These kids know what they are worth.

[CPTMidnight]

per Day:
Doubling of annual media revenue
The previous Big Ten media rights deal was signed in 2017, a six-year contract with ESPN and Fox worth $2.64 billion — or about $440 million per season. The new deal dwarfs that, and will create a dramatic increase in media revenue. In 2019, the most recent athletic department budget not affected by the pandemic, the Gophers earned $45 million in conference distributed media rights — $36 million for football, $9 million for men's basketball. While the new contract will gradually increase over time, it will eventually see the conference distribute $80 million to $100 million in media revenue to the Gophers annually for football and men's basketball, according to multiple media reports. For perspective, consider: In 2019, total operating revenue for the entire athletic department was $130 million.

If you want a clue as to why the kids want flexibility with transfers, NIL, and other rights and benefits look no further.

Before the U sells the first ticket (along with a coerced "donation" to keep the ticket prices low), $20 parking, local sponsorships, local radio & tv advertising, the first $9 hotdog and works the local Fatcat into the Golden Dunkers club the University already has $9 million in distributed media rights.

These kids know what they are worth (and it aint squeezing them into a couple of overcrowded classes at the U and telling them a degree is a fair trade). Personally, I wish it were the 1960/1970s and money was not really much of a consideration but at this point it is pretty tough to take the side of the Universities/NCAA - figure out a way to let these kids share in the financial success.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

per Day:
Doubling of annual media revenue
The previous Big Ten media rights deal was signed in 2017, a six-year contract with ESPN and Fox worth $2.64 billion — or about $440 million per season. The new deal dwarfs that, and will create a dramatic increase in media revenue. In 2019, the most recent athletic department budget not affected by the pandemic, the Gophers earned $45 million in conference distributed media rights — $36 million for football, $9 million for men's basketball. While the new contract will gradually increase over time, it will eventually see the conference distribute $80 million to $100 million in media revenue to the Gophers annually for football and men's basketball, according to multiple media reports. For perspective, consider: In 2019, total operating revenue for the entire athletic department was $130 million.

If you want a clue as to why the kids want flexibility with transfers, NIL, and other rights and benefits look no further.

Before the U sells the first ticket (along with a coerced "donation" to keep the ticket prices low), $20 parking, local sponsorships, local radio & tv advertising, the first $9 hotdog and works the local Fatcat into the Golden Dunkers club the University already has $9 million in distributed media rights.

These kids know what they are worth (and it aint squeezing them into a couple of overcrowded classes at the U and telling them a degree is a fair trade). Personally, I wish it were the 1960/1970s and money was not really much of a consideration but at this point it is pretty tough to take the side of the Universities/NCAA - figure out a way to let these kids share in the financial success.

They know their worth but they probably don't have the foresight to see that they could kill the goose that lays the golden egg. Now, for the kids in college now, I get it, why would they care about the college football players in the class of 2045? But moving away from the kind of faux-amateurism that exists with NCAA sports is scary.

There is a reason why NCAA sports are printing money and minor league baseball hemorrhages money. There is a reason why people pack into stadiums to see Iowa play Illinois but they can't give away tickets for the USFL. It's not about the quality of athlete. It's about the schools. It's about the tradition. It's about cheering on players from signing day to graduation day. It's a shared experience between the athletes, fans, coaches and players that is being cheapened by things like NIL, mega-conferences, and "free transfers".

I don't know what the solution is and I totally understand why players want to get as much money as they can now (we all do). It's a dangerous sport and if someone's willing to give them money, who am I to say they shouldn't take it. But I hope the power brokers in college sports have the foresight to prevent NCAA football from becoming nothing but a minor league to the NFL.

 

[Five Toes]

They know their worth but they probably don't have the foresight to see that they could kill the goose that lays the golden egg. Now, for the kids in college now, I get it, why would they care about the college football players in the class of 2045? But moving away from the kind of faux-amateurism that exists with NCAA sports is scary.

There is a reason why NCAA sports are printing money and minor league baseball hemorrhages money. There is a reason why people pack into stadiums to see Iowa play Illinois but they can't give away tickets for the USFL. It's not about the quality of athlete. It's about the schools. It's about the tradition. It's about cheering on players from signing day to graduation day. It's a shared experience between the athletes, fans, coaches and players that is being cheapened by things like NIL, mega-conferences, and "free transfers".

I don't know what the solution is and I totally understand why players want to get as much money as they can now (we all do). It's a dangerous sport and if someone's willing to give them money, who am I to say they shouldn't take it. But I hope the power brokers in college sports have the foresight to prevent NCAA football from becoming nothing but a minor league to the NFL.

Wonderful post.

