After a year-long examination, the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics called today for major governance changes for Division I sports, proposing a new governing entity for the sport of football at the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level, separate from the NCAA. The NCAA would govern all other sports in a reorganized Division I governance, and schools with FBS football programs would remain part of the NCAA in all other sports except football.
The Commission unveiled its recommendations, outlined in a new report, Transforming the NCAA D-I Model: Recommendations for Change, at its virtual forum today. The restructuring proposal responds to key shortcomings in NCAA governance and organizational structure identified in a recent Knight Commission survey of D-I leaders, including college presidents, athletics directors and conference commissioners, and provides a "big solution" that leaders desire.
The Commission's proposal for governance reform would make no change to the NCAA's Division I men's and women's basketball championships. Nearly 4 in 5 survey respondents agreed it was essential for March Madness to maintain its current format.
