Nick Saban says Bama QB Bryce Young has already gotten close to 7 figures in NIL deals



If some of these kids make enough money in college, they may never have to bother with the NFL.

Perspective is a funny thing. A young player making "close to 7 figures" is seen as "ungodly numbers". But coaches and the NCAA have been making obscene amounts of money off of the players' sweat for years.

How many dollars has Saban made in football? Would it be anything close to an "ungodly number"?

Maybe we need a little perspective. The shoe (a Nike, perhaps?) may be on the other foot now. Could it be that the players are figuring out that they actually deserve to have some say, and that they can wield some power over their own lives?
 
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The difference between the haves and have nots will just be bigger now.

On the grand college football ladder and even within FBS we're a Have, but the gap between us and say, Ohio State is likely to only grow larger....sigh....

In the fullness of time there's going to be some guys who don't want to turn pro because it's a huge pay cut to go from starting RB at Clemson under NIL rules to 4th round pick rookie slot contract.

This will likely slash the number of early NFL entries, especially the guys who aren't sure fire first rounders.
 


Don’t understand why people making money bothers other people so much.

It will calm down a little. Like when this kid gets benched game two some companies will wise up and play wait and see a bit more

Goes to show that being a starter for a top CFB brand is more valuable than being an nfl role player considering most nfl players don’t have 6 figures in endorsements
 

Don’t understand why people making money bothers other people so much.

It will calm down a little. Like when this kid gets benched game two some companies will wise up and play wait and see a bit more

Goes to show that being a starter for a top CFB brand is more valuable than being an nfl role player considering most nfl players don’t have 6 figures in endorsements

You really don't get it?

The competitive balance in college sports tilts majorly towards the haves.

We are now trending towards a league that has no parity. Five star guys could still pick their hometown schools......still can......but now it's more lucrative for them to go to the teams that already have too much talent. This is the beginning of the end of college sports.
 

You really don't get it?

The competitive balance in college sports tilts majorly towards the haves.

We are now trending towards a league that has no parity. Five star guys could still pick their hometown schools......still can......but now it's more lucrative for them to go to the teams that already have too much talent. This is the beginning of the end of college sports.

There's no question that this is a fundamental, earth-shaking change. The college sports world may have indeed been turned upside down. And from a fans' perspective, the changes might be worrisome.

I think the repercussions will eventually be felt all the way up to the NFL.

But it is undeniably fair and just — and long overdue — that college football players should share in the spoils of this highly, highly lucrative sport.

And as far as 'parity' is concerned, did we really have 'parity' before? Which teams were really competitive with the likes of Alabama, Clemson and Ohio State?
 

The Super Bowl for Gopher football will now be the Big Ten championship more than ever.
 



You really don't get it?

The competitive balance in college sports tilts majorly towards the haves.

We are now trending towards a league that has no parity. Five star guys could still pick their hometown schools......still can......but now it's more lucrative for them to go to the teams that already have too much talent. This is the beginning of the end of college sports.
So this is different how?
It might be more lucrative for a Michigan kid to stay at Michigan rather than go to Bama now
 


There's no question that this is a fundamental, earth-shaking change. The college sports world may have indeed been turned upside down. And from a fans' perspective, the changes might be worrisome.

I think the repercussions will eventually be felt all the way up to the NFL.

But it is undeniably fair and just — and long overdue — that college football players should share in the spoils of this highly, highly lucrative sport.

And as far as 'parity' is concerned, did we really have 'parity' before? Which teams were really competitive with the likes of Alabama, Clemson and Ohio State?
Spot on
 

You really don't get it?

The competitive balance in college sports tilts majorly towards the haves.

We are now trending towards a league that has no parity. Five star guys could still pick their hometown schools......still can......but now it's more lucrative for them to go to the teams that already have too much talent. This is the beginning of the end of college sports.

There really hasn't been much parity since the CFP was implemented. 22 of 28 possible appearances, 79%, have been made up of just 5 teams - Alabama, Clemson, Ohio St, Oklahoma, and Notre Dame.

I think this could actually hurt the top teams. Many of these players come from difficult situations and need to work hard and be successful in college in order to make the NFL to set themselves up for life.

But if they're getting paid 100s of thousands or even millions in college, that can have a huge effect on the drive of an 18-22 year old.
 



There really hasn't been much parity since the CFP was implemented. 22 of 28 possible appearances, 79%, have been made up of just 5 teams - Alabama, Clemson, Ohio St, Oklahoma, and Notre Dame.

