The Michigan Wolverines and their association in the Big Ten conference received a massive update on Tuesday from their regent Jordan Acker. The University of Michigan is reportedly considering becoming independent when the Grant of Rights expires in 2036.
While there is no sudden status change, there is uncertainty about how the Big Ten Conference will look in the next four or five years. As such, Michigan is keeping its options open.
“Michigan has a lot of options … The possibility of independence for football is certainly something that has to be considered. Not today, but at the end of the Grant of Rights (in 2036),” Acker said.
The reason behind this consideration is the $2.4B private‐equity deal. UC Investments, tied to a California pension fund, is bringing in money to create a new corporate entity “Big Ten Enterprises,” to manage media rights and sponsorships.
“I think it’s something you have to think about, not because we want to leave the Big Ten Conference, because the commissioner’s office has made it enormously clear that they’re going (to move forward with the proposed capital deal) without us, and that would be the end of Michigan, as far as I can see, in the Big Ten Conference,” Acker added.
The billion-dollar equity deal will come with a condition that the Grant of Rights will be extended to 2046. This is bothersome for Michigan, which doesn’t want to sign on such an uncertain condition.
“As the board chair said a few days ago, signing the Grant of Rights extension 21 years down the line is a pretty big thing to do when you don’t know what college football is going to look like four or five years from now,” Acker said.
“So, look, I think taking independence off the table would be silly. I think taking any other option that might come to us over the next few years the table would be silly. And I think it would be, frankly, irresponsible of us as fiduciaries to the University of Michigan to sign off on something that binds us when we don’t know what that binding is going to look like.”
Michigan regent @JordanAckerMI to us on @SXMCollege College Sports Today: "The possibility of independence for football is certainly something that has to be considered. Not today, but at the end of the Grant of Rights (in 2036)." pic.twitter.com/0LPgWoKJL9
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) November 17, 2025
Michigan Regent Jordan Acker’s Reason Behind Commenting Against Big Ten Deal
Jordan Acker has previously opposed the idea of bringing in funds through a private equity deal as it undermines the conference’s long-term autonomy.
“As a Regent, I believe selling off Michigan’s precious public university assets would betray our responsibility to students and taxpayers,” Acker wrote on X. “I will firmly oppose any such effort—and I hope colleagues at @MSU and @OhioState will stand with me as well.”
Apart from Michigan, USC is another program that has opposed the idea of bringing investment through private equity.
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