 

[ecoperson]

They know their worth but they probably don't have the foresight to see that they could kill the goose that lays the golden egg. Now, for the kids in college now, I get it, why would they care about the college football players in the class of 2045? But moving away from the kind of faux-amateurism that exists with NCAA sports is scary.

There is a reason why NCAA sports are printing money and minor league baseball hemorrhages money. There is a reason why people pack into stadiums to see Iowa play Illinois but they can't give away tickets for the USFL. It's not about the quality of athlete. It's about the schools. It's about the tradition. It's about cheering on players from signing day to graduation day. It's a shared experience between the athletes, fans, coaches and players that is being cheapened by things like NIL, mega-conferences, and "free transfers".

I don't know what the solution is and I totally understand why players want to get as much money as they can now (we all do). It's a dangerous sport and if someone's willing to give them money, who am I to say they shouldn't take it. But I hope the power brokers in college sports have the foresight to prevent NCAA football from becoming nothing but a minor league to the NFL.

I wonder if all of the negative aspects of the money game could have been avoided had they allowed a flat salary of some sort for the revenue sports versus opening the Pandoras Box of unregulated NIL.

 

[Gophers1992]

They know their worth but they probably don't have the foresight to see that they could kill the goose that lays the golden egg. Now, for the kids in college now, I get it, why would they care about the college football players in the class of 2045? But moving away from the kind of faux-amateurism that exists with NCAA sports is scary.

There is a reason why NCAA sports are printing money and minor league baseball hemorrhages money. There is a reason why people pack into stadiums to see Iowa play Illinois but they can't give away tickets for the USFL. It's not about the quality of athlete. It's about the schools. It's about the tradition. It's about cheering on players from signing day to graduation day. It's a shared experience between the athletes, fans, coaches and players that is being cheapened by things like NIL, mega-conferences, and "free transfers".

I don't know what the solution is and I totally understand why players want to get as much money as they can now (we all do). It's a dangerous sport and if someone's willing to give them money, who am I to say they shouldn't take it. But I hope the power brokers in college sports have the foresight to prevent NCAA football from becoming nothing but a minor league to the NFL.

I don’t disagree with anything you said, but what realistically can these power brokers do? Tell boosters not to spend so much money?

 

[CPTMidnight]

They know their worth but they probably don't have the foresight to see that they could kill the goose that lays the golden egg. Now, for the kids in college now, I get it, why would they care about the college football players in the class of 2045? But moving away from the kind of faux-amateurism that exists with NCAA sports is scary.

There is a reason why NCAA sports are printing money and minor league baseball hemorrhages money. There is a reason why people pack into stadiums to see Iowa play Illinois but they can't give away tickets for the USFL. It's not about the quality of athlete. It's about the schools. It's about the tradition. It's about cheering on players from signing day to graduation day. It's a shared experience between the athletes, fans, coaches and players that is being cheapened by things like NIL, mega-conferences, and "free transfers".

I don't know what the solution is and I totally understand why players want to get as much money as they can now (we all do). It's a dangerous sport and if someone's willing to give them money, who am I to say they shouldn't take it. But I hope the power brokers in college sports have the foresight to prevent NCAA football from becoming nothing but a minor league to the NFL.

I am sure the Fox Sports, ESPN, the Big Ten, the $3m dollar coaches and all the other power brokers are extremely nervous that the kids will kill the proverbial goose the lays the golden egg. The kids, not so much. Why would the kids need to be worried about a billion dollar industry from which they receive almost no compensation? Worst case scenario they have to play basketball at a college and the only thing they receive is a college education which they already have.

Not sure what the solution is but the problem is not with the kids - it is with the people and entities that turned it into a highly profitable industry for their own benefit. They should be way out ahead of this to solve it.

At the very least they should put dollars into a trust or retirement fund for each kid so they have something for the future, worst case scenario they should just cut them a W-2 check for their efforts and give up the faux-amateurism.

 

[Lion King]

I am sure the Fox Sports, ESPN, the Big Ten, the $3m dollar coaches and all the other power brokers are extremely nervous that the kids will kill the proverbial goose the lays the golden egg. The kids, not so much. Why would the kids need to be worried about a billion dollar industry from which they receive almost no compensation? Worst case scenario they have to play basketball at a college and the only thing they receive is a college education which they already have.

Not sure what the solution is but the problem is not with the kids - it is with the people and entities that turned it into a highly profitable industry for their own benefit. They should be way out ahead of this to solve it.

At the very least they should put dollars into a trust or retirement fund for each kid so they have something for the future, worst case scenario they should just cut them a W-2 check for their efforts and give up the faux-amateurism.

Life is not fair,NIL will not be equal, and that creates lots of issues.I said often,this will bring an end to college sports.

