Is college football on its way out?

[gamalielkid]

What I'm saying we all have to admit it now - its no longer Amateur football. It is professional - I really wonder now that is professional. - what is going to keep the true professional teams from drafting players right out of high school? Think about it. - why not? College football as I have known all of my life is officially over - its not because of the playoffs - I love that concept and wanted it for the last 30 plus years.

When players change teams every year to the highest bidder - the smaller schools lose out. How will teams like Western, Eastern, etc. survive? Every year their stars are going to be raided by the bigger schools. It used to be you could get to know the players - now the guy you love this year may be the guy you hate next season! You have no allegiance to a school now. It is truly professional. It may be easier to get good coaches at the college level - now too! Why, don;t worry about recruiting - except go to a school with huge sums of money to buy players- then buy your team every year. Everyone was laughing at Deion Sanders - now who is laughing? No reason to waste your time recruiting and developing - that is the past. Now you buy your team! I am very, very serious. College football is now truly a professional sport. It will be interesting to see how the fans react to this long term. You really have little reason to get excited about your team - unless you are one of the big guys now!

I was really upset at Coach Stoops and think we should have fired him or worked out a deal. Now, as I think about it. Why? Unless you hire a huge name as Coach who can bring lots of money with him - you are not going to win in college football. Its a new world and a new game. Enjoy the playoffs this year - it will be less and less fun as the players become more professional. I am going to give you another good example. This year everyone is raving about Indiana. They have a good coach for sure - but he brought his best players from his previous team and then raided other teams. I'm not saying he has a championship team - because he lucked out with a weak schedule. But in reality this is just the tip of the iceberg as to what we will be seeing every year from now on!

Go Big Blue! - Because that has always been my feelings - but it is fading very, very fast!

 

[HerrosHeroes]

It is at UK but we still have Basketball bay bay!!!

 

[JrandoUK]

It is at UK but we still have Basketball bay bay!!!

Yep, we sure got behind the 8 ball again with snail pace of embracing the NIL and mainly bad portal evaluations! Thus the sh-t show of a program we have now!!!

 

[KYExtemper]

I don't see how the current system is sustainable. But the courts have struck everything down. So unless the NCAA brokers some type of collective bargaining agreement with players, who would form a union, then I don't see a lot changing in the near term.

 

[Kybluedude]

Have been buying season tickets to attend Friday night High School football in my neighborhood. Enjoyable, fast and convenient.

 

[99firerock]

Anyone who couldn't see this coming, deserves this sh!t show...it wasn't hard to see. But, everyone wanted to pay the players...free college tuition and room and board wasn't enough, their making money off of the players...waa, waa, waa...

So, you're right. Who cares if we win or lose. Until this settles out and it is decided on what our payroll will be (which will decide the conference UK football plays in) the on field product doesn't really matter. Much like the NFL, fans are now paying for entertainment.

 

[satcheluk]

What I'm saying we all have to admit it now - its no longer Amateur football. It is professional - I really wonder now that is professional. - what is going to keep the true professional teams from drafting players right out of high school? Think about it. - why not? College football as I have known all of my life is officially over - its not because of the playoffs - I love that concept and wanted it for the last 30 plus years.

When players change teams every year to the highest bidder - the smaller schools lose out. How will teams like Western, Eastern, etc. survive? Every year their stars are going to be raided by the bigger schools. It used to be you could get to know the players - now the guy you love this year may be the guy you hate next season! You have no allegiance to a school now. It is truly professional. It may be easier to get good coaches at the college level - now too! Why, don;t worry about recruiting - except go to a school with huge sums of money to buy players- then buy your team every year. Everyone was laughing at Deion Sanders - now who is laughing? No reason to waste your time recruiting and developing - that is the past. Now you buy your team! I am very, very serious. College football is now truly a professional sport. It will be interesting to see how the fans react to this long term. You really have little reason to get excited about your team - unless you are one of the big guys now!

I was really upset at Coach Stoops and think we should have fired him or worked out a deal. Now, as I think about it. Why? Unless you hire a huge name as Coach who can bring lots of money with him - you are not going to win in college football. Its a new world and a new game. Enjoy the playoffs this year - it will be less and less fun as the players become more professional. I am going to give you another good example. This year everyone is raving about Indiana. They have a good coach for sure - but he brought his best players from his previous team and then raided other teams. I'm not saying he has a championship team - because he lucked out with a weak schedule. But in reality this is just the tip of the iceberg as to what we will be seeing every year from now on!

