Latest news with #CFP
USA Today
5 hours ago
- Politics
- USA Today
College sports leaders have no good reasons to expand CFP, March Madness
College sports leaders have no good reasons to expand CFP, March Madness SEC and Big Ten leaders, plus many others, are waging war against problems that don't really exist; struggling for the sake of struggle. Show Caption Hide Caption How coaches salaries and the NIL bill affects college football Dan Wolken breaks down the annual college football coaches compensation package to discuss salaries and how the NIL bill affects them. Sports Pulse The more we've heard this week from the leaders of college athletics about their urgent need to expand the College Football Playoff and the NCAA men's basketball tournament, the less clear it becomes why they're expanding in the first place. It would be one thing if there was an obvious business case why it's necessary for March Madness to go from 68 to 72 or 74 teams, as NCAA president Charlie Baker suggested could be imminent Thursday in comments at the Big 12's spring meetings. The same goes for the CFP, whose format was a major talking point every day at the SEC's meetings, with a looming decision about whether to expand from 12 to 16. But after months of debate on both fronts, what's become clear is that expansion is going to happen for no reason other than a vapid sense of inertia sprung from the bruised egos of sports executives – who subconsciously understand their own fundamental weakness and ineffectiveness are to blame for the spiral of chaos that college sports can't seem to escape. At least when they push a button to expand a postseason, it feels like they're doing something. That's an explanation. It's not a reason. When the NFL expanded its playoffs from 12 to 14 in 2020, changing its format for the first time in three decades, the obvious factor was an influx of money: Hundreds of millions of dollars, in fact, half of which gets split with players. When the NBA shook up its postseason and created the play-in tournament, the primary motivation was to keep more teams competitive late in the season and discourage tanking. Those are sensible reasons everyone can understand. But neither Baker nor one of the prominent conference commissioners like the SEC's Greg Sankey or the Big Ten's Tony Petitti have been able to articulate a clear and concise mission statement for what expansion of either tournament is supposed to accomplish. They just want to do it. Here's how thin the rationale is regarding March Madness: Speaking with reporters in Orlando, Baker cited the committee snubbing Missouri Valley Conference regular-season champion Indiana State in 2024 despite a 32-7 record, suggesting an expansion would get the NCAA tournament closer to including the "best" 68 teams. Of course, the NCAA tournament has always worked this way. Excellent mid-major teams that lose in their conference tournament often don't get in. And as the track record of the tournament clearly shows, the vast majority of bids in an expanded field would go to power conference teams with questionable records. The push to expand March Madness precedes Baker's tenure, which began in March 2023. In fact, you can trace the momentum back to March of 2022 when Texas A&M was left out despite a late-season surge to the championship game of the SEC tournament, converting Sankey into a public proponent of expansion. But the idea that tournament spots are being filled by automatic qualifiers from mid-major conferences with less chance to do damage in the tournament than Texas A&M's 2022 team, for instance, isn't new. It's part of the deal, and there's no real demand to move the cut line other than from those who are inconvenienced by it. In fact, one of the big obstacles to March Madness expansion – and the reason it didn't happen years ago – is that there's not a huge pot of television money out there for a few more games between mediocre basketball teams on Tuesday and Wednesday of tournament week. Not only is expansion unlikely to boost profits in a significant way, it's an open question whether the NCAA can expand the tournament without diluting the shares of its revenue distribution model, which are worth about $2 million per team per round. A similar dynamic is at play in the CFP debate. 12-team CFP worked; trashing it makes no sense There were clear incentives for the conference commissioners when they first floated expanding the football tournament from four to 12 teams back in 2021. Not only had TV ratings leveled off, perhaps due to many of the same programs populating the field year after year, but going to 12 would both guarantee access for all the power conference champions and set the table for a $1.3 billion per year contract with ABC/ESPN beginning in 2026 – nearly triple the original 12-year deal that established the CFP. But that's where things get murky. Even before the first 12-team playoff last year, conference commissioners were *already* batting around a 14-team model for 2026. That has now morphed into a likely 16-team bracket. The financial terms of the TV deal, however, will not change in a significant way, whether they land at 12, 14 or 16. So why do it? Not because it's a great business proposition – in fact, there's a legitimate concern about playoff oversaturation and potential second-order effects – but because the more you expand access, the more access everyone wants. That's what we have seen over the last week, especially from the SEC meetings as Sankey and others in the league launched a breathtaking, shameless propaganda effort attempting to rewrite recent history. Getting a mere three teams into last year's 12-team playoff while the Big Ten won its second straight title seems to have done a psychological number