In the middle of sweeping changes and existential uncertainty across college athletics, one sport may have found a path forward—one shaped not by chaos or litigation, but by collaboration and common sense.
The proposal for a year-round men’s collegiate soccer model, backed by the U.S. Soccer Federation in tandem with the Big Ten and ACC, represents a rare kind of reform in today’s fractured NCAA landscape: thoughtful, strategic, and rooted in the athlete experience. And perhaps most importantly, it's a model that could actually work.
While the NCAA grapples with a rapidly shifting ecosystem—accelerated by the House v. NCAA settlement, mounting financial pressures, and the unraveling of long-standing divisional structures—soccer’s two-semester concept offers something different: a solution not born out of panic, but vision. It reflects an understanding that if college sports are going to survive and thrive, some programs may need to evolve outside the traditional NCAA legislative bottleneck.
This isn’t a departure from higher ed values—it’s a return to them.
The proposed pilot includes a cohort of 32 schools from powerhouse conferences and strategically selected programs across the country, aiming to alleviate match compression, align with international standards, and build a real developmental bridge to the professional game. If successful, it could reset the national perception of what non-revenue sports can be—competitive, viable, and essential.
This initiative also comes at a time when other college sports are being contorted by television schedules, realignment politics, and overambitious travel demands. The contrast is striking. While football and basketball chase money into unsustainable territory, college soccer is engaging in deliberate, athlete-first innovation. As Karen Weaver pointed out in her recent editorial, college sports are at risk of becoming “imperialist” empires. Soccer is charting a different course—less about empires, more about ecosystems.
What makes this effort so promising is its open acknowledgment of past failures and structural limitations. After decades of rejected proposals, the current group isn’t seeking NCAA approval first—they’re going around it, with the full awareness and passive blessing of the organization. That pragmatism is not only refreshing—it’s necessary. In fact, it may offer a prototype for how other sports can adapt in a post-House v. NCAA world.
Yes, there are challenges. Staffing, facility sharing, and calendar conflicts remain. But these are operational hurdles—not philosophical impasses. And with U.S. Soccer now signaling a willingness to contribute real financial resources, the opportunity to build a durable college soccer model is within reach. As JT Batson and Cindy Parlow Cone bring renewed energy to the federation, their commitment to supporting collegiate soccer finally matches the rhetoric long used to justify its importance.
Crucially, the two-semester plan could also help reclaim college soccer’s role in American player development. With the rise of MLS academies and overseas signings, the NCAA has become an afterthought for elite talent. But as late-blooming stars like Matt Turner have shown, the college route still holds untapped potential. A more robust, professionalized schedule could unlock that pipeline without sacrificing the educational environment colleges uniquely offer.
This is the kind of dual-purpose solution higher ed needs more of—where athletics serve both the sport and the student.
At a time when every decision in college athletics seems driven by TV contracts or litigation fears, the men’s soccer proposal is a reminder that sport-by-sport reform, tailored to the needs of athletes and aligned with long-term development goals, is still possible.
So while football may need its own orbit and basketball battles through its own complexities, let’s not overlook what’s happening on the soccer pitch. Because if this year-round model gains traction, it won’t just be a win for soccer. It could be the blueprint for a more balanced, athlete-centered future across all of college sports.
