[teejers1]

Instead, the NCAA was forced to allowed NIL money, and that is never going away.  It has the transfer portal and that is never going away. Now, all it needs is one  case by a player who "had to take an NIL deal the school arranged for me because the school wouldn't pay me directly, and fulfilling the NIL deal obligations compromised the time I had to spend on improving my academic performance."  When that happens, the NCAA will lose that case too, and be told schools have to pay the athletes and stop with arranging others to do it for them. Then the NCAA will ask how they are suppose to do that, and the courts will say that is your problem, figure it out. The NLRB has already said it will now classify college athletes as employees. https://www.nlrb.gov/news-outreach/news-...-status-of

I don't think you're hypothetical case will materialize because NIL is literally "free money."  These kids are getting the equivalent of cash stuffed in their helmets during "The Walk."  They don't do anything for their NIL monies, other than being (a) enrolled at donor's preferred school, and (b) on the team.  I've always imagined the case percolating through the courts would be a disgruntled player who DOESN'T have an NIL deal and views tuition, room, and board as insufficient compensation for an "employee."

Again, the answer is (a) NFL D-League, (b) more regulation (including on coaching salaries), not less, and © less mandatory time for student-athletes to spend on their collegiate sport with enforcement of same.  If the NFL views such as non-beneficial to the growth/excellence of their future employees, then that may incentivize the them to actually establish their own D-League where aspiring footballers can spend "full time" on that "job."

Make the distinction between NCAA football and pro football more real; and reserve collegiate sports for those who want to play collegiate sports and all that entails.  I think everyone would be surprised how just fine college sports would be in this "pared back" universe.  And the NFL would be fine, too.

[teejers1]

Instead, the NCAA was forced to allowed NIL money, and that is never going away.  It has the transfer portal and that is never going away. Now, all it needs is one  case by a player who "had to take an NIL deal the school arranged for me because the school wouldn't pay me directly, and fulfilling the NIL deal obligations compromised the time I had to spend on improving my academic performance."  When that happens, the NCAA will lose that case too, and be told schools have to pay the athletes and stop with arranging others to do it for them. Then the NCAA will ask how they are suppose to do that, and the courts will say that is your problem, figure it out. The NLRB has already said it will now classify college athletes as employees. https://www.nlrb.gov/news-outreach/news-...-status-of

I don't think you're hypothetical case will materialize because NIL is literally "free money."  These kids are getting the equivalent of cash stuffed in their helmets during "The Walk."  They don't do anything for their NIL monies, other than being (a) enrolled at donor's preferred school, and (b) on the team.  I've always imagined the case percolating through the courts would be a disgruntled player who DOESN'T have an NIL deal and views tuition, room, and board as insufficient compensation for an "employee."

Again, the answer is (a) NFL D-League, (b) more regulation (including on coaching salaries), not less, and © less mandatory time for student-athletes to spend on their collegiate sport with enforcement of same.  If the NFL views such as non-beneficial to the growth/excellence of their future employees, then that may incentivize the them to actually establish their own D-League where aspiring footballers can spend "full time" on that "job."

Make the distinction between NCAA football and pro football more real; and reserve collegiate sports for those who want to play collegiate sports and all that entails.  I think everyone would be surprised how just fine college sports would be in this "pared back" universe.  And the NFL would be fine, too.