NIL - Is It What You Expected / Specific Changes Needed

[Big_Sill]

Changing the current state will take true pay for play, collective bargaining, employee status, breakaway from NCAA governance (if they even have any left), salary cap (massively increased from the 20M), contracts, buyouts… so exactly the pro sports model.

Even then, you can’t limit NIL, so a donor could still decided to fund on top of the salary cap.

 

[NWICY]

I thought it was going to actually have something to do with name image likeness.
The women's side has actually done that part better Audi's ads Fluja Johnson from LSU. Rocco and raising Canes I guess is that way.
The Purchase Moore Hammon Bacon campaign is how I envisioned it. Not unlimited pay for play.

 

[AllInForISU]

This is exactly where I thought it would go. Changes? I’ve been saying it since the first pay for play situation came up. You need multi year contracts with buyouts to help the schools offset these ridiculous contracts.

You also need agents who are registered with the NCAA or at least within the conferences with limits on how much they can take from the players.

I don’t really blame the players for getting what they can get, we have seen they even will be loyal at times. I blame the people who are supposed to be the adults in the room exploiting a situation where they can make a quick buck, as always.

I’d also like to know what the ROI is for these big donors across the country. What perks do they get for the millions of dollars they pour into these programs? On the surface, they are guaranteed nothing, which is insane to me. Those people didn’t get rich by being dumb, so what’s the end game/catch I’m missing?

 

[Al_4_State]

If the players are professionals, the contracts need to operate like they do in pro sports. It's a set length of time, you can't renegotiate until it's over, etc.

The players need to be employees to make this happen.

 

[Gunnerclone]

If the players are professionals, the contracts need to operate like they do in pro sports. It's a set length of time, you can't renegotiate until it's over, etc.

The players need to be employees to make this happen.

But that means the free fan gravy spigot is shut off.

 

[drlove]

i really need to go back and watch the ESPN 30 for 30 on "The Pony Exce$$".

 

[CycloneSpinning]

Players should get compensated based on the amount of revenue generated from the product they create. We were all led to believe the universities and media partners that reap the benefits of the product would foot the bill. But in reality absolutely nothing has changed for the media partners and universities.

In fact the media partners and universities continue to bring in more money than ever before while acting like they are being harmed by having to compensate those who generate their money. Its really gross if you back away from it, and really makes me think hard about caring about sports like I (we) do.

The media definitely benefits from the chaos. All the portal/NIL drama gives them tons of new content to cover. It blows. I hate it more every day.

 

[isufanz1]

Absolutely out of control. When you have practically every major college team (maybe every major conference team) paying more for their roster than G League teams when the worst G League team would easily beat the National Champ and football teams paying more than CFL rosters where those teams would also beat the NC it is beyond broken.

Tickets to G League games are cheap - D1 is not. Same for football. Honestly at this point I would prefer colleges go the route of how sports are handled in Europe - club for schools and everything else is semipro/pro. Tickets and costs would drop quickly.

 

[Beernuts]

Honestly, the combination of NIL, and the destruction of college conferences and traditions has caused apathy in my love for the Cyclones.

Let's be honest everyone....what the hell are we doing? We cannot compete with the haves of the super conferences and booster contributions. And now Pollard wants the state of Ia taxpayers to support our teams?

I would rather ISU join a NDSU or SDSU type conference than trying to compete in this new landscape. Look at the passionate fans those schools have and the enjoyment of being together as a fan base...that is who ISU is.

