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

[RandySF]

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/