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Ben Portnoy

@bportnoy15.bsky.social
3.8K followers 198 following 444 posts

College sports reporter for Sports Business Journal | Ex-Hoosier

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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 31/10/2025
The Settlement Implementation Committee is in the process of reforming into a pseudo-advisory group for the College Sports Commission, sources tell SBJ. The caveat? The NCAA and Pac-12 are no longer involved. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
Power Four assumes greater role in college sports oversight group
The Settlement Implementation Committee is taking on a new shape to reflect the ongoing changes to the ecosystem and to help advise the College Sports Commission.
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Reposted by Ben Portnoy
Matt Stahl @mattstahl97.bsky.social · 24/10/2025
Windermere Club in Blythewood, SC was the latest stop on the Beat Writer's Game Deteriorating Throughout Football Season Tour. Played horribly, excellent time though. Hard course. @bportnoy15.bsky.social whipped my ass in a back 9 match
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 09/10/2025
Iowa State is set to unveil a 10-year extension of its multimedia rights with Learfield. Official announcement slated for Thursday. More details here: www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
Iowa State inks 10-year extension with Learfield
Learfield, Iowa State to announce 10-year extension of multimedia rights deal that was set to expire in 2028.
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 03/10/2025
The College Sports Commission is now almost three months into its existence. How's it going? I polled more than a dozen ADs around the country, from the G5 to P4, about their experiences with the CSC so far. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
Report card: How athletic directors view the nascent College Sports Commission
The College Sports Commission is just three months old. And while there's optimism about its efforts to oversee NIL and payments to athletes, reviews around its effectiveness are mixed.
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 02/10/2025
Student Athlete NIL (SANIL), one of the larger third-party collective operators in the country, is ceasing operations immediately, sources tell SBJ. The company was set to be acquired by Blueprint Sports, but the merger fell through in recent months. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
Leading third-party collective company, Student Athlete NIL, ceasing operations
T hird-party NIL collective SANIL, which worked with a number of Power Four schools including Georgia Tech, Syracuse and Oklahoma, is closing down, sources said.
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 30/09/2025
The ACC is set to hire American Express exec Marques Zak as its first-ever chief marketing and brand officer, sources tell SBJ. An official announcement is expected on Wednesday. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
Sources: ACC adds new exec from business world
The league went outside the college sports space for its first-ever chief of marketing and brand officer, hiring Marques Zak of American Express, sources tell Sports Business Journal.
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 25/09/2025
A little NIL news ahead of Penn State-Oregon this week: Drew Allar has signed a deal with Venmo to become the face of the new Penn State Venmo Debit Mastercard. He'll also be featured in a national ad spot that will debut this weekend. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
Venmo adding Penn State QB to athlete roster, unveiling new activation
Venmo has signed Penn State QB Drew Allar to an NIL deal that will make him the face of a new Penn State Venmo Debit Mastercard.
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 17/09/2025
There have been some ~thoughts~ about the AP Top 25 over the last week or two. Wrote about why the poll still matters in a system flush with cash, Memphis’ new FedEx deal and more in this week’s college newsletter: www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/sb-blogs/new...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
SBJ College: A case for AP Top 25’s relevance
The Sept. 16 edition of the SBJ College newsletter features reporting on the relevance of the AP Top 25 poll when it comes to the business of college sports, how the Charlotte Sports Foundation contin...
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 15/09/2025
Bowl organizations touch far more than just the games they operate. But with CFP in flux, sponsorship deals and conference affiliations are unsettled. On the bowl system's ongoing holding pattern and why their parent organizations are diversifying what they do. shorturl.at/IuhvF
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Diversify Or Disappear: Why even major bowl organizers are exploring assets beyond football
Bowl games are integral to the college football postseason, but hang-ups with the CFP are having a significant impact on the future.
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 10/09/2025
This Saturday, one of the games of the week — No. 18 USF and No. 5 Miami — is being carried by, of all networks, The CW. Story on how the CW found itself here, Miss. St. adding a retro logo to its rotation and more in this week’s college newsletter: www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/sb-blogs/new...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
SBJ College: The CW is ready for its first ranked football game
The September 9 edition of the SBJ College dives into The CW's first matchup of two top-20 ranked college football teams, Stanford's latest deal with Elevate, a beloved logo returning to Mississippi S...