Go Big Blue! - Because that has always been my feelings - but it is fading very, very fast!

I didn’t read after the first paragraph, so am only taking issue with your ignorance of the NFL & drafting. The NFL can draft kids anytime they want. They could take them right out of HS. They don’t want young players, due to increased risk of them not panning out, hence the not eligible until after Jr year. So you believe now that they are getting NIL, the NFL would want to change that? I’d love to see your logic trail for that summation. They transfer the risk of players not developing to college football and they feel after Jr year they have enough data on the exceptional players.

 

[Bluesnky]

I’m sorry you feel this way. But, no. I don’t think it’s on the way out. At least not as currently constituted. I do think it’s possible that unionization could really damage the sport someday since “ownership” in college sports is very different than professional sports. But college sports could probably continue like this forever.

 

[gojvc]

I’m not sure why you’d bother if you’re a fan of someone like Washington State. Over $1M offer for their QB and still can’t keep him.

 

[K_TIME]

1. Overall college football ratings will probably start to decline eventually. I mean why follow your team if you stink but also your best players can be bought from the competition…..eventually viewership from those schools will decline and ratings will follow
2. Even with buying players…you will have to coach and scheme…it’s not just about money. Unfortunately. stoops has lost this and scheme and development have lost the ability and that is mostly our problem…not lack of talent

 

[tf4fun]

1. Overall college football ratings will probably start to decline eventually. I mean why follow your team if you stink but also your best players can be bought from the competition…..eventually viewership from those schools will decline and ratings will follow
2. Even with buying players…you will have to coach and scheme…it’s not just about money. Unfortunately. stoops has lost this and scheme and development have lost the ability and that is mostly our problem…not lack of talent

Scheme and development was 100% our problem.
But it's looking like we are going back to 3-9 4-8 level talent. Now both will be a problem! Can't believe he is getting away with this!

 

[Thecycle27]

The current market isn’t sustainable. Players are overpriced in regards to their actual on field production. The people that are deep in this world are saying the numbers are staggering. Schools and their boosters are panic mode. LSU is going to buy their way around Kelly. Kelly donated 1M to their NIL. FSU’s coach gave money back to get better players. It is insane.

 

[Girthang]

When you look at the comparable numbers in terms of revenue, the model we once knew is unsustainable and everyone in NCAA admin saw it coming. The team that beat Notre Dame this year had 23-25M in revenue last year, while ND had 255-259M. ND's program NETTED nearly double that of the school that beat them (44M). While that is a "look what one school can do, even without the money," it is also just one game. Looking at where NIU finished in their conference, that loss should have knocked ND out of any playoff contention weeks ago.

The SEC wants us where we have been, but not where we were this year. We need to be winning more than 6 games per year, period. It will be increasingly hard to do, once the teams from the MAC and SunBelt stop scheduling with the big conferences and break away to form a 3rd middle-tier division for their sports teams.

Those outside of the P5 have more say in this whole situation than they realize. I don't know if they'll have the courage to stand up to it. If they formed a separate association and took the FCS with them into it, I'd probably drop watching the P5 altogether. Not that interested in another poorly officiated sports-entertainment league like the NBA and NFL

 

[gamecockcat]

NIL and the transfer rule is gutting CFB fans, imo. It's very difficult to continue to ask fans to pony up more and more if your team simply doesn't have the resources to compete consistently.

At some point, the have-nots may just get sick and tired of spending millions for an inferior product. It wouldn't surprise me if those teams formed a new association that is much more regional like it was 30 years ago. For instance, IL, Purdue, IU, UK, UofL, Cincy, WVa, Vandy, VA, VaTech could be in a conference for football. Wouldn't have to spend millions on coaching staff and NIL. They'd play good, not elite, football, have a smaller TV deal. But it would be college football again, not JV NFL. The formation of more regional conferences could occur in all areas of the country. It's insane that Cal and Stanford are in the ACC and USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington are in the B10.

This era has sapped a portion of my enthusiasm, for sure. Throw in a few more years like this one at UK and I may become a fan of the big games.

