Ahead of the convention, the NCAA compiled a massive survey of more than 3,000 officials and 1,000 athletes.
A vast majority of participants want the NCAA to continue overseeing certain duties like eligibility, revenue allocation, championships, and on-field rules, but it also suggested overwhelming support for a few big changes.
The survey provided a rare window into what a large number of athletes might actually want: enforcement for health, safety, and diversity.
- More than 85% of athletes in each division agreed that the NCAA needs to set health and safety standards and include athletes in decision making.
- At least 78% in every division found gender equity and cultural diversity to be central, too.
- In an open-ended question section, they also emphasized the importance of mental health.
Administrators said the divisional structure isn’t working for everyone, and there’s a growing feeling that the NCAA shouldn’t be in charge of the richest schools or sports at all.
- More than half of Division I administrators favored altering divisions, but only about one-third of admins in D-II and D-III did.
- Almost every category of Power 5 admins favored change at a higher rate than non-Power 5 admins.
- One suggestion included breaking Power 5 schools away from the NCAA. Another included breaking FBS football teams away.
It will take until next August, however, to see how many changes the NCAA actually implements.
