
One of College Football's Biggest Deals Ever (?)
From Split Zone Duo: College Football Podcast by Richard Johnson and Alex Kirshner
April 15, 2026 · 54 min
About this episode
The episode discusses a major $2 billion deal involving Learfield and its implications for college sports.
In this latest SZD/Extra Points Sports Business Hour with guest Matt Brown, Alex and Richard talk about several things you’ve seen in the news. Find Matt at Extra Points , and listen to our conversation here: * 0:45: Learfield, the college sports multimedia rights company, sold to a (new) private equity owner in a $2 billion deal. This is one of the largest deals in college sports history, but for what? Matt helps us understand the importance of companies like Learfield and its rival Playfly, and how they affect both our favorite teams and their financial statements. Will this deal change much about the college sports landscape, though? It doesn’t seem like a slam dunk. * 19:45: The Trump administration’s college sports executive order is fake and made up, but somehow, that’s not the same thing as “meaningless.” It also might destroy any potential for a serious legislative solution to college sports’ problems. Matt tells us what he’s learned from Capitol Hill sources. * 32:37: Did the Big Ten office do a make-work for Wisconsin’s AD so that the Badgers could get someone better in that job? The answer isn’t “definitely not.” * 42:34: The NCAA makes an example of … Iowa. * 47:35…
People in this episode
Hosts: Alex Kirshner, Richard Johnson
Guest: Matt Brown
Topics covered
- college sports
- media rights
- financial deals
- NCAA
- legislation
- Big Ten
- audience questions
Keywords
- Learfield
- college sports
- media rights
- NCAA
- Big Ten
- Trump administration
- financial statements
- audience questions
- Matt Brown
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Learfield, Playfly, NCAA, Trump administration
Books & works: Extra Points
Places: Wisconsin, Iowa
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