Conference Realignment

[stinger78]

Why does it matter to anyone if the Colorado quarterback has a Rolls Royce? If he wasn't playing football and his dad bought it for him would it still make you upset? College football is loaded with money now. How many more people watched Auburn in 2010 to see Cam Newton play? How many more people watched Florida in the late 2000s to see Tebow play? How many people watched Clemson games in the late 2010s to see Trevor Lawrence play? I am asking about people who had no interest in Auburn, Florida, nor Clemson, but watched those games to see those specific players. Those players made extra money for ESPN, extra money for the announcers, and extra money for Auburn/Florida/Clemson based on their name, and video image.



From what I can find, in 1982 only two Auburn football games were televised. This year, unless the FCS game was streaming only, every game will be televised. It is a different world in college athletics.

That college football is loaded with money now is THE problem.

 

[RonJohn]

That college football is loaded with money now is THE problem.

I agree with that. There are many people however who think that nothing is wrong with the money in college football, as long as the players don't have access to any of it. If the same money exists, and college players can't afford to order a pizza, all is good. If that money exists and a player can own a nice car, the system has been wrecked. In my opinion, the college system has been wrecked since at least the 90s, but people have been wearing blinders to it.

 

[Vespidae]

I agree with that. There are many people however who think that nothing is wrong with the money in college football, as long as the players don't have access to any of it. If the same money exists, and college players can't afford to order a pizza, all is good. If that money exists and a player can own a nice car, the system has been wrecked. In my opinion, the college system has been wrecked since at least the 90s, but people have been wearing blinders to it.

Has it been wrecked? I dunno. The same top 30 teams today are the same as 30 years ago.

I heard yesterday that in the pros, 38% of teams regularly make the playoffs and that college teams feel likewise... if they commit more, they should get more.

Dollars. I think in terms of if $192 million, what would that do to campus infrastructure, education, investment, etc. The numbers today are mind blowing in size.

Will I be there Saturday? Sure. Will I donate? No.

 

[stinger78]

I agree with that. There are many people however who think that nothing is wrong with the money in college football, as long as the players don't have access to any of it. If the same money exists, and college players can't afford to order a pizza, all is good. If that money exists and a player can own a nice car, the system has been wrecked. In my opinion, the college system has been wrecked since at least the 90s, but people have been wearing blinders to it.

College athletes have been rwceiving COA for over a decade now. That is in addition to the free degree and all the associated perks. Well in the 6-figures over 4 years, plus the degree itself for life. But we see now how valued that is.

 

[RonJohn]

College athletes have been rwceiving COA for over a decade now. That is in addition to the free degree and all the associated perks. Well in the 6-figures over 4 years, plus the degree itself for life. But we see now how valued that is.

The degree? GT has been pushing athletes to get degrees and to make personal decisions that affect them for the rest of their lives, regardless of their athletic performance for decades. I have talked to players from the early 80s tell me that Curry pushed them as hard in life as he did in football. UNC had fake degrees. How did those help their football players? The mutts were caught in the early 80s giving fake grades to football players. How does that help them later in life? Alabama has recruited players and cut them purely based on athletic performance since at least the 60s. How does that benefit those athletes?

NCAA football has not been following the amateur collegiate model for decades. The only rules to keep things operating as an amateur organization were related to the players. Like I said earlier, many people happily overlooked all of the issues with college athletics, until players started making money. If people had been adamant about maintaining an amateur spirit to college football for the past 50 years, we would not be in the place where we are now with respect to athletes being paid. We also wouldn't have $80 million dollar student athlete performance centers, $175 million indoor football practice facilities, $13 million per year coach's salaries, nor would we have every single college football game televised. People are now offended that players want to be paid, but should have been offended at the way "amateur collegeiate" football has been run for the last 40-50 years. If people had been offended at the move away from running college football under an amateur athletic model to running it as a business, we would not be in the position we are in today.

 

[Vespidae]

The degree? GT has been pushing athletes to get degrees and to make personal decisions that affect them for the rest of their lives, regardless of their athletic performance for decades. I have talked to players from the early 80s tell me that Curry pushed them as hard in life as he did in football. UNC had fake degrees. How did those help their football players? The mutts were caught in the early 80s giving fake grades to football players. How does that help them later in life? Alabama has recruited players and cut them purely based on athletic performance since at least the 60s. How does that benefit those athletes?

NCAA football has not been following the amateur collegiate model for decades. The only rules to keep things operating as an amateur organization were related to the players. Like I said earlier, many people happily overlooked all of the issues with college athletics, until players started making money. If people had been adamant about maintaining an amateur spirit to college football for the past 50 years, we would not be in the place where we are now with respect to athletes being paid. We also wouldn't have $80 million dollar student athlete performance centers, $175 million indoor football practice facilities, $13 million per year coach's salaries, nor would we have every single college football game televised. People are now offended that players want to be paid, but should have been offended at the way "amateur collegeiate" football has been run for the last 40-50 years. If people had been offended at the move away from running college football under an amateur athletic model to running it as a business, we would not be in the position we are in today.

Mostly true. The only solution now is for universities to pay students to attend. That would level the playing field.