College Sports at a Crossroads

Survey of NCAA Division I campus leaders reveals deep concerns over direction of Division I sports, financial stability and the impact of the House v. NCAA settlement

ARLINGTON, Va., Oct. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A national survey of NCAA Division I university presidents, athletics directors and other campus athletics leaders highlights serious concerns about the future of Division I college sports, with more than 75 percent believing the recent House v. NCAA settlement terms will have a negative impact. The findings, released today by the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics and the Elon University Poll, paint a picture of a system under severe strain with the majority of leaders expressing negative views about the direction of Division I.

This new survey is timely because federal lawmakers are debating legislation that would create sweeping changes for Division I athletics. The survey shows that Division I campus leaders, by large margins, support federal action to resolve issues like standards for NIL compensation and the classification of college athletes as employees.

"It's a new era in college sports," said Amy Privette Perko, Knight Commission CEO, "And the candid views of Division I leaders suggest this new era could be a troubling one that could harm women's and collegiate Olympic sports. These findings should help inform Congress as it works to build a new model for Division I sports."

The survey found that leaders are deeply concerned about the financial sustainability of their athletics programs, college athlete transfer rules and unprecedented changes they fear will harm women's and collegiate Olympic sports. They also expressed a near-unanimous and unwavering commitment to the academic mission of college sports, with resounding support for maintaining academic standards and prioritizing graduation.

The survey captured the views of 376 university presidents and chancellors, athletics directors, senior woman administrators and faculty athletics representatives, in August 2025. Each of these campus positions are legislatively mandated leadership roles within the existing NCAA Division I governing structure. The 26% response rate provides a statistically representative sample of these Division I leaders views within a +/-4.4% margin of error.

"This survey presents a clear picture of a defining moment for Division I college sports," said Len Elmore, Knight Commission co-chair. "Navigating the path forward will require difficult decisions about finances, governance and the core identity of college athletics."

Read more here.

CONTACTS:
Dan Anderson, Elon University
andersd@elon.edu
Steve Delsohn, Knight Commission
steve@delsohn.com

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SOURCE Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics