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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
James Morgan

Nick Saban, Lane Kiffin and more rip conference realignment

The student athlete is the clear loser of conference realignment. Conferences, specifically the Big 12 and Big Ten, will have unwieldy geographic footprints.

The large geographic footprints can be justified some in football, where teams may play only four or five road games in a season. However, the additional travel will be a considerable burden on the student athlete in most other sports such as basketball, baseball, soccer and volleyball.

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Ultimately, conference expansion and realignment is happening because of money. Colleges are looking for better TV deals and don’t care if it affects the well-being of student athletes or ends traditional rivalries.

The SEC is adding Oklahoma and Texas in 2024, but has stayed out of much of 2023’s realignment chaos. That did not stop prominent SEC football head coaches Nick Saban, Lane Kiffin and Eli Drinkwitz from speaking out against recent conference realignment.

Nick Saban is unhappy with the loss of traditions

It is hard to imagine Washington becoming rivals with Rutgers in the new Big Ten. The loss of Pac-12 rivalries will certainly hurt college football and other sports.

Eli Drinkwitz highlights the cost for the student athletes

Rick Pitino brings up good point on travel

Football makes the most money and drives revenue, but expenses due to increased travel and, more importantly, the well-being of the student athlete have to be taken into account.

Lane Kiffin agrees with Eli Drinkwitz

School are picking money over student athletes

Jordan Acker is a regent at the University of Michigan.

Jordan Acker does not like the travel implications

University of Michigan regent continues to criticize NCAA

Lane Kiffin continues to criticize realignment

Media deals and money are running the expansion

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