What do you see college sports being ten years from now.

[Swimcat20]

I know I’m just speculating, but I see college sports,as a whole,evolving into a very different model. It’s going come down to the have and have nots. The schools that are unable to raise the vast sums of money it will take to compete will break away and form their own organization. Who is going to be able to compete against Ohio State, Georgia, Alabama, Texas with the vast arsenal of millions of dollars they’ll be raising every year to buy the best players and coaches. The have nots will break away and just not schedule the perennial powers. A new organization other than the NCAA will be their governing body.

 

[sieken]

I'm going to get a little philosophical. I think society is getting a little fed up with the ME society, where too many people consider all things about themselves before ever considering the effect it may have on others. I think colleges have to thread a needle to keep fans engaged and caring about college sports. I don't blame athletes for wanting to share in the wealth, I think that would be most peoples desire. However, when they put all things about themselves before anything about the university they are playing for, they risk collapsing the house of cards.

 

[BlueTick2]

I'm going to get a little philosophical. I think society is getting a little fed up with the ME society, where too many people consider all things about themselves before ever considering the effect it may have on others. I think colleges have to thread a needle to keep fans engaged and caring about college sports. I don't blame athletes for wanting to share in the wealth, I think that would be most peoples desire. However, when they put all things about themselves before anything about the university they are playing for, they risk collapsing the house of cards.

This ^
I think a lot of fans will lose interest.
Some powerhouse programs with big bucks will remain popular.
Loyalty to schools and loyalty to players seems to be going downhill fast.

 

[bigbluedon]

I am a fan who has lost interest . Agree with Sieken. I will take it a step farther. I don’t think there will be college sports in 10 years. NIL has ruined everything, along with dumb rules by the NCAA.

 

[K_TIME]

Appears to be going the way of MLB....dominated by teams with resources to buy best rosters to which fans in smaller markets not only follow their hometown teams with less passion....but the interest in baseball all the way around drops precipitously.

So, I used to watch UK football and college football in general.....now I find myself watching less and less other games.

I see the same for college sports in general.

 

[JDHoss]

Ten years from now? It won't be ten years. We're almost there now, but the current product won't be sustainable for anyone. Not even a Texas or whoever.

 

[Grumpyolddawg]

I think we will end up with a super division of only a handful of teams that are capable of producing 25-30m NIL per year. The football schools with huge football crazy alumni like Mich and OSU, 4-5 of the Texas schools, Oklahoma maybe, Oregon if Knight leaves paer of his estate to keep it going, ND maybe. Then I think there will be a large division that will include most of the P4 teams left and maybe some group teams.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

Appears to be going the way of MLB....dominated by teams with resources to buy best rosters to which fans in smaller markets not only follow their hometown teams with less passion....but the interest in baseball all the way around drops precipitously.

So, I used to watch UK football and college football in general.....now I find myself watching less and less other games.

I see the same for college sports in general.

College football has always been dominated by the same group of teams so the NIL era doesn't change much to me as a viewing fan overall.

 

[bthaunert]

I think the biggest change we will see is big time football breaking away from all other sports. Football will no longer be a part of a traditional conference while all other sports remain in traditional conferences.

 

[gamalielkid]

I know I’m just speculating, but I see college sports,as a whole,evolving into a very different model. It’s going come down to the have and have nots. The schools that are unable to raise the vast sums of money it will take to compete will break away and form their own organization. Who is going to be able to compete against Ohio State, Georgia, Alabama, Texas with the vast arsenal of millions of dollars they’ll be raising every year to buy the best players and coaches. The have nots will break away and just not schedule the perennial powers. A new organization other than the NCAA will be their governing body.

The only thing I know is that my interest has been going down the last couple of years in college football and basketball. I have had a love of UK football and followed it since I started at as a student at UK. I followed loved and followed basketball from the time I could listen to games on the radio.

I went to football games when we weren't competitive and it was fun - why - because the fans at the games were UK fans also. Then we started winning and it was really fun. Alas - we dropped back on really hard times - but I kept going. Then it became clear UK wasn't supporting football - and that made it hard to support the program. Finally, UK made a commitment to the game - thanks to the efforts of Coach Rich Brooks and his influence. Kentucky fans should always be thankful for Coach Brooks! I didn't really appreciate him until Joker became coach. I loved Joker as an assistant and as a UK football alum - but he was a product of the "peter principle". I don't hate Joker and still want him to succeed - he was just not head coach material.

Finally we hired a football "blue collar" guy. Another good guy - a good coach, but not a great coach. I want to say this about being great - there are really very very few great football coaches! So, this is not to tear down Coach Stoops - he is a good coach. Problem with Coach Stoops is he built our expectations and then broke many of our hearts with the Texas A & M fiasco. Can I blame him - NO! He wanted to succeed and is/was at the highest point of his career - it was now or never. I have been very hard on Coach Stoops - because I am a Kentuckian and a Kentucky alum. He is Neither! He is a football coach - and a successful one. But he is not a great coach.

Our future in football will be determined by who becomes our next head coach. Will we find a great coach - doubtful - but we can find a good coach and one who loves UK. I think everyone who follows UK football knows who that person is - he is our great hope in my opinion.

I say all of this because only the schools with great coaches and traditions are probably going to succeed in this NIL era - so what do I think will happen in 10 years? UK will still be a member of the SEC. UK will be scratching to get into the top half - but the odds are it will probably never happen. But it is up to the younger fans to decide what UK will become - my time for that has past.

Go Big Blue!

 

[gamecockcat]

Minor league NFL. 32 teams in 'big time' CFB become farms teams for an NFL team. Every other school in D1 goes back to 63 scholarships, no NIL, regional rivals and conference affiliations, etc.

