[Spiny_Norman]

This whole mess is a potent reminder about how much damage to college sports has been done by the NIL and portal nonsense. Way to turn undergraduate sports into an industry, with athletes rented as mercenaries and team loyalry becoming a charade. Whoever is responsible for this pathetic mess should be pilloried and ostracized.

In terms of popularity, college sports overall (including women's sports) has never been as big as it is now.

The athletes are doing better than ever. More teams in D1 in the most popular sports, more opportunity for a college scholarship, more money for the athletes. Athletes have access to the best coaching, nutrition, strength and conditioning, medical care. College graduation rate for athletes is at a record high according to the NCAA. https://www.ncaa.org/news/2023/12/6/medi...highs.aspx

So for a lot of people and businesses (ESPN, Fox, CBS), the NIL/unlimited transfer era has been a good thing.

It has not been a good thing for me as a Stanford fan and likely you as well. It's frustrating to watch and cheer for Stanford athletes, some of whom become All Americans and national champions, who then leave for other schools. This has happened in sports across the board - football, baseball, wrestling, swimming, basketball.

It has not been a good thing for coaches. Their absolute power is eroding. Their role as teacher is shrinking. They have to recruit practically their entire roster all over every season. As Tara said in her retirement press conference, it's an exhausting, 24x7 job.

And all of this may come crashing down soon if Athletic Departments start axing sports left and right because of financial pressure.

But for now, we should recognize that there are others in the world of college sports who are benefiting from the current environment and don't see it as the cusp of doomsday.

[Spiny_Norman]

This whole mess is a potent reminder about how much damage to college sports has been done by the NIL and portal nonsense. Way to turn undergraduate sports into an industry, with athletes rented as mercenaries and team loyalry becoming a charade. Whoever is responsible for this pathetic mess should be pilloried and ostracized.

In terms of popularity, college sports overall (including women's sports) has never been as big as it is now.

The athletes are doing better than ever. More teams in D1 in the most popular sports, more opportunity for a college scholarship, more money for the athletes. Athletes have access to the best coaching, nutrition, strength and conditioning, medical care. College graduation rate for athletes is at a record high according to the NCAA. https://www.ncaa.org/news/2023/12/6/medi...highs.aspx

So for a lot of people and businesses (ESPN, Fox, CBS), the NIL/unlimited transfer era has been a good thing.

It has not been a good thing for me as a Stanford fan and likely you as well. It's frustrating to watch and cheer for Stanford athletes, some of whom become All Americans and national champions, who then leave for other schools. This has happened in sports across the board - football, baseball, wrestling, swimming, basketball.

It has not been a good thing for coaches. Their absolute power is eroding. Their role as teacher is shrinking. They have to recruit practically their entire roster all over every season. As Tara said in her retirement press conference, it's an exhausting, 24x7 job.

And all of this may come crashing down soon if Athletic Departments start axing sports left and right because of financial pressure.

But for now, we should recognize that there are others in the world of college sports who are benefiting from the current environment and don't see it as the cusp of doomsday.