The Governance Challenge in College Athletics: Mission, Finance, and Board Oversight 2026

Intercollegiate athletics is undergoing historic transformation, creating urgent questions about institutional mission, financial sustainability, public trust, and board accountability. These questions are complex and require boards to have more than a passing familiarity with athletics—they need deeper knowledge and competencies to govern effectively. To help boards meet this moment, AGB is convening trustees, presidents, chancellors, athletic directors, chief financial officers, foundation leaders, and industry experts for a timely discussion on the future of intercollegiate athletics and its governance implications. Participants will examine mission alignment; financing and business models; multimedia and broadcast rights; revenue sharing and name, image, and likeness (NIL); and emerging legal, regulatory, and financial risks. Higher education leaders will gain a better understanding of the new athletics landscape and the implications for effective governance. The conference will focus primarily on issues affecting universities in NCAA Division I, although everyone is welcome to attend.