on those folks. Rather than admit the truth – the SEC didn't have an amazing year in 2024 and the playing field nationally has been leveled to some extent by NIL and the transfer portal – they are arguing to shape the next CFP format based on a level of conference strength that certainly existed in the past but hasn't in the NIL/transfer portal era. One prominent athletics director, Florida's Scott Stricklin, questioned whether the football bracket should be chosen by committee. Another unnamed administrator went so far as to muse that the SEC and Big Ten should think about just holding their own playoff, according to Yahoo! Sports. If you take a step back and look at what's happening from a 30,000-foot view, it smacks of famed political scientist Francis Fukuyama's 'The End of History,' where he writes about how the triumph of Western liberalism and consumerism has unwittingly created this kind of regressive condition that shows up in so many facets of life and culture. 'If men cannot struggle on behalf of a just cause because that just cause was victorious in an earlier generation,' he wrote, 'then they will struggle against the just cause. They will struggle for the sake of struggle. They will struggle, in other words, out of a certain boredom: for they cannot imagine living in a world without struggle.' That kind of feels like what's going on here. Aside from a small adjustment in how it was seeded, nothing about the 12-team playoff seemed problematic. If anything, it was widely praised for delivering what the original expansion proponents wanted: Geographic diversity, representation for the four power conferences and the Group of Five, first-round playoff games in college venues and a lot of interesting games from the quarterfinals on. In other words, it worked. And there is no obvious reason – financial or otherwise – to have chucked it in the trash already while the four power conferences launch a war amongst themselves about how much access gets allocated to each conference, and by whom. The angst is especially confusing from the SEC, which just got a record 14 bids to the men's basketball tournament (including national champion Florida), has eight of the 16 national seeds for the baseball tournament and five of the eight teams in the Women's College World Series. They're doing just fine, and there is a long track record of being justly rewarded when their teams perform at the highest level. There's little doubt that will happen again in football regardless of which playoff system gets implemented. It just didn't happen last year because the SEC, for once, did not deserve it. But the Big Ten and the SEC are, as Fukuyama wrote, struggling for the sake of struggle. The more power they have amassed by reshaping the landscape through realignment, the more they claim the system is broken. Some believe their end game is a separation from the NCAA, creating a world where they don't have to share a business partnership with conferences and schools they believe aren't bringing as much value to the table. The reality, though, is that any such move would draw a level of scrutiny – legal and political – they are not currently prepared to handle, not to mention the arduous work of building out the infrastructure for all kinds of unglamorous stuff the NCAA already provides. So instead, they wage war against problems that don't really exist, reach for solutions that create actual problems and then fail to solve the problems right in front of their face. The push to expand the NCAA tournament and the CFP are merely symptoms of an affluenza swallowing the highest levels of college sports. Knowing they've failed miserably to execute on the important issues they truly need to solve to ensure the long-term health of their business, the likes of Sankey and Petitti and many others have elevated tedium to a crisis. So a crisis is what they shall have.
Business Standard
19 hours ago
- Business
- Business Standard
FPSB India and NPS Trust Sign MoU to Boost Financial Education and Retirement Planning Awareness Across India
PNN Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 30: FPSB India, the Indian subsidiary of Financial Planning Standards Board Ltd., and the NPS Trust (National Pension System Trust) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly enable educational outreach, knowledge exchange, and research collaboration to amplify awareness around retirement planning and long-term financial well-being in India. "At FPSB India, we believe that financial education is not just a life skill - it is a life changer. This MoU with NPS Trust is a powerful opportunity to integrate retirement planning as a central theme of personal finance education and reach diverse segments of society with credible, action-oriented guidance," said Krishan Mishra, CEO, FPSB India. The initiative aligns with the larger vision of strengthening long-term financial security and empowering individuals to make informed financial decisions throughout their life stages. Key initiatives under this MoU include: -Joint Awareness Campaigns on NPS, NPS Vatsalya, APY, and other PFRDA-regulated schemes via seminars, digital outreach, and workshops. -Targeted Outreach to institutions, enterprises, government bodies, and the general public to promote retirement planning awareness. -Information Exchange & Research Collaboration to develop high-quality, relevant financial education content. The MoU reinforces the commitment of both organizations to the Government of India's vision of financial inclusion and Viksit Bharat by providing the tools, resources, and knowledge to plan and secure one's financial future. This strategic partnership aims to enhance the public's understanding of retirement planning and personal finance, especially