Paying athletes....

[coloradocat]

So how long before MSU Rodeo can be reinstituted as an NCAA sport, not a Club Sport? Seems like this opens the door back up for this, seeing as how - in my recollection - the main reason Rodeo turned into a club sport was because most of the athletes were on the NRA or PRCA circuit and making money rodeoing during the summers. Or is this a separate issue? Honestly don't know, anyone have any idea?

What would the benefits be of making it an NCAA sport?

[Cataholic]

Wow. This is going to ruin college football. A kid like TA will be noticed in his freshman year and would be crazy to not consider big dollars at a larger school.

https://sports.yahoo.com/nick-saban-say ... 20170.html

The NIL isn't going to change how players are noticed and all due respect to TA, but his accolades likely wouldn't be the same playing at Bama. Big fish in a small pond or just a fish in a big pond

Not saying that he would get a million, but any recruit (high school or FCS) will be lured by the potential of big dollars. And keep in mind that Jabril Cox left NDSU for LSU and parlayed that into the NFL. I expect he would have probably received more NIL money at LSU than at NDSU. Good performers at FCS will be looking to “move up” with a chance to make money. Even G5 players will get cherry picked by bigger programs. The portal and NIL has essentially created a free agency system.

[Cataholic]

Wow. This is going to ruin college football. A kid like TA will be noticed in his freshman year and would be crazy to not consider big dollars at a larger school.

https://sports.yahoo.com/nick-saban-say ... 20170.html

That would be awesome for Troy or any other player to use the free market to enrich themselves.

I am okay with our athletes making a dollar. However, this will hurt schools in any lower divisions, such as FCS and including G5 schools.

[coloradocat]

Wow. This is going to ruin college football. A kid like TA will be noticed in his freshman year and would be crazy to not consider big dollars at a larger school.

https://sports.yahoo.com/nick-saban-say ... 20170.html

That would be awesome for Troy or any other player to use the free market to enrich themselves.

I am okay with our athletes making a dollar. However, this will hurt schools in any lower divisions, such as FCS and including G5 schools.

How will this hurt them? The players still have to play. Schools are still only going to offer kids that they think can help them on the field, whether it's out of high school or through the portal.

It may become a tiebreaker for the players when choosing between schools at the same level but it's not like a bunch of Montana kids are all the sudden going to get FBS offers because those schools have more NIL opportunities. It's just one more element of inter-level competition.

TA didn't transfer after his freshman year (or sophomore or junior year) not because Boise St wasn't able to throw money at him but because they didn't pass any hints his way that they'd have a spot for him.

It's not the end times for FCS football. It's just one more thing for us to talk about here!

[AFCAT]

Wow. This is going to ruin college football. A kid like TA will be noticed in his freshman year and would be crazy to not consider big dollars at a larger school.

https://sports.yahoo.com/nick-saban-say ... 20170.html

That would be awesome for Troy or any other player to use the free market to enrich themselves.

I am okay with our athletes making a dollar. However, this will hurt schools in any lower divisions, such as FCS and including G5 schools.

I don't think it will hurt lower tier schools that much, but so what if it does. America is all about making a buck. If these athletes want to sell their talents to the highest bidder, then that sounds very American to me. I heard these same arguments when Olympic athletes were finally able to make money from sponsors and get paid for what they do. Sure, some things will change but I doubt MSU football or lower tier schools will be hurt that badly. If Troy Andersen thought he could get better sponsor deals by moving on to Alabama this year, then rock on Troy! Go capitalism!

[Cataholic]

Wow. This is going to ruin college football. A kid like TA will be noticed in his freshman year and would be crazy to not consider big dollars at a larger school.

https://sports.yahoo.com/nick-saban-say ... 20170.html

That would be awesome for Troy or any other player to use the free market to enrich themselves.

I am okay with our athletes making a dollar. However, this will hurt schools in any lower divisions, such as FCS and including G5 schools.

I don't think it will hurt lower tier schools that much, but so what if it does. America is all about making a buck. If these athletes want to sell their talents to the highest bidder, then that sounds very American to me. I heard these same arguments when Olympic athletes were finally able to make money from sponsors and get paid for what they do. Sure, some things will change but I doubt MSU football or lower tier schools will be hurt that badly. If Troy Andersen thought he could get better sponsor deals by moving on to Alabama this year, then rock on Troy! Go capitalism!

I think you just contradicted yourself. You say it wouldn’t hurt lower schools, but then you use an example of TA going to Alabama. I am pretty sure that would be a major blow to MSU.

[Cataholic]

Wow. This is going to ruin college football. A kid like TA will be noticed in his freshman year and would be crazy to not consider big dollars at a larger school.

https://sports.yahoo.com/nick-saban-say ... 20170.html

That would be awesome for Troy or any other player to use the free market to enrich themselves.

I am okay with our athletes making a dollar. However, this will hurt schools in any lower divisions, such as FCS and including G5 schools.

How will this hurt them? The players still have to play. Schools are still only going to offer kids that they think can help them on the field, whether it's out of high school or through the portal.

It may become a tiebreaker for the players when choosing between schools at the same level but it's not like a bunch of Montana kids are all the sudden going to get FBS offers because those schools have more NIL opportunities. It's just one more element of inter-level competition.

TA didn't transfer after his freshman year (or sophomore or junior year) not because Boise St wasn't able to throw money at him but because they didn't pass any hints his way that they'd have a spot for him.

It's not the end times for FCS football. It's just one more thing for us to talk about here!

TA is a known commodity and would be welcome at any FBS school. He stayed because he had MSU in his blood since birth - and he is a super loyal kid.

Of course players still have to play. I am not sure if you are just trying to be argumentative, but it is not hard to figure out that top performers could be lost via the portal, stipends and now NIL makes a transfer even more attractive. For example, every member of the University of Miami team is getting money from just one sponsor:

https://amp.miamiherald.com/sports/coll ... 92583.html

This is going to change the quality of play at lower levels. The best players will have the ability to move up. The money will continue to get bigger and will become a real factor when making a decision.

[onceacat]

Wow. This is going to ruin college football. A kid like TA will be noticed in his freshman year and would be crazy to not consider big dollars at a larger school.

https://sports.yahoo.com/nick-saban-say ... 20170.html

That would be awesome for Troy or any other player to use the free market to enrich themselves.

I am okay with our athletes making a dollar. However, this will hurt schools in any lower divisions, such as FCS and including G5 schools.

How will this hurt them? The players still have to play. Schools are still only going to offer kids that they think can help them on the field, whether it's out of high school or through the portal.

It may become a tiebreaker for the players when choosing between schools at the same level but it's not like a bunch of Montana kids are all the sudden going to get FBS offers because those schools have more NIL opportunities. It's just one more element of inter-level competition.

TA didn't transfer after his freshman year (or sophomore or junior year) not because Boise St wasn't able to throw money at him but because they didn't pass any hints his way that they'd have a spot for him.

It's not the end times for FCS football. It's just one more thing for us to talk about here!

TA is a known commodity and would be welcome at any FBS school. He stayed because he had MSU in his blood since birth - and he is a super loyal kid.

Of course players still have to play. I am not sure if you are just trying to be argumentative, but it is not hard to figure out that top performers could be lost via the portal, stipends and now NIL makes a transfer even more attractive. For example, every member of the University of Miami team is getting money from just one sponsor:

https://amp.miamiherald.com/sports/coll ... 92583.html

This is going to change the quality of play at lower levels. The best players will have the ability to move up. The money will continue to get bigger and will become a real factor when making a decision.

If anything its going to hurt rural schools vis a vis urban ones, since the opportunities to monetize are going to be a lot greater for kids on urban campuses. But at the end of the day, I don't think its going to shift the balance of power from Tuscaloosa to Miami...or from College Station to Austin...or even from Eugene to Seattle, Phoenix, or Salt Lake.

Its just a minor new wrinkle over a couple million bucks in an industry thats worth billions every year.

[AFCAT]

Wow. This is going to ruin college football. A kid like TA will be noticed in his freshman year and would be crazy to not consider big dollars at a larger school.

https://sports.yahoo.com/nick-saban-say ... 20170.html

That would be awesome for Troy or any other player to use the free market to enrich themselves.

I am okay with our athletes making a dollar. However, this will hurt schools in any lower divisions, such as FCS and including G5 schools.

I don't think it will hurt lower tier schools that much, but so what if it does. America is all about making a buck. If these athletes want to sell their talents to the highest bidder, then that sounds very American to me. I heard these same arguments when Olympic athletes were finally able to make money from sponsors and get paid for what they do. Sure, some things will change but I doubt MSU football or lower tier schools will be hurt that badly. If Troy Andersen thought he could get better sponsor deals by moving on to Alabama this year, then rock on Troy! Go capitalism!

I think you just contradicted yourself. You say it wouldn’t hurt lower schools, but then you use an example of TA going to Alabama. I am pretty sure that would be a major blow to MSU.

MSU won three games against playoffs teams at the end of 2019 without Troy Andersen. No one is indispensable. Troy is an amazing talent but MSU would survive without him.

