DALLAS (AP) — The Big 12 is the first known conference in major college sports to strike a league-wide, private capital deal. Multiple people with knowledge of the agreement tell The Associated Press that the Big 12 has a five-year agreement with RedBird Capital Partners. The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because neither side announced the deal, which was ratified by Big 12 presidents and chancellors last week. The partnership is designed to grow revenue for the league at a time when some schools are strapped for cash. RedBird will provide the conference with a $12.5 million capital infusion and offer up to a $30 million line of credit for each Big 12 school. RedBird will have no ownership stake in the Big 12 or its revenues, and no operational or governance oversight.
IRVINE, Calif. (AP) — The world’s tallest college basketball player is moving to California. Former Florida walk-on Olivier Rioux, a 7-foot-9 center from Canada and one of the most recognizable student-athletes in North America, has signed with UC Irvine. Coach Russell Turner says Rioux “embodies the values that have defined our success." Rioux played sparingly in two years with the Gators, redshirting as a true freshman during the team’s national championship season and then getting on the court in mop-up duty this past season. He set a Guinness World Record as the world’s tallest teen before he stepped foot on campus. Now 20, he’s looking for a chance to play more.
UNDATED (AP) — Alabama coach Nate Oats says there's a scholarship waiting for suspended guard Aden Holloway depending on the outcome of his marijuana case. Holloway was arrested on felony drug charges and subsequently banned from campus days before the start of the NCAA Tournament. His arraignment was scheduled for June 16, but according to an AL.com report Holloway has waived that court date and his attorney, Jason Neff, planned to file a formal plea of not guilty on his behalf. Holloway could end up back with the team depending on the outcome. Oats spoke Wednesday during a PGA Tour Champions event in Alabama.
UNDATED (AP) — The SEC’s reign as the kings of the first round of the NFL draft was toppled by the Big Ten. The conference remained in the top spot for the entire draft after the SEC set a record for the number with 87 players picked over the three days. Thanks to recent national champions Indiana and Ohio State, the Big Ten led the way with 10 first-round picks, marking the first time the SEC didn’t have the most players taken in round one since 2015. The SEC had only seven for its lowest total since 2015.
GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — The NCAA has agreed to overhaul its restrictions on athletes accepting prize money before enrolling in college under the terms of a proposed settlement of a class action lawsuit brought North Carolina tennis champion Reese Brantmeier. The NCAA agreed to pay $2.02 million in damages to Brantmeier and former Texas tennis player Maya Joint under terms of the settlement reached Tuesday. According to documents filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, the elimination of restrictions to prize money before initial full-time enrollment applies to student-athletes in all sports.