among institutions, enterprises, government bodies, and the general public. About FPSB India: FPSB India is the leading financial planning body in India and is dedicated to establishing, upholding, and promoting professional standards in financial planning throughout India. FPSB India offers the globally recognized CFP® certification, which represents excellence in financial planning through rigorous competency and ethical standards. It is home to over 3,215 CFP professionals in India and part of a global network of organizations representing more than 230,648 CFP professionals worldwide. FPSB India is the Indian subsidiary of Financial Planning Standards Board Ltd. (FPSB Ltd.), the global standards-setting body for the financial planning profession and owner of the international CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER certification program. FPSB Ltd. owns the CFP, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER and the CFP® outside the United States. FPSB Ltd. licenses these marks to FPSB Institute India Pvt. Ltd to administer CFP certification in India. For more information, visit
Fox Sports
21 hours ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Big Noon Saturday: Top storylines to watch for in four must-see matchups
You know college football season is just around the corner when kickoff dates are set. On Thursday, FOX Sports announced a couple of high-profile matchups that will appear in the "Big Noon Saturday" slot this season. Week 1 begins with the ultimate opening-weekend showdown between Texas and Ohio State, which will likely be a preseason top-five matchup at The Horseshoe. In Week 2, Iowa visits Iowa State in the annual Cy-Hawk Trophy rivalry on Sept. 6. In Week 3, defending Big Ten champion Oregon visits Northwestern on Sept. 13. And then, the final week of the regular season, "Big Noon Saturday" will be live from Ann Arbor for "The Game" between Michigan and Ohio State. The Buckeyes are the reigning national champions, but can they end the Wolverines' winning streak in this rivalry? Here is a look at what to watch for in those matchups: Week 1: Texas at Ohio State (Aug. 30 on FOX) After waiting patiently on the bench for two years, it's finally Arch Manning's turn to be the starting quarterback at Texas. He offers a different skill set from his predecessor, Quinn Ewers, which will inevitably open up the playbook for coach Steve Sarkisian. But while the Longhorns are set at QB, Ohio State is not. There's a battle brewing in Columbus between Julian Sayin and Lincoln Kienholz, while true freshman Tavien St. Clair is waiting in the wings. Don't be surprised if we don't know who comes out on top until these teams are running out of their respective tunnels on Aug. 30. Of course, there's plenty more intrigue surrounding this game. It's a Cotton Bowl rematch – the Buckeyes beat the Longhorns in the College Football Playoff semifinal in January to book their trip to the national championship, which they won. And while plenty of star players have moved on to the NFL from both teams, there are plenty of guys returning who played in that game. Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and safety Caleb Downs are widely considered to be the best offensive and defensive players in the country this year. Texas enters this season having made consecutive CFP semifinals and is hungry to win its first national championship since Vince Young was in Austin. Sarkisian has the depth to do it, and beating Ohio State on the road to open the season would be a nice early résumé booster. Ohio State, meanwhile, might look different than it did a year ago, but Ryan Day still has a strong roster that could make a CFP run. Week 2: Iowa at Iowa State (Sept. 6 on FOX) Last year, Iowa State kicker Kyle Konrardy nailed a 54-yard field goal with five seconds left to lift his team to a 20-19 win over rival Iowa at Kinnick Stadium. So, it's safe to say that the Hawkeyes will be seeking revenge in this year's Cy-Hawk game. For the Cyclones, Rocco Becht is back at quarterback after a solid sophomore year. He completed 59% of his passes for 3,505 yards and 25 touchdowns with nine interceptions last season. He was rumored to be interested in transferring to Tennessee this offseason, but then publicly stated his commitment to the Cyclones. Becht helped lead the team to a historic 11-3 record which culminated in a trip to the Big 12 championship game – the program's second-ever appearance. Though they were embarrassed by Arizona State, 45-19, Matt Campbell's team responded a few weeks later by defeating then-No. 13 Miami, 42-41, in the Pop-Tarts Bowl. Becht was named MVP. Meanwhile, Iowa has a new QB this year in South Dakota State transfer Mark Gronowski, who comes to Iowa City as a two-time FCS national champion. He had shoulder surgery this offseason, but told reporters in April that he's recovering and expects to be "100 percent" and ready to go by June 1. Elsewhere on the roster, the Hawkeyes are working to reload after losing a chunk of starters from both sides of the ball. This includes replacing last year's Big Ten leading rusher, Kaleb Johnson (now with the Pittsburgh Steelers), who ran for 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns in 2024. Keep an eye on sophomore Kamari Moulton to be that guy. Oregon at Northwestern (Sept. 13 on FOX) The most intriguing part of Oregon's team will be how quarterback Dante Moore progresses in his first year as the Ducks' starter. Moore, who transferred from UCLA ahead of last season, sat on the bench all of 2024 while learning under Heisman Trophy finalist Dillon Gabriel. It will help him to have various offensive weapons, including Florida State transfer receiver Malik Benson, which will soften the blow of losing