During the summer of 2014, the NCAA considered a proposal to give the five richest conferences (Atlantic Coast Conference, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, and Southeastern Conference) within the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I legislative autonomy. In response, the Drake Group, a national organization of college faculty and others released a position statement that was highly critical of the proposal to allow these conferences to make their own rules and called for a blue-ribbon U.S. President’s Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics Reform. The NCAA eventually adopted the autonomy proposal at its 2015 Convention, but the position statement is still a valid statement of concerns related to increased cost, competitive imbalance and loss of a critical check and balance system.
