Tony Petitti was looking for any way he could to infuse more money into the Big Ten. He might have accidentally found a way to tear one of the most storied conferences in the history of sports apart in the very near future.
Petitti reportedly pushed for a private equity deal that most schools in the conference (unfortunately, including Nebraska) agreed with. However, both Michigan and USC were against it. Where things get worse is the talk that the Big Ten commissioner might push to do an end run around the two schools. That, in turn, angered officials with the Wolverines, and now the damage might be done.
Michigan Regent Jordan Acker said that if the Big Ten agrees to receive a private investment without unanimous approval of all 18 members, the school "would consider going independent when the current media rights deal expires in 2036," speaking with NBC Sports' Nicole Auerbach on SiriusXM's College Sports show, said, "Michigan has a lot of options. The possibility of independence for football is certainly something that has to be considered."
Big Ten commish might have started shoving Michigan out of the conference
"Not today," Acker added. "But at the end of the grant of rights. I think it’s something you have to think about, not because we want to leave the Big Ten conference, because the commissioner’s office has made it enormously clear that they’re going [to move forward with the proposed capital deal] without us." He added, "That would be the end of Michigan, as far as I can see, in the Big Ten conference."
The talk about the Wolverines leaving has made Petitti think twice. At least according to reports from ESPN, the deal has been put on hold.
The question now is whether the damage has already been done. Once a school starts thinking about going elsewhere, it's hard to stop that train from rolling down the tracks.
There's also the private equity deal always looming. It might be on hold for now, but it hasn't gone away. If Petitti starts pushing it again, maybe that seals the deal for Michigan.
The Big Ten is in trouble, and it was put in danger by the man who's supposed to look out for its best interests at all times. This situation is settling down, but it could spark back up at any moment.