Sports
B1G denies Michigan coercion claim over PE deal
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The Big Ten Conference pushed back Tuesday on a claim by a University of Michigan regent that commissioner Tony Petitti threatened to punish the school if it refuses to support a plan that would clear the way for $2.4 billion in private investment in the league.
Mark Bernstein, chairman of the Michigan board of regents, told The Associated Press this week that Petitti had attempted to “strong-arm” Michigan in a move he said “calls into question his continued leadership of the Big Ten Conference.”
“The Big Ten conference commissioner has threatened the University of Michigan with penalties if we do not approve this deal,” said Bernstein, declining to provide specifics. “Nobody pushes around the University of Michigan — ever.”
The Big Ten disputed the allegation that any school is being forced to back the plan since discussions began last year.
“After receiving interest from third party investors, we formed a working group chaired by then-President (Santa J.) Ono of the University of Michigan to explore and evaluate all options on behalf of our members and the more than 12,000 student athletes in the Big Ten,” said Maryland President Darryll Pines, chair of the Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors. “Since we first met in 2024, this has been a collaborative, fair and thorough process that included the University of Michigan. Any other characterization of the work of the COPC and the conference office is inaccurate.
“At Michigan’s direction,” he added, “the conference continues to work with a consultant retained by Michigan to evaluate the transaction.”
Like all major conferences, the Big Ten has been exploring new revenue streams to help its 18 member schools pay the bills in the new era of college athletics. Every school that opted into the House settlement can share up to $20.5 million this academic year alone with its athletes, a number set to rise in the years ahead. Some dramatic changes have already taken place on some campuses.
Private equity stakes have been a controversial subject for schools and conferences, with critics saying it would put profit concerns into the mix along with concerns about who is in control. The Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors opened discussions in July with UC Investments, which handles the University of California’s public pension, on the potential to set up a commercial entity, Big Ten Enterprises, to generate money for all 18 schools through 2046.
UC Investments would give each school a portion of the $2.4 billion up front in a tiered distribution system, in exchange for a 10% cut of the Big Ten’s media rights and sponsorships.
Like Michigan, USC is against the deal as it currently stands. USC athletic director Jennifer Cohen noted that the deal calls for revenue to be “unevenly distributed to members” and was lukewarm in a letter to boosters last week.
“We greatly value our membership in the Big Ten Conference and understand and respect the larger landscape,” she wrote. “But we also recognize the power of the USC brand is far-reaching, deeply engaging and incredibly valuable, and we will always fight first for what’s best for USC.”
UC Investments chief investment officer Jagdeep Singh Bachher said Monday that conference leadership, including Petitti, has shown “exceptional leadership” and “recent misinformation has distorted some aspects of its effort.” He noted that “unity” from all 18 member schools will be “key to the success of Big Ten Enterprises.”
“We also recognize that some member universities need more time to assess the benefits of their participation,” Bachher wrote, without naming any schools. “UC Investments likewise requires some additional time to complete our due diligence as recent developments unfold and we continue to engage with the conference.”
Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., has asked the congressional Joint Committee on Taxation for an analysis of several key issues facing college sports, including how a deal to bring outside funding into athletic departments might impact their tax-exempt status.
“Legitimate questions have been raised about whether it is time to rethink the tax-exempt regime under which college sports currently operates,” Cantwell said, in reprising a theme she raised with Big Ten leaders last month.
The American Council of Trustees and Alumni also expressed reservations about Big Ten schools approving such a deal without input from their boards.
“This is not how responsible governance functions,” the council president, Michael Poliakoff, wrote in an open letter last week.
Bernstein agreed.
“It also raises very important and urgent governance questions regarding leadership of the Big Ten Conference and the way many Big Ten universities make decisions,” he said. “It’s my well-informed impression that most of the presidents, chancellors and governing boards of Big Ten universities have not fully evaluated this deal. If they did, they would not support it in its current form.”
Regent Sarah Hubbard said the Big Ten has not given the school a deadline to vote on the proposal, and another regent, Jordan Acker, said he did not like the idea.
“Having the richest college football conference join arms with private equity is not in my view a positive for the University of Michigan,” Acker said.
Bernstein went a step further, saying the deal is “reckless” and “short-sighted.”
“The process has failed to fully evaluate alternatives that address the very real challenges facing many Big Ten athletic departments,” he said. “We acknowledge that the financial model for most athletic conferences and athletic departments is broken. A bailout from private equity is not the way to fix the systemic problems facing collegiate athletics right now.”
Sports
Giants’ Cam Skattebo responds after criticisms for viral incident with WWE stars at ‘Monday Night Raw’
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New York Giants rookie running back Cam Skattebo sent a social media post on Tuesday, seemingly addressing his recent controversy after engaging in a shoving match against WWE stars at Madison Square Garden for “Monday Night Raw.”
“Aye, honestly, if you don’t like that I’m having a good time while dealing with a tough time, then just go ahead and unfollow and casually move on. I’m not able to play football and have the fun I’ve been having my whole life so I am doing things outside the box trying to find stuff to keep me happy,” Skattebo wrote on X.
“Enjoy the rest of y’all’s week and just don’t talk about me if you ain’t got nothing nice to say.”
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New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo (44) on the field before the game against the Green Bay Packers at MetLife Stadium on Nov. 16, 2025. (Vincent Carchietta/Imagn Images)
Skattebo was criticized for engaging in the Monday night spectacle while he is rehabbing from a season-ending ankle injury, and the Giants trudge through a 2-9 season.
