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RandySF

(80,274 posts)
Thu Nov 27, 2025, 05:00 AM Thursday

Stevens says Big Ten's private equity deal marks 'dangerous expansion' of influence

Reports that the Big Ten Conference could sell a stake of its media rights to a private equity group have led Michigan U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Birmingham) to send a letter to the conference’s commissioner stating her opposition to the deal and requesting additional information.

Publicly reported details show the Big Ten would sell 10% of its media rights to UC Investments, a group affiliated with the University of California system pension fund, for $2.4 billion.

The conference roster includes the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, University of Illinois, Indiana University, The University of Iowa, University of Maryland, University of Minnesota, University of Nebraska, Northwestern University, The Ohio State University, The Pennsylvania State University, Purdue University, Rutgers University, University of Oregon, University of California Los Angeles, University of Southern California, University of Washington, University of Wisconsin.

In her letter to the conference commissioner Tony Petitti, Stevens warned the deal would be a “dangerous expansion of private equity influence over our nation’s universities, harming the quality of college sports and the integrity of university governance.”



https://michiganadvance.com/briefs/stevens-says-big-tens-private-equity-deal-marks-dangerous-expansion-of-influence/

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Stevens says Big Ten's private equity deal marks 'dangerous expansion' of influence (Original Post) RandySF Thursday OP
This is insanity TheFarseer Thursday #1
What's worse RandySF Thursday #2
Apparently TheFarseer Thursday #3

TheFarseer

(9,742 posts)
1. This is insanity
Thu Nov 27, 2025, 05:35 AM
Thursday

Selling off pieces of yourself?!?! This is so shortsighted. Whatever issues you have that you think you need money for now will be present in the future but you won’t have the money then because you sold it off to private equity goons.

RandySF

(80,274 posts)
2. What's worse
Thu Nov 27, 2025, 05:39 AM
Thursday

Some of the media rights money is supposed to be distributed among the conference members so they could also be affected.

TheFarseer

(9,742 posts)
3. Apparently
Thu Nov 27, 2025, 05:47 AM
Thursday

It will be distributed unequally. Ohio St and Michigan of course get the most. Then USC, Penn St and maybe Oregon (just going from memory). Then a third tier and I suppose Rutgers get about a dollar twenty five. Apparently what Rutgers and the other bottom tier schools get is a long term promise that the conference won’t break up or kick them out. Gee, Thanks!

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