NIL - Is It What You Expected / Specific Changes Needed

[CYdTracked]

Pollard was on KXNO this morning around 7am, I missed part of it and need to go back and listen but he talked a little about NIL and was saying that there will come a point where state board of regents will have to decide if they want to fund their state's power conference athletics departments to be able to be a member of that conference and be competitive at it because at this rate many of them are not going to be able to sustain this long term. He used Rutgers as an example how they are operating with a $100 million budget deficit. ISU has been able to tap into budget reserves so far due to proactively cutting costs over the years but there may come a time that surplus dries up and we will need to find some additional funding. Even mentioned that 7 years ago he and Gary Barta had an idea that maybe the state should use some of their gambling revenues to help fund the state university athletic budgets and that idea was shot down.

 

[Antihawk240]

NIL is not what I expected. I did not ever envision a scenario where NIL would lead to the elimination of a fewcollege sports. It was intended to benefit the student athlete. Now it appears that it is headed right towards some schools being forced to cut an Olympic Sport just to support the higher revenue sports. Universities could potentially eliminate 100 student athletes to benefit 10. While I certainly (in hindsight) understand (yet don't appreciate) the math and economics to these strategies , I never saw a (as example) a Softball player lose their scholarship because the Left Tackle needed more money.

I think the only way to fix it is if you transfer you sit out. Schools will take a longer look at having to pay the athlete that money on a vacant year. Follow it up with contracts. Coaches can leave anytime they want, true. Coaches have contracts. AD's are getting smarter in writing those contracts to protect the Athletic Program if current coach is bought away. Do the same thing for the athletes.

It will never happen- but can you imagine how awesome it would be if : (As example) Bayer gave the 56th place Cross Country runner in the NCAA Championships $100,000 because they were determined to be the best Biochemist participating in the race because they wanted a photo of them taking a Bayer Pain and Relief pill after the race? Or Jennie-O gives some TE from North Carolina $100,000 for his to wear a Jennie O T-shirt while doing chores in his families Turkey barn. Yes, Yes, Yes, we roll our eyes because it will never happen---- but that was the original intention of what they were looking to do. They just pushed it forward without developing a plan.

 

[Cycsk]

Need basic contracts. And certified agents who have attended some basic training. When a player enters the portal, the agent must be identified. It won't solve everything, but these few things will bring a little more sanity.

 

[Cychl82]

NIL is one thing but the combination of NIL and no limits on the portal is beyond ridiculous

 

[Gunnerclone]

This is exactly what I expected, greed and corruption completely out of control. This result is why some of us were so against this in the first place. It's not even NIL at all.

This. It’s a wealth transfer scheme. I’m not generally in favor of those.

 

[brett108]

I had a worse case scenario in mind and this may actually be worse.

 

[jcyclonee]

NIL has been my worst-case scenario expectation. The money being thrown at the athletes is truly insane and nonsensical. It further differentiates them from the regular students even more than being an athlete used to and there is no time for promising young player development for one school. I haven't figuratively vomited yet because of the system but I'm tasting the bile in the back of my throat.

 

[1UNI2ISU]

This is exactly what I expected it to be and exactly what it has been for 50+ years, it's just out in the open now and the NCAA being completely feckless in being able to draft enforceable transfer rules has just made it worse.

I have zero issues with kids transferring around to get the bag but there have to be limits and every kid can't be a free agent every year. The problem is that's nearly impossible without an anti-trust exemption and collective bargaining which isn't going to happen. This is the new normal except now FB and MBB players are going to get a check from the university on top of it.

The House Settlement isn't going to do anything because the 'fair market value' stuff is going to be tied up in the courts for years.

 

[Jer]

It's exactly what I expected. Players overall getting some money and an uncapped auction for player retainment and recruitment.

Slow evolution towards the haves vs have nots, but each sport in a different way and speed. MBB is likely to continue shifting some strength more towards SEC (and possibly B1G). Football will have more parity within conferences than ever, but the top 2 conferences will rise to a higher level from everyone else.

I agree with the Portal comments. You can't stop or police tampering, so that isn't realistic.

But you can change to have one free transfer and then a sit out year for any subsequent.

I know many don't think it's right because anybody in the free world can change jobs weekly if they want, but this isn't the free world at all. It's a league of schools that should fall under an umbrella entity just like the NFL, NBA, etc. There are trade rules and regulations in every sport but college athletics, and possibly salary caps - not sure if all.