I think this could actually hurt the top teams. Many of these players come from difficult situations and need to work hard and be successful in college in order to make the NFL to set themselves up for life.

But if they're getting paid 100s of thousands or even millions in college, that can have a huge effect on the drive of an 18-22 year old.

I don't know about the "drive" part, but I hope these kids get ethical, competent financial advice.
 

who this helps is the mid tier with big donor bases. the teams like Bama, Clemson, ND, OSU, etc were not going to get better magically, they already have their pick of the litter. But it's going to boost teams who either eithically or not are willing to throw large sums of money at young kids who will see dollar signs. Schools like Miami, Texas, Texas A&M, Florida State, etc. Teams like MN, Illinois, K State will be lost the in the shuffle and it would not at all surprise me if you see a large number of teams take a hard look at their programs, particularly if donations previously going to the general scholarship fund which funds all athletes now start getting shunted to specific players or stops being donated at all because it's felt the competitive balance is too out of whack. I think what people above are trying to say is that college football is now going to become about making your own brand, making money, etc. rather than about going to a school you feel passionately about, playing for the colors and your teammates, and earning and education. right or wrong, I think many people will be turned off by it becoming like this is a semipro league.
 


There really hasn't been much parity since the CFP was implemented. 22 of 28 possible appearances, 79%, have been made up of just 5 teams - Alabama, Clemson, Ohio St, Oklahoma, and Notre Dame.

I think this could actually hurt the top teams. Many of these players come from difficult situations and need to work hard and be successful in college in order to make the NFL to set themselves up for life.

But if they're getting paid 100s of thousands or even millions in college, that can have a huge effect on the drive of an 18-22 year old.
makes you wonder what would've happened to a guy like Jamarcus Russel in college had he gotten a ton of money up front, rather than a huge deal to sign. would his red flags in work ethic have shown face earlier?
 

Here's another angle to think about:

Can a company — I'll use Nike again as an example — sign a kid to a contract before the kid commits to a college?

In that scenario, if Nike signs a player to a big-bucks contract, might Nike write it in to the contract that the kid must make his college choice based on whose shoes and jerseys the school wears?

"You can't go to School X because they have a contract with Reebok. Here's your list of Nike-approved schools. Pick one of those."
 
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From A_Slab_of_Bacon's notes from the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) Informational Session thread:
  • Can hire high school students as NIL regardless of where they go ... but can't use it as an inducement...
So your example lands in a grey area, Nike can't say "We'll sign you, but you have to go to Oregon" but it's unclear whether they can say "We'll sign you, but you have to go to a Nike school". Though I'm sure the NCAA would rule that as a violation.
 

From A_Slab_of_Bacon's notes from the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) Informational Session thread:

So your example lands in a grey area, Nike can't say "We'll sign you, but you have to go to Oregon" but it's unclear whether they can say "We'll sign you, but you have to go to a Nike school". Though I'm sure the NCAA would rule that as a violation.

I think the main takeaway on all this is the that old, familiar power structure has been successfully challenged, directly and severely, in a court of law. Consequently, the landscape in college football is now changing radically — and those changes do not favor the former power-brokers like the NCAA. I mean, many things that were formerly forbidden by the NCAA have now become 'legal' — such as players profiting from their personal NIL.

The NCAA can 'rule' however they choose, but the courts have now sent a pretty strong signal that it is the law of the land that decides what goes and what doesn't go. We're talking about peoples' legal rights. The law of the land carries greater weight than the rules of the NCAA.

If the courts rule that players — and/or Nike — have certain rights, then the NCAA had best tread carefully before attempting to restrict those rights.
 
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From A_Slab_of_Bacon's notes from the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) Informational Session thread:

So your example lands in a grey area, Nike can't say "We'll sign you, but you have to go to Oregon" but it's unclear whether they can say "We'll sign you, but you have to go to a Nike school". Though I'm sure the NCAA would rule that as a violation.
I dont think there will be anything left for a rule violation. I think this is too much money too fast, some of these kids are going to harrassed by family members, etc, to get in on the payday. Players now getting big bucks to mention some business on twitter. Do the pros have these types of deals? it will just be a disguise for some schools to pay their players. Imagine some big buck alumni,, paying the star QB to do an autograph signing at their car dealership for a million dollars. How long will it take for a university to suspend some player for tax evasion when the IRS starts investigating these guys. Some of these players are going to get a lot of dough now and have lots of problems later., just my 2 cents worth.
 


