The Winds of NCAA Change

Navigating the Unknown in College Athletics Governance

Abstract

Amidst an unprecedented change in college athletics governance, researchers and practitioners are called to figure out the what, why, and how of the future for intercollegiate athletics. The timing of this special issue of the Sports Innovation Journal came impeccably aligned with a wave of dramatic policy and governance shifts. From the time of manuscript submissions to acceptances, to the time of publishing this special issue online, there are even more changes and rapid developments. What felt like consistent waves of change during the time of our call for papers in 2021 now feels more like a tsunami overtaking what we knew as contemporary college sport. But in this sea of change, some constants remain: student-athletes trying to balance education and top-notch competition. The gears of the college sports enterprise may be governed differently, but their fundamentals remain quite consistent. Hence, this special issue on college athletics governance addresses some well-established problems in a new reality.