I’m so close to just throwing in the towel on college sports.
This NIL situation may come to further undermine the college football landscape/experience.
The NCAA in the past tried to regulate certain aspects of college sports to make teams more competitive such as imposing the 85 scholarship rule for football teams as well as policing rule violators.
In the old days a team could bring in 120 scholarship players draining a state of the majority of good players.
Having unlimited NIL can set off an arms race with a few well financially endowed teams throwing significant money to bring in the best players.
College HC coaching salaries have already exceeded $ 5.0 million or more per year greatly exceeding college presidents salaries.
If an 18 year old unproven athlete begin to receive $ 1.0 million or more to come to a school and leave for $3.0 million in the portal a few years later to another team, then the system is broken IMO. If there is no body to regulate the NIL then it is out of control.
The NFL has Salary Caps which ALL NFL teams must adhere too and an NFL Draft Process that requires the good teams to get lower draft pics. The NFL realizes that they have to have some form of parity for NFL teams to ensure National Interest continues.
If College Football (Farm Team) evolves into a few money teams that win every year because of NIL with no regulation, then I will have to rethink how enjoyable college sports is.
Hey, I always have the option of going to Acrisure Stadium and watching the Steelers (Professional Players) in the comfort of Club Seats.
Will still financially support Pitt in Projects that will have a much greater ROI than on what college sports provides now or in the future.
Pitt's Research Capability (AAU University) attracts $1.16 Billion per year in research grants and contracts and through the financial generosity of alums, friends, industry and benefactors have allowed Pitt to attain a $5.5 Billion Endowment.
If I don't follow Pitt, then I also have no interest in watching other SEC or B1G games. I think many others college sport enthusiast may also come to the same conclusion with respect to their team having little chance (lack of NIL funds) of competing in the new world of college sports.
College sports is fun until it isn't.
HAIL TO PITT!!!!