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 29/08/2025
Jimbo Fisher spent a year out of college football home in West Virginia, hunting in Tanzania and he believes he can still win a national title. But first, he’s joining “ACC Huddle” as an analyst. “We know his name is going to be a bit of a lightning rod.” shorturl.at/HXuYb
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Jimbo Fisher, ESPN are betting on each other for the ACC Network
Jimbo Fisher is back in college football — as part of the ACC Network. Why he and ESPN are betting on each other ahead of the 2025 college football season.
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 28/08/2025
Discussions around an EA Sports CBB video game that includes all DI men’s and women’s teams are at an impasse, sources tell Sports Business Journal. The snag centers on 2K Sports' continued development of its own, more narrow CBB product and exclusivity EA Sports desires. shorturl.at/7tJAu
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Sources: EA Sports college basketball video game talks hit snag
EA Sports had won an RFP through CLC for a new NCAA college basketball video game, but 2K Sports' desires to create its own game put the other at risk of ever happening.
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 27/08/2025
Opendorse has released a new report around positional NIL earnings in college football. A few highlights: - QBs account for 18% of P4 football budgets, the largest share of any position - Just 0.3% of P4 players are making >$1 million, but 10% are making at least $100K
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 20/08/2025
Sources: Oregon State is set to hire Blueprint Sports to operate its in-house NIL agency. Expecting an official announcement later today. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
Oregon State hiring Blueprint Sports to oversee in-house NIL agency
Oregon State is set to announce a multiyear deal with Blueprint Sports that will see the company operate Oregon State’s in-house NIL marketing agency, sources told Sports Business Journal.
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 18/08/2025
Matt Kelly never set out to be a power broker. Then one contract led to another, and another, and another. “A lot of young guys used to want to be Jerry Maguire ... Now, it's like [people want to] be Matt Kelly.” On the most influential college sports lawyer you’ve never heard: shorturl.at/g3wtM
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Meet Matt Kelly, one of the most connected people in college sports you’ve never heard of
Matt Kelly has quickly become one of the most influential behind-the-scenes characters in college sports.
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 15/08/2025
As college sports further skew toward the P4, a group of mid-major leaders quietly discussed their place in the space this summer. Now, a 10-league coalition has been formed with one goal: Remain part of the conversation. "If you're not at the table, you're on the menu." shorturl.at/Lu1bR
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Mid-major conferences launch coalition to lobby Capitol Hill and protect their future in college sports
Youngstown State President Bill Johnson, a former Republican representative from Ohio, is among those intimately involved with the groups efforts.
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 13/08/2025
Could an NFL RedZone-style show come to college football? What's next for South Carolina after announcing an on-field sponsorship? All that and more in this week's college newsletter: www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/sb-blogs/new...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
SBJ College: Don’t expect a ‘RedZone’ expansion anytime soon
With the acquisition of "NFL RedZone," SBJ's Ben Portnoy explores how feasible it would be to bring the whip-around show to college football. Also in the Aug. 12 edition of the SBJ College newsletter,...
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 12/08/2025
Kentucky has announced an extension of its MMR partnership with JMI Sports “valued at more than $465 million.” A few nuggets from the release:
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 07/08/2025
The Southland Conference is set to extend its deal with ESPN through 2031, sources tell SBJ. Deal includes one Southland MBB semifinal game and the WBB championship game being broadcast on linear (Those were previously aired on a case-by-case basis). www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
Sources: Southland Conference re-ups with ESPN
The deal is a six-year extension of the parties' existing agreement.
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 05/08/2025
New Balance has signed Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love to an endorsement deal, the company announced. Love joins a client list that includes Chase Young and Marvin Harrison Jr. Last season, Love helped Notre Dame to the national title with 1,125 yards rushing and 17 TDs.
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 05/08/2025
The Big 12 is slated to announce a new package of 20 regular season MBB games that will be streamed on Peacock beginning in 2025, sources tell @SBJ. The games are part of a sublicense agreement between Fox Sports and NBC. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
Sources: Peacock adds Big 12 men’s hoops package
The Big 12 is set to announce a new package of 20 men’s regular-season basketball games that will be streamed on Peacock beginning in 2025, per sources.
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 04/08/2025
Is it harder for G5 admins to land P4 AD gigs? Are pro sports execs next up for AD jobs? What does an AD even do now? “The gap between the haves and have-nots is getting bigger — and so are their problems.” On college sports' evolving admin economy: www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
Why top college admin jobs — and their candidate pools — are changing with the times
The profile of athletic directors in 2025 is changing, whether it be influences from the pro leagues to leaning toward Power Four candidates.
