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Smash Sports pitches college football restructure to board members
Firm seeks support for plan to pool media rights across all major programs
Published on Mar. 4, 2026
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Smash Sports, a subsidiary of the private equity firm Smash Capital, has been pitching a plan to restructure major college football by pooling the media rights of all the current conferences. The company gathered board members from several power conference schools, including Michigan, Penn State, Maryland, and USC, to discuss the proposal on Tuesday in Dallas. The plan would take all 138 schools competing at the highest level of Division I out from the umbrella of the NCAA and hand media rights negotiation to a new entity that could have government backing.
Why it matters
The Big Ten and SEC, the wealthiest and most powerful conferences in college sports, have shown no interest in the Smash plan or others like it. However, the idea of pooling college football broadcast rights has gained traction in Washington, with lawmakers considering amending the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961 to allow for such an arrangement. This could have major implications for the future of college sports revenue and governance.
The details
Smash Sports has engaged with board members around the country as it looks for support from places where conference and school leaders have been resistant to even discussing its proposal. The plan says the total value of the rights fees distributed to all conferences could more than double if sold together rather than the present environment in which conferences compete against each other. It would require Congress to amend the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961, which was passed to allow the NFL to pool its teams' rights together.
- The meeting in Dallas took place on Tuesday, March 4, 2026.
- Smash Sports first presented the framework for the plan to schools back in 2024.
The players
Smash Sports
A subsidiary of the private equity firm Smash Capital that has been pitching a plan to restructure major college football by pooling the media rights of all the current conferences.
Big Ten
One of the wealthiest and most powerful conferences in college sports, which has shown no interest in the Smash plan or others like it.
SEC
One of the wealthiest and most powerful conferences in college sports, which has shown no interest in the Smash plan or others like it.
Michigan
A school that had a board member attend the meeting in Dallas to discuss the Smash plan.
Penn State
A school that had a board member attend the meeting in Dallas to discuss the Smash plan.
What’s next
The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.
The takeaway
This proposal to pool college football media rights has significant implications for the future of college sports revenue and governance, with the potential to reshape the landscape of major college football if it gains traction in Washington and among key stakeholders.
