FCS playoffs are a financial drain for most of the 24 teams. Could private equity change that?

To take the FCS playoffs from an NCAA-administered championship to private enterprise, the FCS Oversight Committee would have to make a recommendation to the NCAA Administrative Committee. The FCS playoffs are included in a contract running through 2032 that pays the NCAA $115 million annually to televise championships in 40 sports. He said it would be more likely to see private equity enter a partnership with the NCAA. Schemmel said several conferences and athletic departments he’s worked with have explored private equity investment, but none have followed through. “Once you bring in private equity, that means those investors are looking for a return and a substantive return,” he said.