[coloradocat]

Wow. This is going to ruin college football. A kid like TA will be noticed in his freshman year and would be crazy to not consider big dollars at a larger school.

https://sports.yahoo.com/nick-saban-say ... 20170.html

That would be awesome for Troy or any other player to use the free market to enrich themselves.

I am okay with our athletes making a dollar. However, this will hurt schools in any lower divisions, such as FCS and including G5 schools.

How will this hurt them? The players still have to play. Schools are still only going to offer kids that they think can help them on the field, whether it's out of high school or through the portal.

It may become a tiebreaker for the players when choosing between schools at the same level but it's not like a bunch of Montana kids are all the sudden going to get FBS offers because those schools have more NIL opportunities. It's just one more element of inter-level competition.

TA didn't transfer after his freshman year (or sophomore or junior year) not because Boise St wasn't able to throw money at him but because they didn't pass any hints his way that they'd have a spot for him.

It's not the end times for FCS football. It's just one more thing for us to talk about here!

TA is a known commodity and would be welcome at any FBS school. He stayed because he had MSU in his blood since birth - and he is a super loyal kid.

Of course players still have to play. I am not sure if you are just trying to be argumentative, but it is not hard to figure out that top performers could be lost via the portal, stipends and now NIL makes a transfer even more attractive. For example, every member of the University of Miami team is getting money from just one sponsor:

https://amp.miamiherald.com/sports/coll ... 92583.html

This is going to change the quality of play at lower levels. The best players will have the ability to move up. The money will continue to get bigger and will become a real factor when making a decision.

Not being argumentative, just countering your claim that this will ruin college football because the best players will move up. What happens and Alabama or Miami has never impacted MSU (or the FCS in general) and that won't change because of NIL or the portal.

How many Big Sky players have transferred up and played a significant role on their new team? How about just the Bobcats? Anyone besides Prukop in the last decade? They always had the ability to transfer up and play immediately so ability was what held guys back from moving up. That hasn't changed.

Outside of a few extreme examples like Miami, only the guys that get regular playing time (and really just a subset of these guys) are going to get enough money to where the highest bidder will win their services. The first step is getting invited into an FBS locker room and that didn't get any easier for FCS players in the last six months. It's actually got harder because now the rules around sitting for a season have been greatly relaxed so the market for FBS transfers has heated up. The more time FBS coaches spend scouting/recruiting active FBS players, the less time they'll spend looking under FCS rocks for diamonds. Sure, there will be a handful of undergrads that get poached across the conference, but I doubt we lose more than 1 guy a year to an FBS school because of all this.

As I said before, this will likely result in a lot more transfers within each level but not between levels. The portal has created a bunch of free agents every year and retention will be as important as recruiting. The problem is there are a lot more guys in the portal than there are open spots available. That's why some guys end up moving down, not sideways or up.

I think we should all just remember where we sit in the college football universe and wait and see what happens before assuming the worst.

[PapaG]

Wow. This is going to ruin college football. A kid like TA will be noticed in his freshman year and would be crazy to not consider big dollars at a larger school.

https://sports.yahoo.com/nick-saban-say ... 20170.html

First few years will be an inflated market for top-level NCAA football and men’s basketball players. Eventually people will realize it’s a 19 -21 year old you’re overpaying based on ad effectiveness for all but the very elite of FBS.

Nike is already marketing UO players on contracts and has partnered with one. Kayvon Thibodeaux will make 6 figures this season playing for the Ducks.

[grizzh8r]

Outside of a few extreme examples like Miami, only the guys that get regular playing time (and really just a subset of these guys) are going to get enough money to where the highest bidder will win their services. The first step is getting invited into an FBS locker room and that didn't get any easier for FCS players in the last six months. It's actually got harder because now the rules around sitting for a season have been greatly relaxed so the market for FBS transfers has heated up. The more time FBS coaches spend scouting/recruiting active FBS players, the less time they'll spend looking under FCS rocks for diamonds. Sure, there will be a handful of undergrads that get poached across the conference, but I doubt we lose more than 1 guy a year to an FBS school because of all this.

As I said before, this will likely result in a lot more transfers within each level but not between levels. The portal has created a bunch of free agents every year and retention will be as important as recruiting. The problem is there are a lot more guys in the portal than there are open spots available. That's why some guys end up moving down, not sideways or up.

I think we should all just remember where we sit in the college football universe and wait and see what happens before assuming the worst.

Thanks for posting, this is one of the better, more thought-provoking opinions in this entire thread. While I still have my doubts, I really hope what you posted above comes to pass and in the next few years the FCS is no worse off - when it comes to transfers - than it has been the past few years.

