Report: Power Five Leagues Exploring Fall Championships Outside Of NCAA Structure

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Leaders from the Power Five conferences are currently exploring the possibility of holding their own fall sports championship games outside of the NCAA’s structure, according to Sports Illustrated.

The Power Five conferences include:

• Pac-12
• Big 12
• Big Ten
• ACC
• SEC

On Saturday, August 1, Ross Dellenger and Pat Forde reported that leaders of the conferences are looking at the potential of holding fall championships.

“This could be seen as a first step toward a long-theorized breakaway from the NCAA by the 65 schools that play college sports at the highest level,” the report said.

NEWS with @ByPatForde: Power-5 leaders are exploring staging their own fall championships if Board of Governors cancel/postpone them, sources tell @SInow.

The beginning of a schism between the P5 & NCAA.

“If I were (Mark) Emmert, I’d be really worried.”https://t.co/kUMjXUIiNf

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) August 1, 2020

“If I were (NCAA president Mark) Emmert, I’d be really worried about it. He’s got to keep the Power 5 together,” one athletic director of a Power Five school told SI.

Sources: If the NCAA doesn't go ahead with fall sports championships, the Power Five is talking about holding its own. First step in a long-theorized breakaway from the NCAA? “If I were Emmert, I’d be really worried about it." News with @RossDellenger https://t.co/BwH9Id6JaP

— Pat Forde (@ByPatForde) August 1, 2020

The NCAA’s Board of Governors is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, August 4, with the expectation of deciding whether to hold fall sports championships this season.

If the NCAA decides to cancel or postpone fall championship games in 2020, the Power Five leagues could potentially look at taking the first steps in splitting from the long-tenured collegiate sports association.