And So It Begins….

[BearBryant]

Well technically just another domino but here’s the very thing we’ve been debating for months. Players will be employees of and paid by the university. As the great Ric Flair said one time: “ You might not like it but you need to learn to live with it…..”

‘Seismic’ changes are coming to college athletics, not entirely for the better

Possibly as early as next week, college athletics could change forever.

www.ajc.com

The new world order now owns college sports. it is all about controlling all the money on earth. Wait till AI starts to play

 

[CAVPUT]

The new world order now owns college sports. it is all about controlling all the money on earth. Wait till AI starts to play

 

[Raebo]

Did you all miss this from the article? This is just as big a deal as paying the players IMO. Can you imagine Georgia (or Tenn) with 150 players on football scholarships, etc..

“Further, another part of the settlement will remove the NCAA’s scholarship limits for each sport. For instance, Division I baseball teams are allowed 11.7 scholarships, which can be broken up and spread across the roster. By terms of the settlement, roster limits will be set for each sport, and schools will be able to offer as many scholarships as they’d like.”

 

[volbound1700]

It was so much better b4 mega conferences, NIL, and the transfer portal. Yes, I know we've benefitted from all three, but I'd still go back to the old ways in a second.


There is zero conference pride today due to expansion. Recruiting transfers is or almost as important as recruiting high school kids. Especially basketball. Look at UT's basketball roster this fall. It feels like a NBA team that signed multiple free agents.

This is better?

I like NIL, wish we had it all along

Mixed bag on transfer portal. I like it somewhat but I think there should still be a sit out rule if you go to a team in the same conference as your opponent.

Definitely don't like the realignment. That is the spot that I wish we could change. I like the idea of Tennessee playing Oklahoma and Texas more often but I wish we still had the 12-team SEC league from prior to Mizzou and A&M while the Big12 was still intact. The loss revenue could have been made up by forcing the leagues to play more meaningful OOC games to get the TV Money. However, this is a dog-eat dog world so can't blame B1G and SEC.

 

[VolPack22]

Did you all miss this from the article? This is just as big a deal as paying the players IMO. Can you imagine Georgia (or Tenn) with 150 players on football scholarships, etc..

“Further, another part of the settlement will remove the NCAA’s scholarship limits for each sport. For instance, Division I baseball teams are allowed 11.7 scholarships, which can be broken up and spread across the roster. By terms of the settlement, roster limits will be set for each sport, and schools will be able to offer as many scholarships as they’d like.”

That’s just for the other sports. From everything that is being floated out there, they are in talks to cap football rosters at 85-95 players.

 

[VolPack22]

Could a new college compensation model be the end for football walk-ons?

As part of a new proposal, power conference leaders are considering reducing football rosters from more than 115 to as few as 85 players.

sports.yahoo.com

 

[wmcovol]

While there are exceptions, I never considered juco guys worth the risk. With academic requirements being so incredibly low and kids knowing what was required to qualify, that they still weren't able to make the grade so to speak led me to question the work ethic, the intelligence or both. Just preferred HS kids in most cases.

I was speaking specifically of baseball. The academic argument doesn’t really apply as much. JCs get a lot of qualified academic players simply due to the 11.7 scholly limits in D1. JC players, in most cases, are far more advanced than high school kids except the top tier guys who likely go MLB anyway. Playing basically year round over 80-90 games (fall & spring) is something you can’t match at the high school level. Football & basketball, I agree with you.

 

[turbovol]

It was so much better b4 mega conferences, NIL, and the transfer portal. Yes, I know we've benefitted from all three, but I'd still go back to the old ways in a second.


There is zero conference pride today due to expansion. Recruiting transfers is or almost as important as recruiting high school kids. Especially basketball. Look at UT's basketball roster this fall. It feels like a NBA team that signed multiple free agents.

This is better?