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 01/08/2025
Notre Dame AD Pete Bevacqua tells SBJ he's supportive of the recent executive order issued by Pres. Donald Trump. Bevacqua has been one of the leading voices in D.C. around federal college sports legislation, played golf with Trump and Greg Sankey earlier this summer, etc.
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 31/07/2025
The Heisman Trophy Trust is hiring a new President or CEO, a source confirmed to SBJ. The new role will essentially be a revamped version of the role that's been held by Executive Director Rob Whalen for 30-plus years. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
Heisman Trophy Trust hiring new executive
The Heisman Trophy Trust is seeking new leadership, as the group is currently in the hunt for a new president or CEO that will essentially replace current Exec Dir Rob Whalen, a source confirmed to Sp...
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 31/07/2025
The College Sports Commission has issued new guidance around collective payments, essentially walking back its blanket ban on such transactions. They’ll now be allowed, but will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and under some scrutiny. Statement from the CSC below:
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 25/07/2025
The ACC received more credential requests than ever for its media kickoff in Charlotte. The reason: The Bill Belichick Experience ™ On Belichick's ACC Media Days debut and the impact he can have for a league fighting for attention. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
Analysis: UNC’s Belichick brings added attention to ACC amid a fight for exposure
Bill Belichick is bringing media attention to UNC and the ACC like no other coach can.
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 24/07/2025
Auburn is set to announce a three-year deal with Peachtree Entertainment to bring live music to its venues. The deal brokered by Elevate will see Peachtree bring at least five shows per year to Neville Arena and one concert to Jordan-Hare Stadium over the life of the agreement.
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 22/07/2025
ACC Commish Jim Phillips tells SBJ he's in favor of a 5+11 CFP format, but staying at 12 is possible. "I hope we can get there, but if we don’t, I’m fine with where we’re at right now, and we can just watch this for a few years, and then reconvene.” www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
ACC Commissioner supports expansion as CFP format stalemate persists
The CFP format remains in flux, but ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips has thoughts on what it should look like.
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 22/07/2025
The Rose Bowl is set to tab Elevate as its exclusive premium sales partner through a multi-year agreement, sources tell SBJ. The stadium is currently undergoing an $80 million renovation that includes new premium seating ahead of the 2028 Olympics.
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 22/07/2025
Re-upping a couple things from Charlotte this morning as ACC Media Days get going (the Big Ten is also set to begin in Vegas). My story from reporting over the last week on Memphis' efforts to get into the Big 12 and the $200 million pitch it made: www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
Sources: Big 12 won’t add Memphis despite pitch
Memphis approached the Big 12 with a pitch to become its 17th member in recent weeks, but conference presidents decided against moving forward with the proposal, sources told SBJ.
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 22/07/2025
👋👋👋
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 21/07/2025
Big 12 presidents are passing on a pitch made by Memphis to join the league, sources tell SBJ. The Tigers’ sell centered on taking no conference distribution in the immediate future and delivering $200+ million in sponsorship dollars to the league. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
Sources: Big 12 not moving forward with Memphis despite significant sponsorship pitch
Memphis approached the Big 12 with a pitch to become its 17th member in recent weeks, but conference presidents decided against moving forward with the proposal, sources told SBJ.
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 21/07/2025
Goodbye AAC. Hello, "American Conference." Details on the league's rebrand set to be announced later this week by Commissioner Tim Pernetti at the conference's media days and why now was the time for a new name and look. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
AAC officially rebrands to the American Conference
The AAC is set to change its official name to the American Conference as part of a broader rebrand of the league.
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 21/07/2025
The second annual College Basketball Crown is set for April 1-5 in Las Vegas, sources tell @SBJ. The event put on by Fox Sports and AEG will also see a host of returning sponsors, including: - Ghost Energy - Vivid Seats - JSX - Circa Resort & Casino - MGM Resorts International
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 18/07/2025
News from my colleague @jasonbwilson.bsky.social on the video game beat: 2K is working on a college basketball video game, while Michigan State, UCLA and Houston are among the schools that could be a part of it. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
Source: 2K Sports planning college hoops game
2K Sports is making a college basketball game, one in which Power 4 programs such as the Big Ten’s UCLA and Michigan State and Houston from the Big 12 a rumored to be in the mix, SBJ has learned.