 

[ManitouDan]

Yep , they are in the process of killing the golden goose . I care far less about college sports than I did 3-4 years ago . The only exception is Pope's Cats . GBB . But esp football , its downright goofy whats going on ... but the players have rights damn it , gotta get paid , make coin , blah blah blah . 100K plus in scholarship funds plus being treated like royalty just wasnt enough . I hope I live long enough to see it all crash and burn .

 

[Lost In FL]

I didn’t read after the first paragraph, so am only taking issue with your ignorance of the NFL & drafting. The NFL can draft kids anytime they want. They could take them right out of HS. They don’t want young players, due to increased risk of them not panning out, hence the not eligible until after Jr year. So you believe now that they are getting NIL, the NFL would want to change that? I’d love to see your logic trail for that summation. They transfer the risk of players not developing to college football and they feel after Jr year they have enough data on the exceptional players.

Doesn't the NFL have a rule about 3 years removed from HS?

 

[Girthang]

For instance, IL, Purdue, IU, UK, UofL, Cincy, WVa, Vandy, VA, VaTech could be in a conference for football. Wouldn't have to spend millions on coaching staff and NIL.

Sure, except the genie isnt going back into the bottle re:NIL. That money is still going to have to be spent to field a football team. Even Sac St is ponying up NIL for their football and other teams.

This era has sapped a portion of my enthusiasm, for sure. Throw in a few more years like this one at UK and I may become a fan of the big games.

I'm with you on all of this with a couple exceptions. I will likely go the opposite direction and be done with football altogether soon. Regardless of how UK is doing with it. Outcomes will become even more controlled than they have been and officiating will get much worse with the influence of gambling on the sport.

Within a year or two football will likely be the least of our concerns anyway, so it's not a big deal to me. The sport was never what I thought it was, and definitely never what it could be in terms of a sport and one with a level playing field. I learned that firsthand. More and more glad I didn't play longer than I did.

 

[Girthang]

Doesn't the NFL have a rule about 3 years removed from HS?

They're wrong about the NFL drafting anyone whenever they want regardless. It's not true.

 

[ManitouDan]

Saw a FB thread ( ??). about Texas Techs Micah Hudson's NIL demands ... it's like bad comedy . It must end . Cadillac SUVs , hotel rooms for 10 family members , bunch of other ridiculous demands

 

[BradleyCrawford08]

College athletics as a whole is trending into a downward spiral. The current system is totally unsustainable. The transfer portal without regulation will destroy interest for the average fan who has to keep up with an entire new roster every year. NIL demands are constantly changing and getting more expensive. Eligibility requirements are thrown out. You’re losing your core audience with this BS. Regulations need to put in place to balance it out but that will never happen since the courts will just strike anything down that contrasts with what the players want.

 

[Girthang]

Yep , they are in the process of killing the golden goose . I care far less about college sports than I did 3-4 years ago .

Same. For me it has more to do with the politics, the NCAA itself, the officiating, the fans, and the pay for play in recruiting. It's been on the downward trend for me since 2011.

But esp football , its downright goofy whats going on ... but the players have rights damn it , gotta get paid , make coin , blah blah blah . 100K plus in scholarship funds plus being treated like royalty just wasnt enough . I hope I live long enough to see it all crash and burn .

I can't really complain about the players getting what they can for themselves. It's capitalism.

I would feel very hypocritical to be against them making money, and I'm not against it. They should have ALWAYS been able to make money from their NIL, outside of their scholastic career. That's what has fkd this whole thing up. If the NCAA had separated true NIL from compensation many years ago, and allowed and made rules about the former, it would've prevented the issues that blew up in their faces since.

The greed and capriciousness of the NCAA admin got us here, and I can't see now why it wasn't on purpose. Just can't think they were caught unawares. They knew it was coming and refused to deal with it for a reason. They clearly LOVE a corruptible model for college athletics and it has to be about the money. Somehow someone somewhere in, through, or around the association and conference offices has to be profiting off of this model more than a well run, ethical league.

Now that the NCAA "amateur sports" model is completely destroyed, I expect a quick demise to the system, delayed only by the amount of profit that can be squeezed out of the remaining pulp. In the end this entire system will have to be govt supported to survive. I think the rest of us are not going to keep paying for it, but I may be giving people too much credit.

