Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti shuts down expansion rumors
The conference could add two more members under the pending Protect College Sports Act’s 20-school limit.
Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti addressed conference expansion concerns during NCAA college football news conference at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on July 23, 2024. Despite the Protect College Sports Act, which has passed the Senate, clearing the way for a possible expansion to 20 schools, Petitti confirmed that there have been "absolutely no discussions taking place around expansion and there haven't been for quite some time."
Petitti affirmed his dedication to the current 18-member conference structure, stating, "We're focused on that. There’s lots of things that we think we can do inside the conference to continue to grow the position that we have with the 18 members we have." Four schools - Florida State, Miami, Clemson, and North Carolina - have expressed dissatisfaction with the independence requirement in the bill, asking for its removal and an increased conference school limit to 22.
They argue that the three-year independence waiting period would impose a significant burden on institutions leaving the conference, especially considering the financial agreements already in place.
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