CHICAGO (AP) — The Big Ten says it wants the NCAA to stop its investigations related to athlete tampering because the Power Four conference believes the rules “cannot be credibly or equitably enforced."
The Big Ten sent a letter to the NCAA this week that called for a pause in tampering investigations and infractions proceedings, according to ESPN, which reported late Wednesday that it had obtained the letter. In it, the conference pledged its support for "a modern framework for contact rules that addresses the varied challenges and opportunities of the current collegiate landscape.”
“The Big Ten is committed to quickly engaging in a deliberative process drawing on athletics administrators, compliance professionals, coaches, legal counsel, and other stakeholders from across the membership and will work to produce a comprehensive proposal," the letter reads. "We believe this collaborative, membership-driven approach is the best path to a durable solution and need the NCAA’s support in this effort.”
The Big Ten letter was sent after the NCAA football oversight committee recommended emergency legislation to protect the transfer portal window by issuing penalties for schools and coaches who circumvent the rules. Proposed last month, the legislation would become effective immediately if approved at the Division I cabinet meeting in April.
It also comes after Clemson coach Dabo Swinney accused Mississippi coach Pete Golding of tampering with transfer player Luke Ferrelli. Swinney said in January that he had forwarded evidence to the NCAA.
The Big Ten letter points out that the current tampering rules were implemented before a 2025 antitrust settlement cleared the way for schools to pay players through licensing deals. They also were drafted long before today's era of almost unlimited movement via the transfer portal.
“These rules were not designed for a world in which student-athletes are compensated market participants making annual decisions with significant economic consequences,” the letter reads. “The collision between the old rules and new reality is producing outcomes that harm the population that the rules were designed to protect.”
AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports
FILE - The Big Ten logo is seen on the field at Husky Stadium during an NCAA college football game, Oct. 25, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson, File)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — With spring still a week away, it was already starting to feel like summer Thursday in Southern California as temperatures topped 90 degrees (32 Celsius) — an unusual March heat wave that forecasters warned could put people at higher risk for illness.
It's expected to be about 20 degrees warmer than normal for mid-March through Friday, the National Weather Service said. Officials opened cooling centers and urged residents to drink a lot of water and avoid outdoor activities during the daytime.
The winter heat wave comes from a combination of high pressure and a lack of cooling winds blowing in from the Pacific Ocean, said Bryan Lewis, a meteorologist at the weather service's office for Los Angeles.
“The nation’s air conditioner, as we like to call it, is essentially shut off right now,” Lewis said Thursday. “We’ll likely tie or break several temperature records all across LA County."
The hottest day around Los Angeles will be Thursday, with the mercury hitting 91 degrees (32.7 Celsius) shortly after noon in some neighborhoods. It could reach 95 degrees (35 Celsius) in the San Fernando Valley, Lewis said. Temperatures are typically around 70 (21 Celsius).
Workers doing outdoor construction will have plenty of drinking water and electrolyte packets available to stay hydrated. Shade structures were erected Thursday at a job site near LA's MacArthur Park and overheated workers were encouraged to sit in air conditioned vehicles to cool down, said supervisor Ron Marsh.
“If somebody doesn't feel well, we tell them to take breaks," Marsh said. “We do take it very seriously.”
Zack Marquez, who uses a wheelchair, was taking care of errands Wednesday before it got too hot in LA's Koreatown neighborhood.
“Gotta stay hydrated and stay in the shade,” he said.
A sea breeze on Friday should cool down the coast slightly, but inland areas will still swelter, forecasters said.
Celebrities are streaming into Los Angeles ahead of Sunday’s Oscars, with a bevy of events this week taking advantage of the concentration of stars. But the worst of the weather should be over in time for the ceremony.
The rest of the state will also see hotter-than-normal weather starting next week. Temperatures could top 90 (32 Celsius) on Monday around San Francisco and in the Sacramento area.
A street vendor uses an egg carton to shield from from during an unseasonably hot day at MacArthur Park on Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
A woman covers herself from the sun while handing out fliers during an unseasonably hot day at MacArthur Park on Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
People cover themselves from the heat with umbrellas while waiting at a food distribution site Wednesday, March 11, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
People cover themselves from the heat with umbrellas while waiting to receive food items at a donation site Wednesday, March 11, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
People cover themselves from the heat with umbrellas while waiting at a food distribution site Wednesday, March 11, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Food is distributed at a donation site during an unseasonably warm day Wednesday, March 11, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
