proposed pooling of television rights could generate billions for colleges but has been stalled by commissioners.

The Knight Commission recently released a survey indicating that many college executives believe Division I sports is moving in the wrong direction. Campbell said, “The commissioners don’t really care what happens at the institutional level. All they care about is what happens to them.”

Campbell expressed support for the SAFE Act, a bill that seeks to modify a 1960s law preventing college conferences from collectively selling their TV rights. He suggested this change could be worth $7 billion but claimed that commissioners privately admitted its potential benefits while resisting surrendering their media rights control.

In response, Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey stated, “I have never stated that pooling media rights would increase revenue, nor do I believe that it would.” He added that Campbell’s comments reflect a misunderstanding of college athletics.

Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark echoed Sankey’s sentiments, asserting that Campbell was mistaken about the financial implications of pooling media rights.

With college sports facing financial strains following a recent $2.8 billion settlement allowing schools to pay players for their name, image, and likeness, media deals have become even more crucial. The Power 4 conferences maintain multibillion-dollar media agreements with different expiration dates.

Campbell further criticized the involvement of private equity in the Big Ten’s efforts to enhance their media rights. He argued that college sports, seen as part of the public domain, should not be privatized.

Commissioners, including Sankey and Yormark, maintained their commitment to serving institutions and student-athletes. They called Campbell’s accusations irresponsible, emphasizing their collaborative approach to governance.

As discussions continue, Campbell warned that failure to adapt financially could threaten the existence of numerous college sports teams and scholarships, undermining opportunities for many student-athletes.