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Michael Cross exits the SoCon after securing major media and tournament deals, but amid criticism over basketball strategy and scheduling woes.
Written By
Written By
Michael Cross is stepping down as commissioner of the Southern Conference, closing out a two-year tenure defined by lucrative commercial deals on one end and growing frustration over the league's basketball footprint on the other.
The SoCon announced his resignation on Friday afternoon. Details on interim leadership and the search process for a permanent successor will follow in the coming weeks.
On paper, Cross delivered major business wins to the nation's fourth-oldest athletic conference.
He finalized a six-year extension of the league's media rights agreements with ESPN and CBS Sports, keeping SoCon sports on national television through the 2031 to 2032 academic year. He also secured the long-term future of the conference's premier postseason event by signing a 10-year deal to keep the men's and women's basketball tournaments in Asheville, North Carolina, through 2035.
Cross also oversaw the league's first expansion in more than a decade with the addition of Tennessee Tech. Under his tenure, the SoCon modernized its visual identity with updated graphics and the tagline "It's All Here."
"It has been a privilege to serve the Southern Conference and its member institutions, and I am proud of what we accomplished together," Cross said in an official statement released by the league.
Western Carolina Chancellor Dr. Kelli R. Brown, who chairs the SoCon Presidents Council, praised his service in the release, stating that his strategic vision left the league in a stronger position.
Despite those commercial milestones, tension grew over how Cross managed the league's flagship sport.
Frustration boiled over in April when Cross issued a public statement addressing potential NCAA Tournament expansion and play-in games. Cross suggested the league should accept First Four placement in Dayton because winning a play-in game yields equal tournament revenue while offering a higher probability of a victory. To coaches, administrators, and fans, the comments felt like a voluntary surrender of the league's automatic bid status and mid-major standing.
Scheduling struggles compounded those concerns. SoCon basketball programs went 0-35 against Power Six opponents over the last two seasons. High-major programs increasingly refused to schedule top SoCon teams, dragging down conference NET metrics and dropping eventual league champion Furman to a No. 15 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
Cross also faced heat for failing to protect key non-conference matchups. When High Point bought out its scheduled game against Furman in the SoCon-Big South Challenge, the league office did not step in to enforce or preserve the matchup. A similar buyout happened the previous year in the Atlantic Sun Challenge when Austin Peay backed out of playing Furman.
While Cross leaves behind long-term television stability and a locked-in tournament site, his successor faces steep challenges. The next commissioner must navigate NIL, transfer portal dynamics, and a difficult non-conference scheduling environment to keep the SoCon competitive on the national stage.