 

[Girthang]

Doesn't the NFL have a rule about 3 years removed from HS?

That's not the exact wording, and it's more of an NCAA rule than an NFL one, though it is a mutually agreed upon rule as beneficial to both parties. NCAA football players are not eligible for the draft until after 2 years of college (post HS). They can declare they are entering the draft at any point after that. They used to lose their eligibility as soon as they signed with or began being represented by an agent before the draft.

That's as best as I can recall

 

[Girthang]

Doesn't the NFL have a rule about 3 years removed from HS?

Yes. You are right. I was wrong. From the NFL website it says as much.

 

[Girthang]

"
To be eligible for the draft, players must have been out of high school for at least three years and must have used up their college eligibility before the start of the next college football season. Underclassmen and players who have graduated before using all their college eligibility may request the league’s approval to enter the draft early.


Players are draft-eligible only in the year after the end of their college eligibility.


Before the draft, NFL Player Personnel staff members confirm the eligibility of draft prospects; that means researching the college backgrounds of approximately 3,000 college players each year. They work with NCAA compliance departments at schools across the country to verify the information for all prospects. They also check the rosters of college all-star games to make sure that only draft-eligible players play in the games.


The Player Personnel staff also review all of the applications submitted by players who want to enter the draft early. Underclassmen have until seven days following the NCAA National Championship Game to declare their intentions to do so. For the 2017 NFL Draft, 106 undergraduates received NFL approval to enter the draft, as did 13 players who graduated without using up all their college eligibility."

-from NFL Operations

 

[gojvc]

Yep , they are in the process of killing the golden goose . I care far less about college sports than I did 3-4 years ago . The only exception is Pope's Cats . GBB . But esp football , its downright goofy whats going on ... but the players have rights damn it , gotta get paid , make coin , blah blah blah . 100K plus in scholarship funds plus being treated like royalty just wasnt enough . I hope I live long enough to see it all crash and burn .

FWIW, my solution is simple, I’ve quit spending money on it. I haven’t been to Commonwealth Stadium since 2020 or Rupp Arena since 2022. I have and will continue to contribute $0.00 to NIL. I’ll watch the games on TV until I don’t want to anymore, whenever that is (I’m already not watching all of them). Maybe it’s all a blessing in disguise. At 56 years old it’s probably time I focus more on more important things anyway.

 

[rick64]

Major D1 football is now basically the developmental league for the NFL.

 

[Girthang]

Major D1 football is now basically the developmental league for the NFL.

Exactly. And there's a reason why semi-pro leagues dissolved or were purchased/taken over by the leagues they fed. Know quite a few people that played in alternative leagues for money going all the way back to the early 1970s. They all had to have a real job to continue to play and still be independent financially.

That's the direction toward which this will inevitably flow, as it always has.

 

[Girthang]

FWIW, my solution is simple, I’ve quit spending money on it. I haven’t been to Commonwealth Stadium since 2020 or Rupp Arena since 2022. I have and will continue to contribute $0.00 to NIL. I’ll watch the games on TV until I don’t want to anymore, whenever that is (I’m already not watching all of them). Maybe it’s all a blessing in disguise. At 56 years old it’s probably time I focus more on more important things anyway.

The very foundation for spending money on college football was for the SPORT of it. That is why I loved college sports. That is why I played sports in school. It wasn't for money. It was because I loved the competition and the skills challenge. That is, in turn, why I loved to watch it. Thats why I spent money on watching it.

Eventually, we understand what it really is or has become, like everything else in life, and choose to continue or go a different path. Sometimes that path is chosen for us, and makes it even easier to walk away. This is one of those things.

I agree. Definitely a blessing for those willing to take hold of it.

 

[Chad Rock]

What I'm saying we all have to admit it now - its no longer Amateur football. It is professional - I really wonder now that is professional. - what is going to keep the true professional teams from drafting players right out of high school? Think about it. - why not? College football as I have known all of my life is officially over - its not because of the playoffs - I love that concept and wanted it for the last 30 plus years.

