Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany talks legislation on pay-to-play

“Let’s just put it this way, in 30 years, you see a lot,” chuckled Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany on Monday, as he fielded questions ranging from pay-to-play legislation to the subject of his past three decades as commissioner.

The two-day Big Ten Media Days, which Delaney kicked off, is hosted by the Chicago Marriott on Magnificent Mile, and coaches and players from every team in the conference attended to give their thoughts and hopes for the upcoming season.

During the Q&A session of the conference, Delany discussed his thoughts on the recent controversy surrounding student athletes, noting the time-worn aspect of the legal battle.

“We have been in legislation for pay-to-play, name, image and likeness,” Delany said, for decades. “I think it’ll probably go to the Supreme Court.”

The commissioner acknowledged the imperfect past of the NCAA. In April, the chair of the Commission on College Basketball, Condoleezza Rice, defended student-athletes' rights to be paid, stoking criticisms of the collegiate sports industry as a whole. Despite criticisms earlier this year, Delany still spoke positively about the future of student athletes and the NCAA, noting that it will take time for the program to right itself and find a solution to the decades-old controversy.

“These are not isolated incidents,” Delany said. “Didn’t get here overnight, won’t get out of here overnight.”

Beyond NCAA regulations, Delany also addressed questions relating to the recent Supreme Court ruling on legalizing sports gambling. Several reporters asked Delany about the possibility of “injury reports,” meant to inform legal gamblers to expedite the process of making informed decisions while betting.