If it's now truly a business or minor league, then the argument of us peasants being able to move at will has no merit whatsoever. It's a sports league which can and should have rules to prevent chaos and preserve competition. If a person doesn't like being a part of that union, they can leave it at any time.

 

[Cloneon]

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.

 

[ClubCy]

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.

Curious as to what you specifically mean by losing interest because of lack of longevity with the program?

Like, you prefer a kid coming in and redshirting and then maybe seeing the field after a couple of years?

I wouldn’t say our bball or football teams have had as many 1 year rentals as other programs. Most of our impact players that have come in are multi year guys and the one who have left you probably weren’t ever going to see the field or court anyway.

To me, I view guys like Higgins and Keshon/Curtis as guys who redshirted or rode the bench and excelled as upper class men. It was just at another school but imo doesn’t make them less of Cyclones.

 

[ZorkClone]

This is exactly what I expected it to be and exactly what it has been for 50+ years, it's just out in the open now and the NCAA being completely feckless in being able to draft enforceable transfer rules has just made it worse.

I have zero issues with kids transferring around to get the bag but there have to be limits and every kid can't be a free agent every year. The problem is that's nearly impossible without an anti-trust exemption and collective bargaining which isn't going to happen. This is the new normal except now FB and MBB players are going to get a check from the university on top of it.

The House Settlement isn't going to do anything because the 'fair market value' stuff is going to be tied up in the courts for years.

It feels like contracts would be the "easiest" way to fix this. Athletic departments need to get over it and just make the players employees and include buyouts. At least then AD or collectives can recover some of the lost invested money in a player.

NIL is exactly how I expected it to go. In some ways ISU has benefited especially in MBB, but I would be very afraid of any extended downturn in football or MBB.

 

[StevieISU23]

At what point does the State,University, Presidents, Deans setup in.................
"We" have been funding the Athletics depts from 1920- until the 90s-ish?
When the entire Athletics Budget was $25-30Million.....

Now they are getting $25-30M, just from some TV rights and the budget is like $70-$80 Million.

We see the New Stadium upgrades, South Bowl, Monster Scoreboard(s), indoor practice facility, stark performance center, Cy-Town, BB facility in West Ames, etc.


At some point does the University say, that Athletics wouldn't be here, unless there were students at ISU in the first place.....

Where is the University/Students Cut?

 

[nfrine]

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.

Agree. We have been season ticket holders (FB, MBB) and Cyclone Club donors for most of 4 decades, We are thinking now might be the time to focus our giving and time elsewhere, The loss of long-term loyalty of the student athletes has severely impacted our interest in the sports programs. Never thought it would be so bad. The Athletic Department as become dependent on a few mega donors for their survival.

 

[CySmurf]

Fixing NIL is not really possible. That cat is out of that bag.

What you could fix though is the portal. Allow a one time free transfer, but any transfer after that requires a sit out year.

Fixing NIL is maybe not the word to use. Regulating it in some capacity is a good start.

 

[aeroclone]

This mess was so predictable. It isn't NIL in any sense of the term. I can't believe how many people were rooting this change on.

 

[alarson]

This mess was so predictable. It isn't NIL in any sense of the term. I can't believe how many people were rooting this change on.

And a lot of people still downplay the effect it will likely have on ISU because we've been fortunate so far (though cracks are evident). But reality will likely hit eventually. Loyalty only goes so far as the gap widens. And it likely gets even worse the next time there's turnover in one of the 2 top jobs.

 

[CyclonesRock]

What it should be...

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/money/business/2025/04/11/iowa-pork-producers-iowa-state-football-players-score-with-ad-campaign-isu-cyclones/83044814007/

 

[aeroclone]

And a lot of people still downplay the effect it will likely have on ISU because we've been fortunate so far (though cracks are evident). But reality will likely hit eventually. Loyalty only goes so far as the gap widens. And it likely gets even worse the next time there's turnover in one of the 2 top jobs.

Yeah, we have been fortunate to have our programs on an upswing the last couple years. But it seems clear that in the current state, the gap between the top tier and the rest will grow and ISU will slip further and further behind. We have won a couple battles, but in a drawn out war, this is a fight we can't win.

 

[pulse]

It is exactly how I expected it. smh at the people who are surprised by it.