TCU Big 12 Expansion: NCAA Needs to Put a Stop to Rampant Realignment

Things are getting out of control in the NCAA, and they need to put an end to it before they lose all credibility. 

Conference realignment has reached an absurd pace. Universities are angling and swindling their way to put themselves in a position to make the most money possible.

The latest example comes as TCU announced it would be moving to the Big 12 next year.

TCU was already planning a conference switch. They had announced a move to the Big East. Instead, they will not be joining the Big 12.

As a result of balking on their agreement with the Big East, the school will have to pay a $5 million exit fee.

This is sickening. TCU found that the conference switch was lucrative enough to be worth a $5 million payment. This money is going to be made largely by the fruits of student athletes that the NCAA does not pay because they assert that scholarships are equal compensation.

It is clear to me that having players risk their bodies on a football field for a scholarship is much closer to exploitation than equal compensation.

It is time for the NCAA to rectify this situation.

Solution

First, the NCAA needs to come up with a plan to start paying the players.

Second, they need to figure out and establish how the conference will be aligned and leave it that way. This is obviously not going to be an easy process, and it will be impossible to make everyone happy, but the long-term stability of the NCAA requires this happens.