 

[gamecockcat]

^I don't really think that will happen, but, honestly, I'd be fine with it. At least, CFB would be a bit more level playing field and not all about paying players, coaches making $10M, ticket prices out of control, transfer portal, etc.

 

[billoliver40]

In a decade at the present rate I think we see college teams divided out as official farm teams for the NFL and NBA. Players will be signed to three year contract with an option for two mor for development or injury reason, and can be traded at any time for development at another school.
The professional teams will take over cost of students as developmental cost, and at contracts end will determine to promote or release.

 

[Tskware]

College football has always been dominated by the same group of teams so the NIL era doesn't change much to me as a viewing fan overall.

Yes in general you are correct, but NIL + transfer portal is a big difference from years past. Now, not only do the traditional powers have all the recruiting and population advantages they have always enjoyed, they now have a big money advantage and even if a smaller school manages to cobble together a decent team, a bigger school is likely to buy their best players the next year. It is happening all the time now.

SEC has always been top heavy but Northwestern did win the B10 in the 90s, and ten years later, Wake Forest won the ACC, TCU has won the B12 in recent years, even Washington State played in the Rose Bowl in the 90s, and Ga Tech won half the NC in 1990 (I think). I think those kind of stories will be a lot less likely to happen in the future.

But maybe I will be proven wrong.

 

[bluecoon1]

If there’s a breakaway, say 25-30 teams which is probably high, the scheduling will be interesting. It won’t be like the giants beating up on eight conference foes. I guess I’m saying would Ohio State scheduling UK be the same as us scheduling an FCS school right now?

 

[rick64]

Major team sports will be basically semi pro. You could argue it already is and has been due to the money under the table.

 

[maysvilleky]

Could go the European soccer model. Colleges split up by tiers. You can play yourself into or out of a tier.

 

[Girthang]

I know I’m just speculating, but I see college sports,as a whole,evolving into a very different model. It’s going come down to the have and have nots. The schools that are unable to raise the vast sums of money it will take to compete will break away and form their own organization. Who is going to be able to compete against Ohio State, Georgia, Alabama, Texas with the vast arsenal of millions of dollars they’ll be raising every year to buy the best players and coaches. The have nots will break away and just not schedule the perennial powers. A new organization other than the NCAA will be their governing body.

I lost a lot of interest in the product this year. UK games are one thing. Some SEC games were must watch for me still. But the rest of it didn't hit the way it used to. Watching teams with weak to weaker schedules make the playoff was what I thought it would be- uninteresting and a farce.

It's much easier to win in a playoff without the injuries that proliferate with intense competition every week.

Two things always been the problem for the SEC.

Game film- there is little left to the imagination for any program heading into the post-season. Even the best SEC teams have to reveal their entire playbook to get through the gauntlet, while most of the country can coast with 1/2 of their playbook revealed. Oregon didn't have to show much to run rampant through their schedule. Same goes for the rest.

Injuries- if you played Alabama, Georgia, UT, Ole Miss, or Texas during the season, you played a playoff game. I'd venture even UF, LSU, and others would've given any non-SEC playoff team a tough game if not a straight up loss if they played halfway through the regular season or in the playoff. Playing at that level regularly takes a big toll that no other conference has to pay.

It's the SEC member's own fault though. They knew this was coming and didn't prepare for it or try to influence it enough. Being able to buy a team helped both Texas AND OSU last year, and it will continue to give teams the advantage to make the playoffs going forward. Weaker conference schedules will allow the B1G and others to have a greater shot at the title than any SEC school will have.

It will continue to make the real title game the SEC Championship.

 

[Tskware]

I lost a lot of interest in the product this year. UK games are one thing. Some SEC games were must watch for me still. But the rest of it didn't hit the way it used to. Watching teams with weak to weaker schedules make the playoff was what I thought it would be- uninteresting and a farce.

It's much easier to win in a playoff without the injuries that proliferate with intense competition every week.

Two things always been the problem for the SEC.

Game film- there is little left to the imagination for any program heading into the post-season. Even the best SEC teams have to reveal their entire playbook to get through the gauntlet, while most of the country can coast with 1/2 of their playbook revealed. Oregon didn't have to show much to run rampant through their schedule. Same goes for the rest.

Injuries- if you played Alabama, Georgia, UT, Ole Miss, or Texas during the season, you played a playoff game. I'd venture even UF, LSU, and others would've given any non-SEC playoff team a tough game if not a straight up loss if they played halfway through the regular season or in the playoff. Playing at that level regularly takes a big toll that no other conference has to pay.

It's the SEC member's own fault though. They knew this was coming and didn't prepare for it or try to influence it enough. Being able to buy a team helped both Texas AND OSU last year, and it will continue to give teams the advantage to make the playoffs going forward. Weaker conference schedules will allow the B1G and others to have a greater shot at the title than any SEC school will have.

It will continue to make the real title game the SEC Championship.

Sounds like you think everyone else plays two hand touch football. Got it.

 

[truebluewildcat]

Generally speaking I think it’s pretty clear 40 programs have evolved into something totally different.

I think those programs will all but split.

Probably won’t be a total separation. As in a spin-off of said programs into some sort of entity separate from collegiate athletics. No school or state is going to allow that.

However I do think we could see a split in the form of those programs kind of mingling more amongst themselves via expanding reg season schedule, expanding playoffs, and dropping puff OOCs for bigger better marquee match ups.

I think it is going to be more interesting to see what the other 90 FBS programs do. When do they start making their own plans and say “you know what we’re out. We can’t compete in any regard on or off the field.”

They essentially fall back to a more traditional collegiate athletic structure. Start their own Championship format.

 

[OolaBox]

Great