The new system now is a joke--and it will be worse in the future. If you're going to have professional football and BB programs, then they really should be severed from the universities. But that is, sadly, impossible. I'm not sure how individuals can both be full-time students AND employees--but we shall see. A former OSU QB said today on Sirius that he couldn't take any pride in the football team anymore now that it's all about buying players and buying the best team you can every year. That is my viewpoint--and as he also noted, it is a minority viewpoint, as most college football fans ultimately don't care how absurd or corrupt the system has become, they just want to see their team win.

The only sports really worth following now are the non-revenue sports--- very little of the corruption and financial BS that have turned FB and BB into an unholy mess. Real students.

 

[livefaith]

It was so much better b4 mega conferences, NIL, and the transfer portal. Yes, I know we've benefitted from all three, but I'd still go back to the old ways in a second.


There is zero conference pride today due to expansion. Recruiting transfers is or almost as important as recruiting high school kids. Especially basketball. Look at UT's basketball roster this fall. It feels like a NBA team that signed multiple free agents.

This is better?

Check back after Final Four. I'll let you know.

 

[CAVPUT]

I was speaking specifically of baseball. The academic argument doesn’t really apply as much. JCs get a lot of qualified academic players simply due to the 11.7 scholly limits in D1. JC players, in most cases, are far more advanced than high school kids except the top tier guys who likely go MLB anyway. Playing basically year round over 80-90 games (fall & spring) is something you can’t match at the high school level. Football & basketball, I agree with you.

Hadn't considered it from the baseball perspective. Unique situation. I'll be very curious to see how this new world we live in with the NIL and all the rumors impacts baseball specifically. Haven't checked the numbers but I wonder if baseball can finance itself and stand on its own? When the players become employees of the university, I'd have to think sports that don't have enough income will suffer in some way. Some of us love baseball, but other, more casual fans, likely will lump it in with tennis, golf and women's sports. What happens to those programs and athletes in this new college "business" landscape?

 

[LouderVol]

Hadn't considered it from the baseball perspective. Unique situation. I'll be very curious to see how this new world we live in with the NIL and all the rumors impacts baseball specifically. Haven't checked the numbers but I wonder if baseball can finance itself and stand on its own? When the players become employees of the university, I'd have to think sports that don't have enough income will suffer in some way. Some of us love baseball, but other, more casual fans, likely will lump it in with tennis, golf and women's sports. What happens to those programs and athletes in this new college "business" landscape?

they go back to being real amateurs. no scholarship to play. no school paid coach, equipment, or anything else.
if they are interested they can form a club team, like rugby, men's soccer, and probably a host of other sports I am not aware of.
the players who are good enough will likely go from HS to whatever semi-pro level exists, skipping the whole charade of going to college for three years.
the players that actually love the sport, and their college, will take part in a club. they will still be there for the fans who allegedly love the various sports that are no longer supported.

sports existed at large universities long before the scholarship model, we will just return to that.

 

[Delmar]

they go back to being real amateurs. no scholarship to play. no school paid coach, equipment, or anything else.
if they are interested they can form a club team, like rugby, men's soccer, and probably a host of other sports I am not aware of.
the players who are good enough will likely go from HS to whatever semi-pro level exists, skipping the whole charade of going to college for three years.
the players that actually love the sport, and their college, will take part in a club. they will still be there for the fans who allegedly love the various sports that are no longer supported.

sports existed at large universities long before the scholarship model, we will just return to that.

We have some awfully nice stadiums to be maintained for club teams. Baseball, softball, soccer, volleyball, track etc. Somebody gotta pay for that. Not sure anyone has thought of that piece.

 

[LouderVol]

We have some awfully nice stadiums to be maintained for club teams. Baseball, softball, soccer, volleyball, track etc. Somebody gotta pay for that. Not sure anyone has thought of that piece.

I am assuming they could still sell tickets, make money from concessions. the ole fundraisers won't stop at HS. but yeah it will be a step back to pure amateurism instead of the professional stadiums they are used to. Thats what everyone wants right? real amateurs?