Tez Johnson to the NFL. Oregon also has the fifth-best transfer class, according to 247 Sports. Quarterback is also one of the more interesting storylines for Northwestern with the arrival of SMU transfer Preston Stone. He was the Mustangs' starter to begin last season until he lost his job to Kevin Jennings, who led the program to the CFP. Stone stayed at SMU through the playoff, however, and brings that experience to a Wildcats' offense that struggled mightily last season, ranking 130 out of 134 teams. On the other side of the ball, Moore will have to keep an eye out for defensive end Aidan Hubbard, who has 13 sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss in three seasons. Ohio State at Michigan (Nov. 29 on FOX) Ohio State might have won the national championship last year, but they have also lost four straight years to archrival Michigan. And while there's a contingent of fans who are happy the Buckeyes won a title, there's another that won't be satisfied until they beat the Wolverines again. Last year was the year to do it – Michigan's roster was depleted after winning the national championship, while Ohio State had NFL-ready talent delay going pro just to come back to Columbus in order to win The Game and a national title. This year, the programs are more evenly matched and both will have new starting QBs. At Michigan, early signs point to No.1-ranked recruit Bryce Underwood. He will be coached by new offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey, who worked with Drake Maye at North Carolina. At Ohio State, all eyes are on Sayin and Kienholz, and their new OC, Brian Hartline. Both teams have to reload defensively, though both have bright spots in the secondary. Ohio State has Downs, while Michigan has Rod Moore, who returns after missing all of last season with a knee injury. Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of "Strong Like a Woman," published in spring 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her at @LakenLitman . [Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily .] recommended Get more from College Football Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Could CFP expansion threaten Cy-Hawk Series future?
Could CFP expansion threaten Cy-Hawk Series future? Could College Football Playoff expansion spell doom for the future of the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series? As SEC Spring Meetings unfolded this week in Destin, Florida, CFP expansion was at the forefront of the discussion. The initial momentum seemed to be CFP expansion toward a 4-4-2-2-1 model. In the 4-4-2-2-1 model, the Big Ten and SEC would each receive four automatic qualifiers into the College Football Playoff, while the Big 12 and ACC would each receive two. The highest-ranked Group of Six conference champion would also receive an automatic qualifier and then there would be three at-large bids. Now, it seems that a 5+11 CFP expansion model is picking up steam. In the 5+11 model, each of the five highest-ranked conference champions would receive automatic qualifiers and then 11 at-large bids would be awarded to the highest-ranked teams by the CFP selection committee. Either expansion road could be enough to convince the SEC to expand its league slate to nine conference games. That would match the Big Ten's current nine-game conference slate. Plus, it sounds like the SEC sticking with an eight-game conference slate is a non-starter for the Big Ten in terms of expanding the playoff to a 5+11 model. Assuming the CFP expands to 16 teams and the SEC adds a ninth conference game, those changes may also set the stage for the reported Big Ten-SEC scheduling agreement that's been floated about. LSU head coach Brian Kelly endorsed a potential Big Ten-SEC scheduling agreement on Wednesday. "Our first goal would be wanting to play Big Ten teams as coaches," Kelly said. "I can speak for the room. We want to play Big Ten teams but you've got to get a partner. You've got to get a partner who says we're in for that, too. So we've made our voice clear, our athletic directors know that as well that we would like that. Our commissioner obviously heard us well. The rest will be up to what gets negotiated." But, a potential Big Ten-SEC scheduling agreement could come with other scheduling consequences. Under that scenario, Iowa would play a nine-game Big Ten slate and then add an annual SEC nonconference date on top of that. With 10 of 12 games already filled up with Big Ten and SEC foes, would the Hawkeyes be willing to still sign up for the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series game annually? That would mean an 11th Power Four contest and leave just one final open date for a likely FCS or lower-level FBS opponent. In November of 2022, the University of Iowa and Iowa State University extended their scheduling agreement through the 2027 season. That ensures the date this season on Sept. 6 in Ames, a meeting in Iowa City on Sept. 12, 2026 and their contest in Ames on Sept. 11, 2027. If the Big Ten and SEC do indeed strike up a scheduling agreement, the Cy-Hawk Series and other nonconference in-state rivalries for Big Ten and SEC programs could be at risk. SEC schools Florida, Georgia, Kentucky and South Carolina all have annual in-state rivalry games as does the Big Ten's Washington. USC also has its annual nonconference series against Notre Dame. Iowa owns a 47-24 all-time mark in the series and have won seven of the past nine in the in-state rivalry. Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Josh on X: @JoshOnREF
CTV News
a day ago
- Business
- CTV News
Christopher Liew: How to financially prepare yourself for parental leave