 

[GoldenRodents]

What this world is a big RESET, but not what Bill Gates has in mind.

 

[cheeseheadgophfan]

I see that Myles Brennan (former starting QB at LSU) quit/retired from football. He had some large NIL deals....does he get to keep the money?? Just one more bizarre twist in the new world of NIL.....

 

[Holy Man]

I see that Myles Brennan (former starting QB at LSU) quit/retired from football. He had some large NIL deals....does he get to keep the money?? Just one more bizarre twist in the new world of NIL.....

If the people shelling out the NIL have decent lawyers the money has to be tied to him playing for the team linked to NIL. If he’s not on the right team for the sponsor his value drops significantly.

 

[Gophers1992]

If the people shelling out the NIL have decent lawyers the money has to be tied to him playing for the team linked to NIL. If he’s not on the right team for the sponsor his value drops significantly.

Admittedly not an expert here, but my understanding is that deals can't be contingent on anything related to playing for any certain school. I'm sure there are workarounds like "must be present in Baton Rouge on certain days" that sort of make that necessary, but again not my area of expertise.

 

[2nd Degree Gopher]

Admittedly not an expert here, but my understanding is that deals can't be contingent on anything related to playing for any certain school. I'm sure there are workarounds like "must be present in Baton Rouge on certain days" that sort of make that necessary, but again not my area of expertise.

This isn't quite right. The restrictions, such as they are, are that NIL deals are not supposed to be used as a recruiting inducement and are not to be linked to performance. Provisions in the agreement that would be impermissible before commitment are fine afterwards. For example, a NIL proposal that states that "if you sign to play baseball with the Gophers. we'll pay you $1,000 a week to make appearances at our restaurant" would violate the rule because it is contingent on signing to play at the U. The same proposal made after the athlete signs ("we'll pay you $1,000 a week to make appearances at our restaurant as long as you are on the baseball team") would be fine. Nothing prohibits an agreement that is timed appropriately from being linked to participation, just performance. So it would be compliant for the agreement to state that it continues so long as the student-athlete remains a member of the baseball team, but not that it pays him $500 for each homerun that he hits.

In reality, the easiest way to address the concern about an athlete transferring or quitting would be to include a clause that states that it can be cancelled at any time.

 

[Gophers1992]

This isn't quite right. The restrictions, such as they are, are that NIL deals are not supposed to be used as a recruiting inducement and are not to be linked to performance. Provisions in the agreement that would be impermissible before commitment are fine afterwards. For example, a NIL proposal that states that "if you sign to play baseball with the Gophers. we'll pay you $1,000 a week to make appearances at our restaurant" would violate the rule because it is contingent on signing to play at the U. The same proposal made after the athlete signs ("we'll pay you $1,000 a week to make appearances at our restaurant as long as you are on the baseball team") would be fine. Nothing prohibits an agreement that is timed appropriately from being linked to participation, just performance. So it would be compliant for the agreement to state that it continues so long as the student-athlete remains a member of the baseball team, but not that it pays him $500 for each homerun that he hits.

In reality, the easiest way to address the concern about an athlete transferring or quitting would be to include a clause that states that it can be cancelled at any time.

Thank you for clarifying.

 

[Jack jones]

Here, I thought scholarships were given to those students who could both play and learn a marketable skill so that after graduation, they could earn money. So those same dollars are now given through the NIL. So my point, if they are “getting” those dollars now, why disguise the idea of scholarships. Eliminate the scholarships, eliminate going to class, just play football or basketball, etc.. I am sure some will attend those events, but not many.

 

[RealU]

Here, I thought scholarships were given to those students who could both play and learn a marketable skill so that after graduation, they could earn money. So those same dollars are now given through the NIL. So my point, if they are “getting” those dollars now, why disguise the idea of scholarships. Eliminate the scholarships, eliminate going to class, just play football or basketball, etc.. I am sure some will attend those events, but not many.

Roughly 2% of college athletes are able to make the jump professionally. An even smaller percentage will have enough earning power to never worry about money after their playing days are over. This means that most will be entering the "normal" professional market by the time they are 30. Additionally, most college athletes will not see an NIL deal or it will be marginal (spending money, free food, free entertainment, etc.).

Education will continue to be important and eliminating scholarships would be incredibly detrimental for the majority of student athletes. The NCAA recorded record revenue of $1.16b last year based off the marketable skill of their student athletes and that will likely increase this year. As you can see from the article OP referenced above, the athletic department media deal revenue is essentially doubling. I have no issue with the athletes wanting a piece of that pie.

 

[cjbfbp]

At the very least they should put dollars into a trust or retirement fund for each kid so they have something for the future

I can't imagine many 20 year olds getting excited about a pension contribution.