Destructive NIL

[Brad]

The best and most likely outcome is the end of college football.  USF Bulls can become the Morsani Bulls at the University of South Florida on campus stadium.

[WWMJD]

On 5/3/2022 at 9:27 AM, Grateful Dad said:

This topic was discussed many times here and there seemed to be two sides - those who regard this whole NIL thing to be a potential demise of major college sports (I'm in this camp) and those who see this as an equity issue, as in "they make millions for the university and get nothing in return".

I would appreciate those in the equity camp explaining how, if these allegations in the news reports are true, this NIL thing is still good for the sport and will ensure that there will be college sports in the future.  I'm not seeing it.  I'd like to hear from the proponents of the NIL policy.

I think your mistake is that you view this as a binary choice.

I believe both things are true: first, this NIL stuff will absolutely accelerate the demise of CFB as we knew it. But that was already coming--see P5 vs G5 split, coach salaries, grad transfers, etc. The days of CFB as we knew it in the late 90s and early 00s was already gone before NILs started.

Second, these kids do "make millions for the university." Very, very rich people have been profiting off their backs for decades, while at the same time precluding their entry into the real job market through action that-if it were not football-would be unlawful for multiple reasons.

In sum, CFB was going "big business" regardless--and given that, these kids may as well get paid.

[CousinRicky]

4 hours ago, E.T. said:

Guessing an individual booster could?

3 or 4 years too late.

[CousinRicky]

34 minutes ago, WWMJD said:

I think your mistake is that you view this as a binary choice.

I believe both things are true: first, this NIL stuff will absolutely accelerate the demise of CFB as we knew it. But that was already coming--see P5 vs G5 split, coach salaries, grad transfers, etc. The days of CFB as we knew it in the late 90s and early 00s was already gone before NILs started.

Second, these kids do "make millions for the university." Very, very rich people have been profiting off their backs for decades, while at the same time precluding their entry into the real job market through action that-if it were not football-would be unlawful for multiple reasons.

In sum, CFB was going "big business" regardless--and given that, these kids may as well get paid.

Not at USF they haven't.

[WWMJD]

5 minutes ago, CousinRicky said:

Not at USF they haven't.

The money hasn't been spent wisely, for sure. But I would think you, of all people, would appreciate just how much money we've shelled out in sports leadership positions over the past decade. We've lined quite a few pockets.

[CousinRicky]

5 minutes ago, WWMJD said:

The money hasn't been spent wisely, for sure. But I would think you, of all people, would appreciate just how much money we've shelled out in sports leadership positions over the past decade. We've lined quite a few pockets.

I thought we were talking donors. A few employees have made some dough but only talking a few football and basketball coaches.  The ADs don't make a ton - nice money, but not a ton.

[Brad]

The whole model has to change completely then.  If giving away all that currently comes with the scholarship (food, clothing, workout facilities, tutors, etc.) isn't enough to attract interest - WHICH SURELY IT ALREADY DOES - it needs to end.  Allowing a wild west approach is a useless venture.  The "profiting off their backs" claim wreaks of anti-capitalism (and victimology) with the player as the proletariat, fitting in perfectly these days.  If it is not a good deal to go to college - DON'T!  Millions were made and distributed.  It will be interesting to see how much of CFB this kills off and how much smaller the pie gets for all those trying to get their bag.  Without a structure, there would be less places to play after high school.  And then, who would really care? 

[WWMJD]

55 minutes ago, Brad said:

The whole model has to change completely then.  If giving away all that currently comes with the scholarship (food, clothing, workout facilities, tutors, etc.) isn't enough to attract interest - WHICH SURELY IT ALREADY DOES - it needs to end.  Allowing a wild west approach is a useless venture.  The "profiting off their backs" claim wreaks of anti-capitalism (and victimology) with the player as the proletariat, fitting in perfectly these days.  If it is not a good deal to go to college - DON'T!  Millions were made and distributed.  It will be interesting to see how much of CFB this kills off and how much smaller the pie gets for all those trying to get their bag.  Without a structure, there would be less places to play after high school.  And then, who would really care? 

Your red state talking points are bleeding over, Brad. 
 

College football as we knew it in the USF heyday has been dead, it just took putting money in kids’ pockets for y’all to see that. That’s far from the only area that where we are backsliding as a society at the cost of profits for a very few. 

[Brad]

26 minutes ago, WWMJD said:

Your red state talking points are bleeding over, Brad. 
 

College football as we knew it in the USF heyday has been dead, it just took putting money in kids’ pockets for y’all to see that. That’s far from the only area that where we are backsliding as a society at the cost of profits for a very few. 

It's more economics than red state.  Should there be a shortage of college football players, there would need to be greater incentive or compensation.  But that's not the case.  It's just players crying for more.  They're taking whatever and anything they can get.  And that's the society of today.

Unfortunately when you let that rule a sport or institution, fairness evaporates.  It becomes one-sided. Not all institutions can support paying players.  We can't just keep stealing from those paying their own tuition, can we?  To me, college football is not worth doing that.  

[WWMJD]

One easy solution, then: NFL should rescind their unfair 3-year rule and let adults play pro football or take other gainful employment. 

Learn more in my 872-volume treatise, “How Boomers Ruined America.”