Nobody could have envisioned a sport like this. There’s no governing body, the NCAA having long ago washed its hands. There’s an NCAA tournament for every collegiate sport except FBS, which means “football bowl subdivision.” The greatest power rests in conferences, though they’re in constant flux and the sport’s biggest name doesn’t belong to one, at least not in football.
Those who play the sport can bank serious money, same as those in the NFL. Those who play the sport can move from campus to campus without having to spend much time in an actual class. Those who play for schools based in Los Angeles will soon know the charms of a conference game in New Brunswick, N.J.
The closest thing the sport has to a czar is Greg Sankey, commissioner of the almost-almighty SEC. His appearance at the conference’s Media Days on Monday was the source of much anticipation, though much of it became Sankey singing his annual victory song.
