Sorry for the length…
Had a conversation with a friend this weekend, and he had some interesting thoughts regarding the future direction of big-time college FB and Men's BB…
Non-Rev sports weren't discussed…
Actually pretty radical, but well thought out…
His premise is that the "cows have already left the barn" with regards to "amateur status" and "student-athletes" of big time CFB and Men's BB…
The recent National Labor Relations Board ruling regarding athlete employee status is foreboding…
His concept could insulate the U's from the ENORMOUS costs and potential injury liability that is on the horizon…
These costs would CRATER CFB as we know it..
He says CFB is quickly becoming (if not already) a paid PRE-NFL minor league, with less than optimal emphasis actually placed on a legit college education..
He believes the REQUIREMENT to matriculate at the same U where you play football or bb goes against the BS college narrative that "it's about the student-athlete's education".
Here's why…
Most elite athletes (especially those from lower-income families) have been told since Junior High that they are going to be big-time NFL or NBA stars…
That constant drum-beat CLOUDS their perception of the value of the college education…
In their mind, it's all about their future pro career… Where the life-changing money is…
Some make it, most don't….
If you think that elite HS athletes value their future college education on any comparable level to their potential pro career, you'd be wrong in most all cases.
They truly are kids with kids' outlooks… I know… I was once there myself… My Dad and Mom had to beat the - "Im gonna be the next Jerry West" outta my head…
Using football as an example…
The ability to get a quality education while honing your football skills was always the promise of the scholarship aspect of College Football.. Until it wasn't…
It started with the schools…
To make their football teams better, somewhere along the way, schollies became one-year offerings, renewable each year by the coaches…. Not 4 year commitments that weren't dependent on your athletic production…
This became the first "break" in the dam…
Then along comes NIL… And the unrestricted one-time Transfer Portal…
What we have TODAY is essentially a Football Entity (affiliated and operating under the auspices of a U) that is that Paid "Pre NFL" league for the larger U's, with some of the athletes actually matriculating along normal degree paths…
And that is working AGAINST the educational narrative that Colleges claim they're all about. Working against the "student" part of the student-athlete…
And it's gonna come back to bite them, if nothing changes…
Here is his premise…
FORMALLY separate the Athletic Entity of a U from the Educational Entity of the U.
The Football and MBB programs would be funded by the U's with 4 year schollies, donated in equal numbers by all the participating schools…
Everything else is funded by donations and private money - as it pretty much is today…
Require athletes to matriculate at an accredited U (or a selection of specific universities - D1 schools, as an example) towards a legit degree, but don't REQUIRE them to matriculate at the U they play for…
Each school has a limit of schollies they can offer athletes - as it is today…
As a matter of course, most athletes will probably want to attend school where they play, but they don't have to.
If a player chooses to matriculate at Stanford, and play at A&M, A&M has to pay Stanford a fixed fee for the education (if there's one in Stanford's allotment available and the student can meet the academic requirements) and vice-versa… same fixed fee..
This solves a couple of challenges…
This plan "checks the box" for the EDUCATION crowd. The student's schooling is completely separated from his athletic choice.
The more "education conscious" U's don't have to "dumb down" their curriculum for athletics.
Those "student-athletes" who actually give a crap about their education, can choose their athletic team AND their chosen school…
Play for the A&M Athletic Entity and go to school at Wisconsin, Texas, Stanford or any other D-1 school you qualify for…. And vice-versa…
Play for the Wiscy athletic entity and matriculate at Texas Tech. Good deal for the individuals and the school.
The school Athletic Entity you play for pays the cost for your education - at an agreed upon fixed rate for all schools.
You want to be a big-time athletic entity, you can…
You want to maintain the value of your education, by not dumbing-down your curriculum, you can.
This way, athletes can "Hit the portal" and transfer their football team without having to mess with their education progress (We live in an online education world)…
They can also change educational entities without having to change their athletic entity…
Those athletes who are more interested in their potential pro career than their potential education can use NIL and the portal to their advantage, and still be able to matriculate in a responsible fashion, should they choose.
This method takes the hypocrisy out of the "student-athlete" conundrum.
The Athletic entity pays a "rental income" to the U for all the facilities / training table, etc… But the players are EMPLOYEES of the athletic entity.