 

[Delmar]

I am assuming they could still sell tickets, make money from concessions. the ole fundraisers won't stop at HS. but yeah it will be a step back to pure amateurism instead of the professional stadiums they are used to. Thats what everyone wants right? real amateurs?

College athletes resorting to bake sales and car washes. Not sure anybody saw that coming.

 

[SpookyAction]

Conference pride? Doesn't exist. Doubt it ever did....at least with the athletes. It's always been about the money either under the table or getting to the league it's just out in the open now. Pretty sure this evolves into what the professional sports look like. What I'll be watching is the fan response. How many check out? What happens with home viewing and how expensive do they try to make it? Why do I get the feeling that what's now a tipping point becomes a breaking point with fans?

Like MLB?

 

[Delmar]

Like MLB?

I know I lost all interest in MLB when those greedy a-holes went on strike in the 90’s. Used to watch a lot of baseball when I was young but really haven’t watched a major league game since then and couldn’t name a player now outside of Ohtani and that’s because his translator stole those millions. College sports may be headed down the same path. I already know folks who don’t have the same interest they used to have.

 

[SpookyAction]

I stuck with baseball because I was a huge Braves fan, but lost interest before Bobby Cox retired. After that, I barely know any players to this day.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

they go back to being real amateurs. no scholarship to play. no school paid coach, equipment, or anything else.
if they are interested they can form a club team, like rugby, men's soccer, and probably a host of other sports I am not aware of.
the players who are good enough will likely go from HS to whatever semi-pro level exists, skipping the whole charade of going to college for three years.
the players that actually love the sport, and their college, will take part in a club. they will still be there for the fans who allegedly love the various sports that are no longer supported.

sports existed at large universities long before the scholarship model, we will just return to that.

The UT Athletic Department had about $200M in revenue last year.

If you think the UT admins are going to watch that dwindle to near zero, you're dreaming.

It's a business. They'll maintain the business over tradition. Tennessee, the state, is trying to sue the NCAA out of business, no doubt with the full support of UT, to completely destroy tradition.

It's a business. It will follow the money, not tradition.

 

[VolPack22]

Hadn't considered it from the baseball perspective. Unique situation. I'll be very curious to see how this new world we live in with the NIL and all the rumors impacts baseball specifically. Haven't checked the numbers but I wonder if baseball can finance itself and stand on its own? When the players become employees of the university, I'd have to think sports that don't have enough income will suffer in some way. Some of us love baseball, but other, more casual fans, likely will lump it in with tennis, golf and women's sports. What happens to those programs and athletes in this new college "business" landscape?

Baseball and women’s basketball were almost identical in ticket sales $ last year. Tony has that program humming.

 

[LouderVol]

College athletes resorting to bake sales and car washes. Not sure anybody saw that coming.

should have if you wanted amateurism, and or have been around the other (non scholarship) sports.

like I keep saying the people who want to go back to the good ole days are going to get it for many/most sports. they just didn't realize how far back those days were.

 

[Voltopia]

Well technically just another domino but here’s the very thing we’ve been debating for months. Players will be employees of and paid by the university. As the great Ric Flair said one time: “ You might not like it but you need to learn to live with it…..”

‘Seismic’ changes are coming to college athletics, not entirely for the better

Possibly as early as next week, college athletics could change forever.

www.ajc.com

I'll be interested to see just how shallow and phony the marketing gets after this change. College athletics has always leaned heavily into supporting schools and supporting students who attend them, integrity, tradition, developing yourselves as members of the community, all that jazz. Once football and basketball are an out-and-out professional sports, with absolutely no loyalty (and it's already been riding that train a while, they're just adding a bunch of cars to the engine), I wonder just how they intend to sell the product to people. All that dumb stuff about tradition will be bunk - it will certainly ring hollow, even hollower than it already does today. I'm anticipating an inestimable level of hypocrisy in that respect. At least at the Power 5 level.

