You all seem to be arguing over the fairness of NIL. But I think it’s okay for someone to both say that people, including college athletes, have a right to profit from their name and likeness while also admitting that it makes college sports a lot less attractive for many people. When all but the top schools with the biggest and wealthiest donor bases have no hope of competing at the highest level, it means a lot fewer people will care. And when it’s no longer a traditional amateur model, then it loses its appeal versus the pros. If I’m going to watch paid athletes, I’d prefer to watch the best ones, not second rate ones. There is a reason they don’t build 50,000 seater triple A baseball stadiums.
Yeah, NIL and the transfer portal are the fair things to do. But it also means that my interest in college sports has dropped off a cliff and my interest in pro sports has risen dramatically. I suspect I’m not the only one and that as college sports more and more resembles a minor league system, that lots of people will feel the same.