Education

Conference realignment is sweeping college sports. Here’s why it matters.

From The Chronicle of Higher Education: “The Pac-12 Conference appears to be disintegrating, and much of the focus has been on the on-field effects of the exodus of several big-time college sports teams to other conferences. But the radical change could also carry consequences far away from the stadiums. … Athletes are already experiencing a mental-health crisis, especially as they balance classes and competition … Now, students who were used to traveling only a few hours for games may have to take a five- or six-hour flight every other week … The NCAA continues to face several lawsuits challenging the organization’s ban on direct pay for athletes … If the number of conferences continues to decline, the case for paying athletes will gain strength …”

View the full article from The Chronicle of Higher Education. [Subscription required.]