Releases and Statements

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Knight Commission Releases New Report in its Transforming the D-I Model Series

[ Connecting Athletics Revenues with the Educational Model of College Sports (C.A.R.E. Model) ]

C.A.R.E. Model Report and Resources Page Note: In December 2023, principles 3 and 4 identified in this release below were consolidated into one principle: Incentives for Core Values of Education, Gender Equity, and Opportunity September 15, 2021—The Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics today released a major proposal to require the NCAA, the College Football Playoff (CFP),…

Knight Commission Sends Letter to NCAA Constitution Committee

On August 31, 2021, the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics’ co-chairs sent a letter to Robert M. Gates, chair, NCAA Constitution Committee, in response to its open call for input on major structural and constitutional issues that will reshape the mission and role of the NCAA. The letter highlights that for nearly two years, the…

Challenge Grants for Achieving Racial Equity in College Sports

The Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics issued a call for proposals for research grants to advance the goals in its “Achieving Racial Equity in College Sports” report. In the report, the Commission called on universities, athletics conferences, the College Football Playoff (CFP) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to take decisive action to address policies and…

Knight Commission Announces New Membership Appointments of Dr. Wayne Frederick, Jessica Mendoza and Gloria Nevarez

Knight Foundation president and CEO Alberto Ibargüen and Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics Co-Chairs Arne Duncan, Len Elmore and Dr. Nancy L. Zimpher have announced the appointment of new members to the Commission: Dr. Wayne Frederick, Jessica Mendoza and Gloria Nevarez. “Understanding a wide range of points of view is essential in our pluralistic society,”…

Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics Responds to NCAA President Mark Emmert’s Remarks on Division I Reform

Numerous media outlets have reported on NCAA President Mark Emmert’s criticism this week of the Knight Commission’s recent report, “Transforming the D-I Model.” In his State of College Sports address on January 12, Emmert, appearing to refer to our proposal to separate the sport of FBS football from the NCAA, said that some have suggested “we should even take that part that’s most entertaining and most lucrative, and carve it off the Association, set it over here and turn that into a pure entertainment industry with paid professionals.” Those comments do not accurately represent our proposal. In fact, the Knight Commission report explicitly outlines a set of principles for its proposed new governance entity for FBS football that would prohibit making FBS football players “paid professionals.”

Knight Commission Recommends a New Governing Structure for the Sport of FBS Football

[ NCAA would govern all other sports in reorganized Division I governance ]

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.

Knight Commission to Announce Major Recommendations to Transform the NCAA Division I Model

[ Proposed reforms will culminate year-long examination of college sports ]

On Thursday, Dec. 3, the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics will release its recommendations for significant reform of the NCAA Division I model. The proposed reforms will be unveiled at the fourth and final virtual forum of the Knight Commission’s year-long examination of Division I, Transforming the NCAA D-I Model: A 4-Part Series.