The pooling of media rights could mean the end of conferences

At this point the sooner everything is all blown up, the better

The idea of pooling media rights between the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and the Big Ten Conference sounds attractive because it could create an enormous package of premium college sports content. However, there are several reasons both conferences would be reluctant to do it.
1. They would give up leverage
Right now, the SEC and Big Ten negotiate separately and are effectively the two most valuable properties in college athletics. By negotiating independently, each conference can play broadcasters against one another and maximize its own payout.
If rights were pooled:
Revenue would have to be divided according to some formula.
Each conference would worry it is subsidizing the other.
Negotiations over revenue sharing could become contentious.
For example, the Big Ten might argue its presence in major media markets like Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York drives value, while the SEC might argue its television ratings and football passion generate more value.
2. Antitrust scrutiny could increase
The SEC and Big Ten already dominate major college football revenue. If they jointly sold media rights, regulators could view it as reducing competition in the market for college sports broadcasting.
Broadcasters might argue:
Fewer bidders are available.
Rights become more expensive.
Networks have less negotiating power.
Even if such a deal were legal, it could attract significant regulatory attention.
3. Networks prefer flexibility
Different broadcasters value different inventory.
ESPN currently has deep relationships with the SEC.
FOX Sports has built much of its college football strategy around the Big Ten.
NBC Sports and CBS Sports also have specific conference interests.
A pooled package could force networks to buy content they don't want or make packages so expensive that only one or two bidders remain.
4. Brand independence matters
The SEC and Big Ten are increasingly operating as separate power centers.
Each conference:
Has its own scheduling priorities.
Controls its own championships.
Wants its own media narrative.
Uses media contracts as a recruiting and membership advantage.
Pooling rights would dilute that independence.
5. Governance disputes would be inevitable
Questions would immediately arise:
Who negotiates the deal?
How are kickoff windows assigned?
Which games get the best TV slots?
How is streaming inventory allocated?
Even if the conferences cooperate on playoff matters, jointly managing a multibillion-dollar media package could create constant friction.
6. One conference could outperform the other
Media values change over time.
Suppose:
The SEC continues to produce the highest-rated football games.
Or the Big Ten's larger alumni base and markets become more valuable.
The stronger conference at any given time may feel trapped in a partnership that prevents it from capturing its full market value.
The biggest concern
The largest obstacle is probably not operational—it's economic. Both conferences believe they are the most valuable property in college sports. If rights are pooled, the central question becomes: who deserves what share of the money? Neither conference is likely to believe an allocation formula fully reflects its contribution, making independent negotiations more attractive.
In short, pooling rights could create a larger media product, but it would also reduce bargaining flexibility, create revenue-sharing conflicts, invite antitrust questions, and limit each conference's ability to maximize its own value.

The NFL has had a free ride concerning their collegiate farm system. Taxpayer funded state schools primarily and boosters support a farm system that has solely benefited the NFL

I believe the NFL sees a Collegiate Super Conference as a potential rival to its business.

The media partners who support both the SEC and Big10 and NFL, have a finite amount of advertisers who can and are willing to pay the bills. The dividing up of this revenue stream is what worries the NFL.

The NFL knows that if the SEC and Big10, ND along with say another 10 or so top brands broke away could in fact become a powerful competitor to the NFL.

The NFL needs the existing conferences and schools to survive to continue feeding there system for free, but not a new super competitor who might rival them and take revenue away.

Thoughts?

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I think the solution to this involves forcing the NFL to develop a minor league, and allow players out of high school to choose to: 1. Enter the collegiate system and earn a scholarship without pay; or 2. Enter the pro farm system and get paid, similar to the NBA G League.

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That was always my thought when people were begging for NIL.

Very, very true!

Voluntary means the conferences would have to agree. They would work all of that out in an “agreement” or not agree to do it.