 

[S.C. OrangeMan]

It was so much better b4 mega conferences, NIL, and the transfer portal. Yes, I know we've benefitted from all three, but I'd still go back to the old ways in a second.


There is zero conference pride today due to expansion. Recruiting transfers is or almost as important as recruiting high school kids. Especially basketball. Look at UT's basketball roster this fall. It feels like a NBA team that signed multiple free agents.

This is better?

I don't care about conference pride. I care about the Tennessee Volunteers.

 

[S.C. OrangeMan]

While there are exceptions, I never considered juco guys worth the risk. With academic requirements being so incredibly low and kids knowing what was required to qualify, that they still weren't able to make the grade so to speak led me to question the work ethic, the intelligence or both. Just preferred HS kids in most cases.

Exceptions like Cam Newton, who got Auburn a Natty after being a juco transfer from Blinn College?

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

I'll be interested to see just how shallow and phony the marketing gets after this change. College athletics has always leaned heavily into supporting schools and supporting students who attend them, integrity, tradition, developing yourselves as members of the community, all that jazz. Once football and basketball are an out-and-out professional sports, with absolutely no loyalty (and it's already been riding that train a while, they're just adding a bunch of cars to the engine), I wonder just how they intend to sell the product to people. All that dumb stuff about tradition will be bunk - it will certainly ring hollow, even hollower than it already does today. I'm anticipating an inestimable level of hypocrisy in that respect. At least at the Power 5 level.

The selling point will be what it was with MLB, NFL, and NBA for years (though less so recently for all pro sports) that these are the best available players in the world.

What made the SEC and B1G get massive media checks is the very high quality teams vs smaller conferences and certainly vs G5 or D2.

The numbers of people waiting for the Saturday matchup between GA and Ole Miss or Ohio State and Penn State simply dwarf any numbers to watch Miami (Ohio) vs Eastern KY. It's definitely a quality issue.

I'm not spending 4 hours watching second rate football on Saturday.

If the quality of the game goes down, it's extremely difficult to keep an audience. I'm looking at you MLB....... and to some extent the "show" that is the half assed effort of the NBA.

If the NCAA goes to "bake sale" lengths and Jefferson Pilot broadcasts, perhaps we'll have "purer" student-athlete competition, but very few people will be watching that level of athlete.

Why not spin the logos, brands, etc of top college revenue sports off as pro franchises and stop fooling ourselves that "Nico really wanted to come play for UT because of the school......" and such. These guys are taking the next step in their goal to play with the best competition they can and maximize their income while doing it.

Yeah America!

 

[LouderVol]

The selling point will be what it was with MLB, NFL, and NBA for years (though less so recently for all pro sports) that these are the best available players in the world.

What made the SEC and B1G get massive media checks is the very high quality teams vs smaller conferences and certainly vs G5 or D2.

The numbers of people waiting for the Saturday matchup between GA and Ole Miss or Ohio State and Penn State simply dwarf any numbers to watch Miami (Ohio) vs Eastern KY. It's definitely a quality issue.

I'm not spending 4 hours watching second rate football on Saturday.

If the quality of the game goes down, it's extremely difficult to keep an audience. I'm looking at you MLB....... and to some extent the "show" that is the half assed effort of the NBA.

If the NCAA goes to "bake sale" lengths and Jefferson Pilot broadcasts, perhaps we'll have "purer" student-athlete competition, but very few people will be watching that level of athlete.

Why not spin the logos, brands, etc of top college revenue sports off as pro franchises and stop fooling ourselves that "Nico really wanted to come play for UT because of the school......" and such. These guys are taking the next step in their goal to play with the best competition they can and maximize their income while doing it.

Yeah America!

you are ignoring the sport's history.

we had Jefferson Pilot broadcasts and there were still plenty of people watching. indeed most of the people who claim to love the sport would have started watching on Jefferson Pilot. It may not end up as good as it is today, but the sport would still a marketable, quality product.