Personal finance contributor Christopher Liew has some tips for expecting parents who are planning to go on leave from their workplace. (Morsa Images / Getty) Christopher Liew is a CFP®, CFA Charterholder and former financial advisor. He writes personal finance tips for thousands of daily Canadian readers at Blueprint Financial. Preparing for the arrival of your first child can be as exciting as it is overwhelming, especially if you're planning to take parental leave. While your Employment Insurance (EI) will provide some basic income support, it typically only replaces a portion of your regular earnings. If you don't already have several months' worth of expenses saved in reserve prior to the arrival of your new child, you'll need to employ some resourceful budgeting if you plan to take time off with your family. Whether you're planning to take a few months off or the full extended leave, the key to a successful transition lies in understanding the support available to you combined with a solid financial plan. Below, I'll break down some basics about how EI parental benefits work, how much you can expect to receive, and outline practical budgeting tips to help you feel more financially prepared. Parental leave basics EI maternity and parental benefits provide income replacement for eligible parents while they take time off work to care for a newborn or newly adopted child. However, the structure and amount of these benefits may differ based on your situation and the type of leave you choose. Should you choose to take parental leave, your right to return to work may also be protected by various provincial regulations, allowing you to return to your prior position and rate of pay. EI qualification To qualify for EI parental benefits, you must have worked at least 600 insurable hours in the 52 weeks before your claim (equivalent to working around 12 hours per week for one year) and must also have experienced an interruption in earnings due to childbirth or parental responsibilities (something almost every parent qualifies for). Both biological and adoptive parents may apply. If you're self-employed, you must be registered with the EI program and meet minimum contribution requirements. Standard vs. extended parental leave Eligible new parents have two options: Standard leave - provides up to 40 weeks of shared benefits (with one parent eligible for up to 35 weeks), pays up to 55 per cent of your average weekly earnings Extended leave - offers up to 69 weeks (with one parent eligible for up to 61 weeks), pays up to 33 per cent of your average weekly earnings How much can you get from EI parental leave benefits? As of 2025, the maximum weekly benefit for standard parental leave is $695, and for extended leave, the weekly maximum drops to $417. These amounts do count as taxable income, which means you won't see the full amount. That said, some employers offer their own prospective parental leave benefits, which could help bridge the gap, providing you with additional income and your employer with a tax break or credit. Budgeting before the baby arrives Understanding what you can expect to receive from your EI government benefit is the first step to creating your budget. Once you have a reliable number you can expect from EI, you can create a plan to cover any additional resources you may need to cover bills and basic living expenses. 1. Estimate your EI income and compare it to your current spending Use the Government of Canada's EI benefits calculator to get a rough estimate of what your weekly payments will be. Then, compare that number to your current monthly expenses to identify any potential shortfalls. Knowing your 'leave income' in advance helps you determine how much you may need to cut back or save ahead of time. 2. Build a parental leave emergency fund Ideally, you should aim to save enough money to cover three to six months' worth of essential expenses. Start putting aside money each month before the baby arrives. Even a small, consistent contribution can make a big difference as you prepare for a newborn. 3. Reduce or eliminate non-essential expenses Take a close look at your spending and trim where possible. Cancel unused subscriptions, limit takeout, and postpone big-ticket purchases. Prioritize needs over wants, especially as baby-related expenses begin to take up more space in your budget. The goal is to keep your finances manageable while still enjoying time with your new child. Long-term financial considerations In addition to saving up and budgeting for your basic parental leave, adding a new member to the family will come with a host of other long-term financial implications, such as: Your child's clothing School supplies Furniture, bedding, and room supplies Food and snacks Childcare expenses while they're too young for school Although you don't need to budget for these specific expenses immediately prior to your parental leave, I do encourage new parents to devote some of their time off to create a financial plan for the future. Once you get back into the daily rhythm of work, life, and caring for your child, planning for the future can become more difficult. Whether your goal is to create more disposable income, reduce your living expenses, go back to school, or start a small business, it's easier to do this while you're rested and relaxed rather than after you get back to the grind. Final thoughts Thanks to EI parental leave benefits, eligible parents-to-be are entitled to a portion of their pre-leave income. This benefit payment, combined with the right budgeting skills and savings, can provide new parents with the stress-free time they need to forge a lasting bond with their new child. Planning ahead (even as early as nine months ahead) will give you a better chance to set you and your family up for success and allow you to take as much time as you need.