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 18/07/2025
The SEC dominates offseason headlines like no other conference in America. How do they do it? Look no further than Digital Drive — formerly and colloquially known as “Radio Row.” "Here, you eat what you kill. You’re not guaranteed anything.” www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
A day inside the SEC’s football radio circus: ‘You eat what you kill’
The SEC’s Digital Drive is a contest in landing high-profile guests, and a crucial advertising week for stations not immune to the challenges of the modern media landscape.
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 17/07/2025
NEWS: SBJ obtained the nearly 100-page NCAA governance recommendation the Division I Board of Directors were briefed on in June. The update included previously unreported polling the NCAA conducted for feedback on potential changes to its structure. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
Power Four push for control in new NCAA governance structure
The Power Four desires more control of the NCAA governance structure, but internal NCAA polling suggests the rest of Division I are unsurprisingly not supportive, according to documents obtained by Sp...
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 17/07/2025
Iowa and Learfield are set to announce a five-year extension of their current partnership (Official announcement expected Thursday). The current deal between the two parties was slated to run two more years, while the extension now binds them through 2032.
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 15/07/2025
CFP discussions are ongoing — and holding at 12 teams feels like a real possibility. But is another offseason of format conversation unhealthy? Greg Sankey doesn't necessarily think so. That and more in this week's college newsletter from Atlanta: www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/sb-blogs/new...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
SBJ College: Greg Sankey on CFP flux -- it ‘doesn’t have to rewrite the story all the time’
The July 15 edition of the SBJ College newsletter covers SEC Greg Sankey's thoughts on how the turmoil in college sports is affecting football, a changing of the guard for athletic directors, the stat...
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 15/07/2025
The Power Four conferences (plus the Pac-12) have put out a joint-statement related to the mark up of the SCORE Act on Capitol Hill earlier today. The mark up was conducted by the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade.
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 15/07/2025
Oklahoma is set to announce that it's rolling up its collective, 1Oklahoma, into its local Learfield property (Sooner Sports Properties). Utah State Deputy AD Bobby Nash is also being brought on to help run the new-look operation. More details here: www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
Oklahoma, Learfield consolidating NIL operations under one banner
The Univ. of Oklahoma is taking a different approach to its NIL efforts, as the school is set to announce a new structure in which 1Oklahoma (OU’s NIL collective) will consolidate its operations and m...
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 14/07/2025
Sankey asked if the SEC was open to PE/private capital. He confirmed the league had explored it, but noted "we've not seen the concept that works. It doesn't mean we won't consider opportunities if there are opportunities for mutual benefit. Those would pique our interest."
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 14/07/2025
Sankey, tongue-in-cheek, asked about early returns on revenue sharing: "There's consensus about concerns and complaints. ... I think the freak out factor is a little bit high."
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 14/07/2025
Some interesting comments from Sankey related to the CFP and whether the SEC will adjust its scheduling from eight league games to nine:
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 14/07/2025
Sankey with a few thoughts on the CFP and what comes next there: "We think growth beyond 12 can be positive. It should be pursued. There's also a belief that the process for selecting teams to participate in the College Football Playoff can be updated and improved itself."
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 14/07/2025
Greg Sankey on NCAA basketball tournament expansion: "Basketball, in general, we are supportive of expanding both the men's and the women's basketball tournaments. Nothing in college basketball is static, so tournament expansion is certainly worth exploring."
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 14/07/2025
An interesting tidbit in Sankey's address: He mentioned SEC presidents suggested at spring meetings the P4 leagues form a committee to explore their role in the future of college sports. The idea would include two presidents from each league, plus the commissioners.
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 14/07/2025
Greg Sankey taking the podium here in Atlanta to kick things off at SEC Media Days
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 09/07/2025
Paciolan is set to hire ex-Ticketmaster exec Brendan Lynch as its new president. Lynch replaces Deana Barnes, who moved to Learfield's sports properties division overseeing Big Ten and Pac-12 clients as part of a reorg earlier this year. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
Paciolan hiring former Ticketmaster exec as new president
Paciolan had an opening at president after reshuffling within Learfield's broader organization.
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Ben Portnoy @bportnoy15.bsky.social · 09/07/2025
Another notable retirement at NCAA HQ: VP of Regulatory Affairs Stan Wilcox will retire effective Aug. 1. Wilcox, the ex-AD at Florida State, has worked at the national office the last seven years. That comes after longtime staffer Kevin Lennon announced last week he's retiring in August, too.
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