The controversial incident began when Dominik Mysterio, one of the trio’s three stars, started jawing with actor and comedian Andrew Schulz. While talking to Schulz, Mysterio — the son of wrestling legend Rey Mysterio — mocked the New York native, saying he was staring at the only champion the city had seen in years.
Mysterio then looked at Skattebo after asking how many years it had been since a New York team won a title and said, “Can you count, Cam? How many years? He don’t know. He can’t count.”
GIANTS ROOKIE CAM SKATTEBO STARTS BRAWL AFTER SHOVING WWE STARS AT ‘MONDAY NIGHT RAW’
JD McDonagh, Domink Mysterio and Finn Balor confront Andrew Schulz and Cam Skattebo during “Monday Night RAW” at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 17, 2025 in New York City. (Rich Freeda/WWE via Getty Images)
That prompted Skattebo — who suffered his injury in a Week 8 road loss to the Philadelphia Eagles — to stand up and get in Mysterio’s face.
Then, JD McDonagh began jawing at Skattebo, shouting at the Giants players before turning to the rookie.
“You guys gonna play defense for the first time this season?” McDonagh shouted before looking at Skattebo. “What are you gonna do?”
Skattebo shoved McDonagh to the ground, sparking a skirmish between Schulz, Giants players and the wrestlers before security broke it up.
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New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo (44) leaves the field after an injury during the first half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025, in Philadelphia. (Matt Rourke/AP Photo)
Among Skattebo’s Giants teammates in attendance was fellow rookie Abdul Carter, the team’s first-round pick, who was sporting a custom Giants WWE title belt on his left shoulder.
Skattebo finished his rookie season with 617 scrimmage yards (410 rushing, 207 receiving) and seven total touchdowns across eight games.
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BYU star Kennard Davis Jr. was cited for marijuana possession and driving under the influence following a car crash and subsequent arrest in Provo, Utah, according to a redacted police report obtained by ESPN on Tuesday through a records request.
Neither the school nor the program have offered additional updates about Davis and the specifics of his circumstances from Friday’s accident and arrest beyond coach Kevin Young saying that Davis had been held out of his team’s loss to UConn on Saturday in Boston due to a violation of team rules. He also said Davis is suspended indefinitely. The school said in a statement last week that it was “looking into the situation.”
The report details that Davis’ arrest involved a drug-related offense. Police on the scene performed “standard field sobriety tests” to make their determination prior to the DUI arrest, according to the report.
Davis, who has averaged 9.0 points per game and connected on 50% of his 3-point attempts in two games for BYU, was on the sidelines but not dressed for BYU’s matchup against UConn on Saturday. Projected lottery pick AJ Dybantsa nearly led BYU to victory in the 86-84 loss in his hometown after the Cougars had been down by 20 points.
After the accident, Davis was transported to a local police station, and his car was impounded. He was treated for minor injuries after the accident.
An officer on the scene said he suspected that Davis — a transfer from Southern Illinois — was impaired.
“I responded to assist on a traffic accident when I began to suspect impairment from one of the drivers,” the officer wrote in the report. “He was ultimately arrested for driving under the influence.”
At BYU, Young might not have the final say on Davis’ situation on the team or his future at the school. The honor code at BYU, the flagship school of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, states that every student must make “a personal commitment to abstain, both on and off campus, from alcoholic beverages, tobacco, tea, coffee, vaping, and substance abuse.” Any student who violates those rules can face penalties “up to and including dismissal from the university or termination of employment,” according to the school’s code.
Provo police did not release any bodycam footage related to Davis’ arrest, saying it could compromise the investigation involving the incident.
Sports
Steelers’ Mike Tomlin weighs in on Jalen Ramsey’s ejection after spitting incident with Ja’Marr Chase
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Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin didn’t go into detail with reporters on Tuesday about his thoughts on Jalen Ramsey’s ejection from Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals. He did, however, offer a telling statement regarding how someone should react in that situation.
Ramsey was ejected in the fourth quarter of the AFC North matchup after he appeared to grab Chase’s facemask and punch him. Tensions between the two respective stars had been building, and after the game, Ramsey accused Chase of spitting on him, which prompted him to get physical.
Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback James Pierre (42) breaks up a pass intended for Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase (1) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
Tomlin told reporters on Tuesday that he was aware of Ramsey’s accusation. He declined to comment on the NFL’s decision to suspend Chase for one game.
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“I was aware. I certainly talked to Jalen in-game – it’s an unfortunate incident. It’s not an act that’s common to the game of football, it’s nothing to do with football,” Tomlin said. “And so, I’m not going to comment on it. The NFL office rendered their judgment on it and so we’re moving on.”
When pressed later about his messaging to Ramsey, Tomlin did not offer much. But he did make his stance on Ramsey’s reaction to the spitting incident quite clear.
“I have no message if someone spits in your face. Do what comes natural.”
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin calls timeout in the second quarter of the NFL Week 11 game between the Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025. The Steelers led 10-6 at halftime. (IMAGN)
NFL SUSPENDS BENGALS STAR JA’MARR CHASE ONE GAME FOR SPITTING INCIDENT IN LOSS VS STEELERS
Chase denied spitting, but video evidence proved otherwise. According to the league, the star receiver violated Rule 12, Section 3, Article 1, which applies to “any act that is contrary to the generally understood principles of sportsmanship.”
According to reports, Chase’s suspension will reportedly cost him game-day pay of $448,333, as well as a $58,823 per-game active bonus.
Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Jalen Ramsey (5) finds himself at the center of a skirmish before being ejected in the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 11 game between the Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025. The Bengals lost 34-12. (IMAGN)
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Cincinnati will be without Chase as they host the 9-2 New England Patriots, while the Steelers move on to face Chicago – possibly without injured quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
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