I guess I need to lose interest
Just to add a few things to your value consideration - first athletes get put to the front of the line for admission to universities that can be life changing admissions. Not talking about the 20 or so that may go to the NBA but the thousands that get to the head of the line at all institutions including the Ivies. Second, if it was all about the players then the G League would be blowing the NCAA basketball games out of the water ratings wise as the talent in the G League is the stars of the college game. People watch due to their attachment to the university and attraction to the college "experience".
If you want to jigger things to give "something" more to athletes then OK. If you want a full professional model then I guess I do need to go away. And FWIW most reasonable analysis I have seen say there are a very small group of athletes in college that move the needle or create value themselves but the vast majority are just part of the process and already way more than adequately compensated.
The con to my argument - and the thing that honestly pisses me off - is the tact the NCAA and especially its member institutions/conferences have taken the tact that they should attempt to maximize every dollar they can get which has simply gone into coaches/administrator salaries and a way over the top facility arms race. I don't have a good answer to the dichotomy here. Other than making athletes in college "professionals" pisses me off even more.