 

[Cyhig]

1. I enjoyed the concept of "NIL" and thought players deserved to get paid for things like commercials, their name/image in video games, autograph signings, etc. But as we know, "NIL" isn't about that anymore and it quickly transitioned into "pay for play"

2. The current model needs to be updated. Could you imagine if every player in the NFL were unrestricted free agents each season AND teams had no salary caps? That's the current landscape of the "NIL". There needs to be a form of salary cap in place for each sport. In addition, players should be allowed to transfer once without penalty for any reason. Players can also transfer without penalty if the head coach has changed or in the case of a family hardship where the player can then transfer to a school within "X" number of miles from their home. Otherwise players must sit a full year. I think those two changes would create a much more competitive landscape in college sports

 

[flycy]

For what it's worth, as an ardent fan for over 40 years, I now see myself starting to lose interest. I grew up in an era where we 'identified' with the players because of their longevity with the program. Once the pros started the decoupling, my interest waned. Losing players to programs that have more money is counter productive to the success of the sport. It severely hurts 'optimism' and sadly loyalty. I hope some structure starts to surface regarding several aspects of college sports. Only time will tell.

I think there is a much higher percentage of fans in this boat both at ISU and nationally than most on here think. Younger generations were already less invested in traditional sports. Why in the world would I invest my time and money watching what are a bunch of entitled semi-pro athletes, who play like amateurs when I can just watch pro sports, a much better more stable product if I want to waste time and money on sports at all? The lure of college athletics was that they were just students that attended your school. I'm treading water hoping things are reeled back in, but don't think that will happen. I'm probably in it as long as Campbell and TJ are around because I really like them. No player has NIL value when they come to play, the quarterback of ISU has NIL value because he is the quarterback of ISU. If any player leaves, I will not continue to be a fan of them, I am a fan of ISU not any individual. Wouldn't surprise me if attendance drops significantly everywhere in the next few seasons and viewership eventually is cut in half, but hey, you can at least attract gamblers, because that's what college sports are about.

 

[Dandy]

Timelines like this need to stop.

 

[Mr Janny]

Timelines like this need to stop.

View attachment 148225

Why?
Is there a limit to the number of times a regular student is allowed to transfer? Is a person restricted from taking a new job if they decide they've found a better opportunity?
Who cares?
Why are college athletics so special that they shouldn't have to operate the same way that the rest of the world does?

 

[FinalFourCy]

Why?
Is there a limit to the number of times a regular student is allowed to transfer? Is a person restricted from taking a new job if they decide they've found a better opportunity?
Who cares?
Why are college athletics so special that they shouldn't have to operate the same way that the rest of the world does?

Well, at some places matriculation would be difficult transferring in as a senior or that many credits unless being a top basketball or football player

They aren’t treated like normal students, mostly to their benefit now.

I don’t think it should be a rule that transferring is limited. Most top destinations “independently” deciding to not accept guys with x number of previous transfers would be fair imo.

Or going employment route, and implementing a CBA that leverages the many benefits athletes enjoy as the compensation for such restrictions

Or schools using their advantages in ability to lobbying/influence the legislative, judicial, or executive branches to get favorable decrees that truly treat athletes like it’s the real world- might makes right

 

[Jer]

Why?
Is there a limit to the number of times a regular student is allowed to transfer? Is a person restricted from taking a new job if they decide they've found a better opportunity?
Who cares?
Why are college athletics so special that they shouldn't have to operate the same way that the rest of the world does?

You are correct that currently there is nothing that should prevent any of that.

But, this is now professional sports by definition - the act of being paid for doing a job. These aren't regular students or normal working individuals - they are professional or semi-professional athletes.

Every organized athletic organization in the world where compensation is involved has a set of rules and limitations that are far different from normal schmucks like us. If you want to treat the kids like semi-pro athletes now, then why shouldn't there be the same restrictions in place as any other league? Things like salary cap, trade limitations, contracts, free agency, etc.

I realize none of that infrastructure is there today, but I don't necessarily see paid athletes as normal people, just like I don't see NBA, NFL, MLB, Soccer, etc players as normal people. They make the choice to be bound by the agreements and structure above them. If they don't like those limitations, they aren't forced to be bound by them. They can elect to work in the real world where freedom is the rule.

 

[Mr Janny]

You are correct that currently there is nothing that should prevent any of that.

But, this is now professional sports by definition - the act of being paid for doing a job. These aren't regular students or normal working individuals - they are professional or semi-professional athletes.

