Article about the combined effects of NIL/Portal

[Purple Pile Driver]

Have we really come to this? An education is useless? God help us all.

It is if you don’t put an effort into it or really aren’t all that inclined to care about it.

All I am saying is how it was and I believe it to still be at many colleges today. Sad, but reality. Don’t blame the player, blame the game. You are all very talented and educated folk here. Don’t forget that less than 1% of the HS population could get into NU. There is another 99% out there! There aren’t going to have the successful careers that most on here enjoy. Make extra while you can, it only makes sense.

I am out of my league debating this board on legal, medical or statistical issues. This I have first hand knowledge of. Maybe it has changed in 30 years. I sure hope so, but from I what I saw, I have no problem with players getting a bigger slice of the pie.

 

[Bweiny]

So, according to your thinking universities are no longer places of higher education, but instead they are commercial establishments that engage employees to perform for an audience. No different from a New York theater company, or a professional orchestra, for example.

I would respect your Pollyanna mentality more if it didn't involve the conscious disregard for the surplus value these athletes are creating and how it is going to everyone but them. Your desire for an idealistic vision of college football shouldn't blind you to what's going on. In any other context, a group of people such as B1G football players would be able to form a collective bargaining unit to negotiate compensation for the value of their labor. Your insistence on an artificial cap at cost of attendance isn't as noble or pure as you think it is. It's just fattening the wallets of those less central to the product on the field. They're professional athletes, they just aren't paid like it.

 

[techtim72]

Student fees? If I'm a customer, as CaliforniaCat points out, forking over tens of thousands per year to pay for my education, why am I being asked to fork over student fees to pay for other people to get scholarships for non-revenue sports?

Universities exist to educate. Athletic scholarships give opportunities to people to earn an education without forking over tens of thousands of dollars. The revenue sports serve the mission of the university, to educate people, by funding opportunities for women in the non-revenue sports.

If college athletics ceases to be about education opportunities, then I have no interest in whatever the remaining professional college athletes are doing. I already have a favorite professional team.

Couldn't agree more. However, for many/most schools they are the equivalent of professional sports for their fans. Most of the SEC, State schools, etc.

 

[Sheffielder]

Let's agree that regardless of what anyone thinks the purpose of CFB truly is in its purest form, there are far too many forces at work to pervert it and have been since its inception. When Dave Revsine released his book on college football years ago, I vaguely remember him telling a story about how Alonso Stagg was in danger of losing one of his top players because he had to go back to work on his family's farm, so the university got his dad a job. He also told a story about how a top player got a gold watch and a percentage of the cigarette sales on campus. The problem of unscrupulous parties looking to gain whatever advantage they can has been present and will never go away.

The advent of NIL is symbolic, to me, of when the levees break. The NCAA was the caretaker of this process and failed as massively and as miserably as any fangless organization could when it comes to reasonable regulation. It is now an absolute free for all, with many parties looking creatively at how they can exploit the system, while saying, "we have done nothing illegal." The chance to reasonably compensate college athletes has come and gone.

The only endgame I see is that a select few schools - possibly as few as 32(?) will organize and continue to pump all the money it takes into competing. It will lead to the demise of the NCAA (sooner than later) and the eventual demise of most existing college athletic conferences. Then we will see the formation of two distinct leagues - a reimagining of FBS and FCS - one where anything goes - little to no regulation on payments, academic standing, or anything - just semi-pro leagues trading on college logos. I see the other league (one that Northwestern is most likely to pursue) where there is standardized compensation and shared academic expectations - they will still get TV deals because there are enough "heritage fans" to drive ratings, but it will be a giant step back in the way of modesty and a new definition of what we consider to be "amateurism." I will be happy when we get there.

 

[techtim72]

I think the basis for forming the PAC12/ACC/Big 10 Alliance was to create a large block of schools as a counterpoint to where the SEC may be headed. Support for a student/athlete model which doesn't devolve into semi-professional leagues. No telling where all this ends up.

 

[FeralFelidae]

The only endgame I see is that a select few schools - possibly as few as 32(?) will organize and continue to pump all the money it takes into competing. It will lead to the demise of the NCAA (sooner than later) and the eventual demise of most existing college athletic conferences. Then we will see the formation of two distinct leagues - a reimagining of FBS and FCS - one where anything goes - little to no regulation on payments, academic standing, or anything - just semi-pro leagues trading on college logos. I see the other league (one that Northwestern is most likely to pursue) where there is standardized compensation and shared academic expectations - they will still get TV deals because there are enough "heritage fans" to drive ratings, but it will be a giant step back in the way of modesty and a new definition of what we consider to be "amateurism." I will be happy when we get there.

Doesn't sound worth watching.

 

[CaliforniaCat]

They're professional athletes, they just aren't paid like it.

And therein lies the problem.

If we are to concede that these players are professional athletes, then I would be in favor of colleges completely eliminating football as a varsity sport. Let someone organize a new professional football league for 18- to 22-year-old players. Call it semi-pro or whatever you want.

But as long as colleges continue to organize and engage in the sport and act as the team's sponsor, I will resist any efforts to pay the players as though they are professionals.

To do so essentially concedes the entire matter to money. A very unfortunate direction for our society, such as it still exists, to take.

 

[WaveJumper]

The only endgame I see is that a select few schools - possibly as few as 32(?) will organize and continue to pump all the money it takes into competing. It will lead to the demise of the NCAA (sooner than later) and the eventual demise of most existing college athletic conferences. Then we will see the formation of two distinct leagues - a reimagining of FBS and FCS - one where anything goes - little to no regulation on payments, academic standing, or anything - just semi-pro leagues trading on college logos. I see the other league (one that Northwestern is most likely to pursue) where there is standardized compensation and shared academic expectations - they will still get TV deals because there are enough "heritage fans" to drive ratings, but it will be a giant step back in the way of modesty and a new definition of what we consider to be "amateurism." I will be happy when we get there.

This! Unfortunately! Be careful what you (not Sheffielder) ask for.

 

[StreamCat]

USC should play this right:

“Hey, kid, you surely don’t want to do commercials for Hecky’s Barbecue in Evanston. Nope. Here at USC, we can use our top film school graduates to do a commercial for a Lexus dealership on Rodeo Drive featuring you and the oh so very hot film star of your choice. Perhaps there’s a sweet, sweet ride in it for you, too.”

Reggie Bush should get his Heisman back.

 

[Gladeskat]

Have we really come to this? An education is useless? God help us all.

I can't believe this is a new concept for you. Just look at the news these days.

 

[StreamCat]

I can't believe this is a new concept for you. Just look at the news these days.

I try not to.