I.  Introduction

A. The NCAA’s Faux “Democracy”

B. The Power 5’s Secret Society

C. Who Is in Charge and How Did We Get Here?

D. Post-Board of Regents Regulatory Dysfunction

E. Preserve the NCAA National Office Bureacracy and Reassure Beneficiaries of March Madness Money

F. Influential External Observers and Regulators Sound Off: Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Taylor Branch, and Condoleezza Rice 

1. McConnell (1997) (Post-season football)

2. Rockefeller (2014) (Power 5 Autonomy)

3. McCaskill (2014) (Autonomy)

4. Branch (2014) (Autonomy)

5. Rice (2018): The “Circular Firing Squad” (Commission on College Basketball)

II. Key Takeaways

III. The December 10th, 2019, Secret Meeting

   A. Context and Timeline

   B. Meetings Details and Documents

      1. Participants and Documents

      2. Foundational Themes that Emerged

         a. Power 5 Unity and Coordination of Messaging

         b. Urgency to Commandeer the Debate Over Athlete Compensation

         c. Call the Shots but Disguise Power 5 Involvement

         d. Manipulate the Language to Devalue Athlete Interests

         e. Eliminate External Regulatory Threats: Preemption of State Laws, Antitrust Immunity, and Athletes Cannot be Employees

   C. Consequences of the Power 5’s Power Play

      1. Power 5 Can Demand Absolute Authority Without Accountability Because They Are “Special”

      2. NCAA’s “Representative Democracy” Exposed as a Ruse

      3. Bipartisanship” is Desirable Only Through Legislation that Gives Power 5 everything They Want

 

IV. The December 2022 Documents

   A. “Must Haves”

   B. “No Consensus” Items

   C. New Decision-Makers

   D. Ideal Legislative Proposal? Sen. Roger Wicker’s “Collegiate Athlete Compensation Rights Act”

   E. Reengage in the House, Not the Senate

   F. Communicate by Phone, “But Not Text or Email”

 

V. Conclusion