In the rapidly evolving world of college sports, the Big Ten has emerged as the conference that is most willing to open its doors to private equity in order to add more money to its NIL funds.
While that sounds like a great deal for all of the schools in the conference, it has been a questionable method for raising those funds, which is a big reason why conferences like the SEC have kept their distance.
The University of Michigan Regent Jordan Acker isn't a fan, and when asked how he felt about it, he said that the school would consider leaving the conference, opting to become independent.
Would Michigan ever go independent?
While the Big Ten carries a lot of weight when it comes to a team's national rankings, there are teams that have successfully pulled off finding success even when independent (i.e., the Notre Dame Fighting Irish are currently No. 9 in the College Football Playoff rankings).
So, while the idea of Acker supporting Michigan's move to independence, it might not be the worst thing if he's that concerned about the implications of receiving private capital.
Acker said that when the Big Ten media rights deal with Michigan expires in 2036, and the Wolverines would likely want out of the conference, and they would "not want the conference to sacrifice its autonomy to an outside investor" because the deal would "extend the Big Ten’s Grant of Rights by a decade, through 2046."
The Regent continued to say that with how often college football changes in this day and age, the idea of signing something that could bind the Wolverines to the Big Ten for over two decades would be a bigger risk than he would be willing to take.
Acker did say that the University would only consider going independent if the Big Ten pursued private equity without the unanimous approval of all 18 schools in the conference, and Michigan is not the only school pushing back, as the USC Trojans are doing the same.