There really hasn't been much parity since the CFP was implemented. 22 of 28 possible appearances, 79%, have been made up of just 5 teams - Alabama, Clemson, Ohio St, Oklahoma, and Notre Dame.

I think this could actually hurt the top teams. Many of these players come from difficult situations and need to work hard and be successful in college in order to make the NFL to set themselves up for life.

But if they're getting paid 100s of thousands or even millions in college, that can have a huge effect on the drive of an 18-22 year old.
Exactly, everyone was like the playoff will give more teams a chance! Nope just funnels kids more to the top teams. Expanding it will do nothing. It was best with just two teams. And I’m in the minority I think, but I didn’t mind how things were when the champion was voted on. The closer it gets to looking like the nfl the less appealing it is for me.
 

On the grand college football ladder and even within FBS we're a Have, but the gap between us and say, Ohio State is likely to only grow larger....sigh....

In the fullness of time there's going to be some guys who don't want to turn pro because it's a huge pay cut to go from starting RB at Clemson under NIL rules to 4th round pick rookie slot contract.

This will likely slash the number of early NFL entries, especially the guys who aren't sure fire first rounders.
No more trading signed jerseys for haircuts and shoes, LMAO.
 

I dont think there will be anything left for a rule violation. I think this is too much money too fast, some of these kids are going to harrassed by family members, etc, to get in on the payday. Players now getting big bucks to mention some business on twitter. Do the pros have these types of deals? it will just be a disguise for some schools to pay their players. Imagine some big buck alumni,, paying the star QB to do an autograph signing at their car dealership for a million dollars. How long will it take for a university to suspend some player
An SEC school???? I'm taking hell freeing over first and giving three degrees.
for tax evasion when the IRS starts investigating these guys. Some of these players are going to get a lot of dough now and have lots of problems later., just my 2 cents worth.
 

Exactly, everyone was like the playoff will give more teams a chance! Nope just funnels kids more to the top teams. Expanding it will do nothing. It was best with just two teams. And I’m in the minority I think, but I didn’t mind how things were when the champion was voted on. The closer it gets to looking like the nfl the less appealing it is for me.
It should either go back to a vote or it should be a playoff where all conference champs get in plus an at large or two
 

You really don't get it?

The competitive balance in college sports tilts majorly towards the haves.

We are now trending towards a league that has no parity. Five star guys could still pick their hometown schools......still can......but now it's more lucrative for them to go to the teams that already have too much talent. This is the beginning of the end of college sports.

I would disagree. I think this will play like the NFL. Players will want to be the star on the team ASAP in order to make the money.

I can actually see top 100 kids spreading out to different schools now to make the money.

I think some are assuming that ALL the players on the Bamas and Clemsons, etc will make the same money. that wont be true.

Only the stars/starters will make money

I wouldn't want to be a high 4 star riding the bench
 

Well, one thing to think about is we can all name a highly touted high school recruit who flops in college and drops into obscurity. It happens all the time, and I think that's all it will take to quell the huge NIL deals before a player has seen significant play.

Like, say this Alabama QB is a total flop, that's 7 figures of pay down the drain for the sponsors. That's a mistake that will only be made once, and IMO it's a matter of when not if.
 

So this is different how?
It might be more lucrative for a Michigan kid to stay at Michigan rather than go to Bama now

I guess we'll see. I don't see a situation in which this ends well for anyone that doesn't already live at the top. Michigan is still a "helmet" school.

One of the NCAA issues in the past was high powered donors coaxing recruits to their schools with financial benefits. Now they don't even to have to go under the table....with fear of repercussions. The NCAA just because a minor league.
 

There really hasn't been much parity since the CFP was implemented. 22 of 28 possible appearances, 79%, have been made up of just 5 teams - Alabama, Clemson, Ohio St, Oklahoma, and Notre Dame.

I think this could actually hurt the top teams. Many of these players come from difficult situations and need to work hard and be successful in college in order to make the NFL to set themselves up for life.

But if they're getting paid 100s of thousands or even millions in college, that can have a huge effect on the drive of an 18-22 year old.

Idk. Maybe you're right. Maybe teams like Alabama have such a glut of talent....that five star players coming in may be passed over by donors. Maybe going to a team where they'd be the lone superstar would be the most beneficial.

It's going to be very interesting. But Miami already has someone ready to pay ALL scholarship players a monthly stipend. Think that would have been a better uniform situation across the entire NCAA.....but they drug their feet and completely blew it.
 




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