When players change teams every year to the highest bidder - the smaller schools lose out. How will teams like Western, Eastern, etc. survive? Every year their stars are going to be raided by the bigger schools. It used to be you could get to know the players - now the guy you love this year may be the guy you hate next season! You have no allegiance to a school now. It is truly professional. It may be easier to get good coaches at the college level - now too! Why, don;t worry about recruiting - except go to a school with huge sums of money to buy players- then buy your team every year. Everyone was laughing at Deion Sanders - now who is laughing? No reason to waste your time recruiting and developing - that is the past. Now you buy your team! I am very, very serious. College football is now truly a professional sport. It will be interesting to see how the fans react to this long term. You really have little reason to get excited about your team - unless you are one of the big guys now!

I was really upset at Coach Stoops and think we should have fired him or worked out a deal. Now, as I think about it. Why? Unless you hire a huge name as Coach who can bring lots of money with him - you are not going to win in college football. Its a new world and a new game. Enjoy the playoffs this year - it will be less and less fun as the players become more professional. I am going to give you another good example. This year everyone is raving about Indiana. They have a good coach for sure - but he brought his best players from his previous team and then raided other teams. I'm not saying he has a championship team - because he lucked out with a weak schedule. But in reality this is just the tip of the iceberg as to what we will be seeing every year from now on!

Go Big Blue! - Because that has always been my feelings - but it is fading very, very fast!

For me it is - 2022 was horrible, 2023 was below average and this year was nightmarish.

In another note, I’d like to see academic progress of these pro athletes after a few years of this nonsense. I cannot imagine that nil and the tp are increasing degree outputs for these hired free agents.

 

[gamecockcat]

Sure, except the genie isnt going back into the bottle re:NIL. That money is still going to have to be spent to field a football team. Even Sac St is ponying up NIL for their football and other teams.

You may be right. However, perhaps the new association will pay all players like work-study students (level playing field) or something along those lines. Plus, with less revenue from ESPN, et al, the new association teams would not have the NIL money to spend (I'm thinking MAC, Mtn West, etc. in today's world). Yes, the new association may end up being a feeder for the elite$, but that's sort of how it is now, anyway, right? It's unreasonable to expect Wake Forest, Rutgers, UK, Utah, Boise St, and many others to be able to compete in an NIL arms race. There just aren't enough stupid big dollar boosters to sustain that. So, does a UK stay on the cheap and win 3-4 games every year and basically run off all but the most diehard fans or do they accept NIL reality and decide to step down a bit and play college football at a much less expensive level and be competitive? It will be interesting to see for sure.

 

[katwest]

I don't like it and the older I'm getting the less interested I become. College football and basketball have always been my favorite sport, but with all of this NIL and highest bidder stuff going on, I do think they will be losing fans and interest in general. It's coming and this is what everybody was afraid of, only the rich survive. Our basketball program might survive it, but our football program will return to a bottom tier program in the SEC. Why doesn't our Burbon and Horse racing industry help out more than they do, I don't know if they do or not, but you never hear about it. I don't watch any pro sports now, although when I was growing up, I watched MLB, NFL and the NBA. college athletes always had a lot more than a regular student. A free education and all kinds of perks, this free agency thing with the NIL is making it a business and the fans are the ones that suffer by paying for outrageously high tickets and losing their best players to other teams, which will eventually hurt college football to the point of schools having to shut down their football programs.

 

[CRZ4UK]

FWIW, my solution is simple, I’ve quit spending money on it. I haven’t been to Commonwealth Stadium since 2020 or Rupp Arena since 2022. I have and will continue to contribute $0.00 to NIL. I’ll watch the games on TV until I don’t want to anymore, whenever that is (I’m already not watching all of them). Maybe it’s all a blessing in disguise. At 56 years old it’s probably time I focus more on more important things anyway.

We are about the same. I do attend games still. I do not contribute a dime to buy players directly. I must receive something for the money I spend. I have bought the Big blue beer. It donates to nil. I would never send money to buy players directly. To me that still feels like cheating. Buying your roster would not feel like winning fair and square. I just don’t understand the big boosters desire to buy a team. Do they really feel like they won that thing fair??
I have about 3 years left if they don’t fix this ish.