Every organized athletic organization in the world where compensation is involved has a set of rules and limitations that are far different from normal schmucks like us. If you want to treat the kids like semi-pro athletes now, then why shouldn't there be the same restrictions in place as any other league? Things like salary cap, trade limitations, contracts, free agency, etc.

I realize none of that infrastructure is there today, but I don't necessarily see paid athletes as normal people, just like I don't see NBA, NFL, MLB, Soccer, etc players as normal people. They make the choice to be bound by the agreements and structure above them. If they don't like those limitations, they aren't forced to be bound by them. They can elect to work in the real world where freedom is the rule.

It doesn't really matter how you or I see them.

Until college sports has the infrastructure in place to allow them to be treated the way that other professional sports leagues are, i.e. unionization, collective bargaining, anti trust exemption, etc, then they're bound by the laws that govern the rest of the business community, regardless of whether or not people see them the same way. The NCAA doesn't get to play by special Pro Sports rules without those things in place. No ticket? No ride.

It's pretty clear if>then logic.

If these are athletes engaged in professional sports, then employment laws dictate the rules. And those rules don't allow the restriction movement or compensation, regardless if it's called NIL or Pay-for-Play. That's the way the courts will continue to rule until a union/CBA or antitrust exemption is implemented.

 

[Mr Janny]

Well, at some places matriculation would be difficult transferring in as a senior or that many credits unless being a top basketball or football player

They aren’t treated like normal students, mostly to their benefit now.

I don’t think it should be a rule that transferring is limited. Most top destinations “independently” deciding to not accept guys with x number of previous transfers would be fair imo.

Or going employment route, and implementing a CBA that leverages the many benefits athletes enjoy as the compensation for such restrictions

Or schools using their advantages in ability to lobbying/influence the legislative, judicial, or executive branches to get favorable decrees that truly treat athletes like it’s the real world- might makes right

And that definitely could happen. Transferring is not without risks. There's no guarantee that a player will find a new home. But that's on them.

 

[JayV]

In general execution, NIL is going just like I expected it would. The scale of the payments is higher than I would have expected though.

I mostly agree that this is becoming a professional sport, and the needed revisions are to accept that and make it like the professional sports. player unions, contracts, salary caps, etc.

It's too late to go back, and the current isn't sustainable.

 

[Jer]

It doesn't really matter how you or I see them.

Until college sports has the infrastructure in place to allow them to be treated the way that other professional sports leagues are, i.e. unionization, collective bargaining, anti trust exemption, etc, then they're bound by the laws that govern the rest of the business community, regardless of whether or not people see them the same way. The NCAA doesn't get to play by special Pro Sports rules without those things in place. No ticket? No ride.

It's pretty clear if>then logic.

If these are athletes engaged in professional sports, then employment laws dictate the rules. And those rules don't allow the restriction movement or compensation, regardless if it's called NIL or Pay-for-Play. That's the way the courts will continue to rule until a union/CBA or antitrust exemption is implemented.

I absolutely agree, none of that is in place today and therefore there should be no restrictions. Re-reading it, I wasn't clear at all, as usual I was intending to respond to the opinion that those things should be in place, which I agree with. Right now, these are just sponsorship deals and without anything else governing it, these are just normal students/working people. I would like to see that change with an evolution to a recognition and formation of a semi-pro structure with oversight.

 

[jbhtexas]

For what it's worth, as an ardent fan for over 40 years, I now see myself starting to lose interest. I grew up in an era where we 'identified' with the players because of their longevity with the program. Once the pros started the decoupling, my interest waned. Losing players to programs that have more money is counter productive to the success of the sport. It severely hurts 'optimism' and sadly loyalty. I hope some structure starts to surface regarding several aspects of college sports. Only time will tell.

I was at ISU in an era where we could identify with players because they would come to State gym or the Rec Center after that opened and play pickup games with the common folks.