Keeps the NLRB happy… U's maintain non-profit status…Everyone wins…
I'm sure there are things that he didn't think through… but I think this is the future…
Had a conversation with a friend this weekend, and he had some interesting thoughts regarding the future direction of big-time college FB and Men's BB…
Non-Rev sports weren't discussed…
Actually pretty radical, but well thought out…
His premise is that the "cows have already left the barn" with regards to "amateur status" and "student-athletes" of big time CFB and Men's BB…
The recent National Labor Relations Board ruling regarding athlete employee status is foreboding…
His concept could insulate the U's from the ENORMOUS costs and potential injury liability that is on the horizon…
These costs would CRATER CFB as we know it..
He says CFB is quickly becoming (if not already) a paid PRE-NFL minor league, with less than optimal emphasis actually placed on a legit college education..
He believes the REQUIREMENT to matriculate at the same U where you play football or bb goes against the BS college narrative that "it's about the student-athlete's education".
Here's why…
Most elite athletes (especially those from lower-income families) have been told since Junior High that they are going to be big-time NFL or NBA stars…
That constant drum-beat CLOUDS their perception of the value of the college education…
In their mind, it's all about their future pro career… Where the life-changing money is…
Some make it, most don't….
If you think that elite HS athletes value their future college education on any comparable level to their potential pro career, you'd be wrong in most all cases.
They truly are kids with kids' outlooks… I know… I was once there myself… My Dad and Mom had to beat the - "Im gonna be the next Jerry West" outta my head…
Using football as an example…
The ability to get a quality education while honing your football skills was always the promise of the scholarship aspect of College Football.. Until it wasn't…
It started with the schools…
To make their football teams better, somewhere along the way, schollies became one-year offerings, renewable each year by the coaches…. Not 4 year commitments that weren't dependent on your athletic production…
This became the first "break" in the dam…
Then along comes NIL… And the unrestricted one-time Transfer Portal…
What we have TODAY is essentially a Football Entity (affiliated and operating under the auspices of a U) that is that Paid "Pre NFL" league for the larger U's, with some of the athletes actually matriculating along normal degree paths…
And that is working AGAINST the educational narrative that Colleges claim they're all about. Working against the "student" part of the student-athlete…
And it's gonna come back to bite them, if nothing changes…
Here is his premise…
FORMALLY separate the Athletic Entity of a U from the Educational Entity of the U.
The Football and MBB programs would be funded by the U's with 4 year schollies, donated in equal numbers by all the participating schools…
Everything else is funded by donations and private money - as it pretty much is today…
Require athletes to matriculate at an accredited U (or a selection of specific universities - D1 schools, as an example) towards a legit degree, but don't REQUIRE them to matriculate at the U they play for…
Each school has a limit of schollies they can offer athletes - as it is today…
As a matter of course, most athletes will probably want to attend school where they play, but they don't have to.
If a player chooses to matriculate at Stanford, and play at A&M, A&M has to pay Stanford a fixed fee for the education (if there's one in Stanford's allotment available and the student can meet the academic requirements) and vice-versa… same fixed fee..
This solves a couple of challenges…
This plan "checks the box" for the EDUCATION crowd. The student's schooling is completely separated from his athletic choice.
The more "education conscious" U's don't have to "dumb down" their curriculum for athletics.
Those "student-athletes" who actually give a crap about their education, can choose their athletic team AND their chosen school…
Play for the A&M Athletic Entity and go to school at Wisconsin, Texas, Stanford or any other D-1 school you qualify for…. And vice-versa…
Play for the Wiscy athletic entity and matriculate at Texas Tech. Good deal for the individuals and the school.
The school Athletic Entity you play for pays the cost for your education - at an agreed upon fixed rate for all schools.
You want to be a big-time athletic entity, you can…
You want to maintain the value of your education, by not dumbing-down your curriculum, you can.
This way, athletes can "Hit the portal" and transfer their football team without having to mess with their education progress (We live in an online education world)…
They can also change educational entities without having to change their athletic entity…
Those athletes who are more interested in their potential pro career than their potential education can use NIL and the portal to their advantage, and still be able to matriculate in a responsible fashion, should they choose.
This method takes the hypocrisy out of the "student-athlete" conundrum.
The Athletic entity pays a "rental income" to the U for all the facilities / training table, etc… But the players are EMPLOYEES of the athletic entity.
Keeps the NLRB happy… U's maintain non-profit status…Everyone wins…
I'm sure there are things that he didn't think through… but I think this is the future…
