The NCAA and its leagues are moving forward with a multibillion-dollar settlement agreement that will allow schools to directly pay players for the first time in the history of college sports.

The era of amateur athletics in college is officially over. While it's obviously good that the players (the ones providing the value) are officially getting compensated, the knock-on effects on other parts of the universities will likely be negative. Tuition will likely increase to cover some of the athletes' wages, and non-revenue sports will be squeezed further. Additionally, it will be more difficult for schools without warchests to compete on the field, if they are even given a chance at all.

For football, I'm envisioning an MLB-like future where NFL teams will draft players out of high school, then have the option to let them enroll in colleges on renewable one-year deals as makeshift minor leagues.

Further down the road, I think eventually college football teams will be affiliated with universities in name only and will completely divest from academics. Behind the scenes this has basically already happened but now there is no need for the amateurism veil. They will become glorified developmental leagues, but will not be completely subsumed by the NFL because 1) there are not enough NFL roster spots to support that, and 2) college football teams are major brands that make a lot of people a lot of money.

  • reverendz [comrade/them]
    ·
    1 month ago

    College sports is already a joke. It’s been operating as an unpaid internship for the majors for decades.

    Now I guess the interns get paid. Either way, it’s a horrible situation and shouldn’t have a place at university.

    Amateur sports should be played by amateurs. Nobody playing for a big 12 team could reasonably be called an amateur. These colleges are scouting top high school talent. Most of the players have been on this track for years.