NCAA's Mark Emmert says reformers 'not that far apart'

ORLANDO — Despite recent saber rattling from Southeastern Conference commissioner Mike Slive that resuscitated talk of a separate division for the 65 wealthiest athletic departments, NCAA president Mark Emmert told USA TODAY Sports on Wednesday he remains confident the current framework for a new governance structure under the Division I umbrella will be approved in August.

"The reality is, they're not that far apart on the various ends of that and I'm pretty confident the whole thing is going to work out and probably be successful," Emmert said following a closed-door meeting with more than 100 Division I athletics directors at the National Association of College Directors of Athletics (NACDA) convention.

Though Emmert said he understood that "some people wouldn't mind exploring" a so-called Division 4 for the five wealthiest leagues plus independent Notre Dame – a possibility Slive raised again last month following the SEC spring meetings – the focus instead remains an autonomous structure for those schools that would give them voting independence over a range of specific issues.

The NCAA steering committee, made up of eight college presidents, drafted a proposal last month calling for a two-thirds supermajority for autonomous votes to pass, plus simple-majority approval from four of the five conferences.

Slive, as well as Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany, have called for a lower threshold. Slive said 60 percent and three conferences would be acceptable.

"I'm sure that the steering committee will find a sensible compromise," Emmert said.

According to a person in the meeting, who requested anonymity because the specific discussions were supposed to be private, the most contentious issue centered on whether transfer rules should be included in Power 5 autonomy or part of shared governance.

Some administrators outside the Power 5, including American Athletic Conference commissioner Mike Aresco, have expressed concern about the possible competitive equity ramifications of five leagues controlling rules that impact all of Division I. Those schools don't want the door left open to create a system where players could transfer without sitting out a year, as current rules require.

Overall, though, athletics directors left feeling good that there is enough common ground between the Power 5 and everyone else to continue on the current path.

"I was a little nervous going in," Louisiana-Monroe's Brian Wickstrom said. "But I'm really encouraged."

A final version of the proposal is expected to go to a vote of the NCAA's Board of Directors on Aug. 7.

Steering committee members Rita Cheng of Southern Illinois and Harris Pastides of South Carolina were in attendance Wednesday to hear concerns from athletics directors about what areas would be included in autonomy. The proposal is currently in a comment period, and Emmert said no changes have been put on paper.

"People are interested in the transfer rules and whether that's going to be inside or outside autonomy and then everybody wants to make sure the different economic strata are well represented in the governance model," Emmert said. "I thought it was very constructive."

Missouri athletics director and NACDA president Mike Alden, who has been heavily involved in the governance discussions from the athletics director side, said he hoped the Division IV idea wouldn't be necessary, particularly after all the work that has been put into keeping Division I under one umbrella.

"We're so close (on resolution)," he said.

Emmert also confirmed he'll take the stand in the ongoing Ed O'Bannon name and likeness case in Oakland, Calif. He said he had no comment on the first two days of testimony.