[Mick]

Hard to separate conference realignment, NIL, liberalized transfer rules, and the soon to be full discarding of the idea of a "student athlete" for "employee athlete" but all of them are a reflection of the same thing... collegiate athletics has become all about the money (for the athletes, the schools, the coaches, and the television networks) , and not at all about the college.  If I wanted to watch minor league professional sports, I would have started going to San Jose Giants games.

Last year was a major step back in my interest in collegiate athletics in general and Stanford in specific, and the move to the ACC just cements my apathy.  I'll go to an occasional volleyball match or two, and being who I am, I'm sure I will get caught up in some sports' storybook season, but I would no longer describe myself as a fan in the traditional sense.

It's a little sad, but it's also ok.

BC

Good post, BC. I feel similar...at least until Stanford generates a turnaround in football or men's basketball...or for me, men's volleyball. Then I'll likely return. But my enthusiasm isn't what it once was.

What I liked about college sports is that I used to know and see the athletes. I played against John Paye and Ron Rivera in high school. I took classes with some of the athletes, I played against the future GC of Apple. That personal element is diminished, it seems.

Just an odd thought...I imagine the bulk of Notre Dame fans have no issue with the transition, given that the majority of them didn't attend ND anyway.

[Mick]

Hard to separate conference realignment, NIL, liberalized transfer rules, and the soon to be full discarding of the idea of a "student athlete" for "employee athlete" but all of them are a reflection of the same thing... collegiate athletics has become all about the money (for the athletes, the schools, the coaches, and the television networks) , and not at all about the college.  If I wanted to watch minor league professional sports, I would have started going to San Jose Giants games.

Last year was a major step back in my interest in collegiate athletics in general and Stanford in specific, and the move to the ACC just cements my apathy.  I'll go to an occasional volleyball match or two, and being who I am, I'm sure I will get caught up in some sports' storybook season, but I would no longer describe myself as a fan in the traditional sense.

It's a little sad, but it's also ok.

BC

Good post, BC. I feel similar...at least until Stanford generates a turnaround in football or men's basketball...or for me, men's volleyball. Then I'll likely return. But my enthusiasm isn't what it once was.

What I liked about college sports is that I used to know and see the athletes. I played against John Paye and Ron Rivera in high school. I took classes with some of the athletes, I played against the future GC of Apple. That personal element is diminished, it seems.

Just an odd thought...I imagine the bulk of Notre Dame fans have no issue with the transition, given that the majority of them didn't attend ND anyway.