 

[Girthang]

I don't like it and the older I'm getting the less interested I become. College football and basketball have always been my favorite sport, but with all of this NIL and highest bidder stuff going on, I do think they will be losing fans and interest in general. It's coming and this is what everybody was afraid of, only the rich survive. Our basketball program might survive it, but our football program will return to a bottom tier program in the SEC. Why doesn't our Burbon and Horse racing industry help out more than they do, I don't know if they do or not, but you never hear about it. I don't watch any pro sports now, although when I was growing up, I watched MLB, NFL and the NBA. college athletes always had a lot more than a regular student. A free education and all kinds of perks, this free agency thing with the NIL is making it a business and the fans are the ones that suffer by paying for outrageously high tickets and losing their best players to other teams, which will eventually hurt college football to the point of schools having to shut down their football programs.

Agree with much of this. Unfortunately the "free education " is worth as much as the price. The degrees just aren't worth what they used to be. It's like the difference between treats we got as a kid vs what they've become these days.

I remember when a chocolate bar didnt taste like chocolate flavored plastic and wax, but when you grow up with the taste of plastic and wax as a big part of every chocolate bar... you just don't know any better.

Our bourbon and horse industries are more international than regional now. They make most of their money outside of KY and don't seem that interested in spending it here. I'd guess that most of the money invested in the industry came from outside KY as well.

We love them as brands, but they're about the numbers. Why spend money on sports teams when people will drink their product anyway? Especially when the ROI isn't there... I'd love to see Buffalo Trace or Makers Mark sponsor the stadium and some athletes, but I don't see that happening

We really shot ourselves in the assets running tobacco out of here. Said that when moved here. Why the fk would you buy out KY farmers for pennies on the acre, when they're just going to get it from somewhere else anyway? Freaking STUPID. Not that they were spending as much on sports and the community, but it really has hurt our economy as a state.

 

[sieken]

I just saw an interview on CNBC talking about investment firms buying college athletic programs at some point in the future. The thought is that the sports portion of the school will be put in an investment type vehicle that can be bought. That sounds like that will really get the competitive juices flowing for the average fan.

My opinion, if this model holds, inside of five years there won't be much interest in college sports, outside of the minor sports where the spirit of competition still exists, volleyball, women's basketball, baseball, etc.

 

[Bluesnky]

There’s a lot of “just wait and see it’s all going to collapse” amidst increasing tv ratings for college football. I’m pretty skeptical.

 

[sieken]

There’s a lot of “just wait and see it’s all going to collapse” amidst increasing tv ratings for college football. I’m pretty skeptical.

Not saying you are incorrect but when you talk to people about sports, do they seem to like this new landscape or complain about it? It's been my experience when talking sports with people, it's almost unanimous they don't like it, the exception is when their team buys a perceived stud player. I work with a few OSU and Michigan fans. The second part for me is the playoff this year, I'm not carving out any time for these early games, if nothing is going on, I'll watch, if something comes up, I don't mind missing them.

 

[Deeeefense]

Doesn't the NFL have a rule about 3 years removed from HS?

yes

 

[Tskware]

They have even F'ed up the playoffs, which talking heads have been clamoring about for years as the be all and cure all for college football. Arizona State is one of the top 4 seeds but has lost TWELVE players to the portal so far. That is 15% of their roster, and they still have potentially three games left in the season. SMU's coach said the attempted poaching/recruiting by other teams with money of their current roster is constant. It is beyond insane.

 

[Bluesnky]

Not saying you are incorrect but when you talk to people about sports, do they seem to like this new landscape or complain about it? It's been my experience when talking sports with people, it's almost unanimous they don't like it, the exception is when their team buys a perceived stud player. I work with a few OSU and Michigan fans. The second part for me is the playoff this year, I'm not carving out any time for these early games, if nothing is going on, I'll watch, if something comes up, I don't mind missing them.

They don’t like it but I have been listening to people complain about money in sports my entire life. This isn’t anything new. Could college football become a shell of its former self like NASCAR? Anything is possible but I don’t see any evidence of it at this point.

 

[ManitouDan]

FWIW, my solution is simple, I’ve quit spending money on it. I haven’t been to Commonwealth Stadium since 2020 or Rupp Arena since 2022. I have and will continue to contribute $0.00 to NIL. I’ll watch the games on TV until I don’t want to anymore, whenever that is (I’m already not watching all of them). Maybe it’s all a blessing in disguise. At 56 years old it’s probably time I focus more on more important things anyway.

Exactly where I am .. no more season tix in football . No way , I’m not falling for it . ( the social Media hype train )