[Cataholic]

Wow. This is going to ruin college football. A kid like TA will be noticed in his freshman year and would be crazy to not consider big dollars at a larger school.

https://sports.yahoo.com/nick-saban-say ... 20170.html

That would be awesome for Troy or any other player to use the free market to enrich themselves.

I am okay with our athletes making a dollar. However, this will hurt schools in any lower divisions, such as FCS and including G5 schools.

I don't think it will hurt lower tier schools that much, but so what if it does. America is all about making a buck. If these athletes want to sell their talents to the highest bidder, then that sounds very American to me. I heard these same arguments when Olympic athletes were finally able to make money from sponsors and get paid for what they do. Sure, some things will change but I doubt MSU football or lower tier schools will be hurt that badly. If Troy Andersen thought he could get better sponsor deals by moving on to Alabama this year, then rock on Troy! Go capitalism!

I think you just contradicted yourself. You say it wouldn’t hurt lower schools, but then you use an example of TA going to Alabama. I am pretty sure that would be a major blow to MSU.

MSU won three games against playoffs teams at the end of 2019 without Troy Andersen. No one is indispensable. Troy is an amazing talent but MSU would survive without him.

I am not saying that MSU wouldn’t survive. I absolutely believe MSU will survive, maybe even thrive as an MSU NIL will be more marketable than a Univ of Northern Colorado NIL. However, losing top tier talent like TA does make a team weaker. We experienced it with TA and even Connor Wood leaning for the SEC. Prukop leaving for Oregon also hurt the program.

[bobcat99]

If we have already seen players move upwards without the NIL, it’s pretty hard to say the NIL is going to make it happen more.

[AFCAT]

Wow. This is going to ruin college football. A kid like TA will be noticed in his freshman year and would be crazy to not consider big dollars at a larger school.

https://sports.yahoo.com/nick-saban-say ... 20170.html

That would be awesome for Troy or any other player to use the free market to enrich themselves.

I am okay with our athletes making a dollar. However, this will hurt schools in any lower divisions, such as FCS and including G5 schools.

I don't think it will hurt lower tier schools that much, but so what if it does. America is all about making a buck. If these athletes want to sell their talents to the highest bidder, then that sounds very American to me. I heard these same arguments when Olympic athletes were finally able to make money from sponsors and get paid for what they do. Sure, some things will change but I doubt MSU football or lower tier schools will be hurt that badly. If Troy Andersen thought he could get better sponsor deals by moving on to Alabama this year, then rock on Troy! Go capitalism!

I think you just contradicted yourself. You say it wouldn’t hurt lower schools, but then you use an example of TA going to Alabama. I am pretty sure that would be a major blow to MSU.

MSU won three games against playoffs teams at the end of 2019 without Troy Andersen. No one is indispensable. Troy is an amazing talent but MSU would survive without him.

I am not saying that MSU wouldn’t survive. I absolutely believe MSU will survive, maybe even thrive as an MSU NIL will be more marketable than a Univ of Northern Colorado NIL. However, losing top tier talent like TA does make a team weaker. We experienced it with TA and even Connor Wood leaning for the SEC. Prukop leaving for Oregon also hurt the program.

I guess we can say a star player leaving the program will hurt but no more than when they graduate, are dismissed from the team, use up their eligibility, or are injured then. I’m all for players cashing out if they can and marketing themselves to the best of their ability. That is the American way.

[Long Time Cat]

There is a chance it actually works in our (FCS/Bobcats) favor. Is TA worth more to some sponsor from Utah or Oregon than he is to a Montana sponsor. He's a Montana ranch kid playing on a Montana team. In reality he might be worth more to a John Deere or Murdoch's if he stays here. He's not going to mean much in another state. While I think he could get paid just to get him to move based on the speculation he will make a splash, his NIL is already worth something here.

A bird in the hand...

[PapaG]

Wow. This is going to ruin college football. A kid like TA will be noticed in his freshman year and would be crazy to not consider big dollars at a larger school.

https://sports.yahoo.com/nick-saban-say ... 20170.html

That would be awesome for Troy or any other player to use the free market to enrich themselves.

I am okay with our athletes making a dollar. However, this will hurt schools in any lower divisions, such as FCS and including G5 schools.

How will this hurt them? The players still have to play. Schools are still only going to offer kids that they think can help them on the field, whether it's out of high school or through the portal.

It may become a tiebreaker for the players when choosing between schools at the same level but it's not like a bunch of Montana kids are all the sudden going to get FBS offers because those schools have more NIL opportunities. It's just one more element of inter-level competition.

TA didn't transfer after his freshman year (or sophomore or junior year) not because Boise St wasn't able to throw money at him but because they didn't pass any hints his way that they'd have a spot for him.

It's not the end times for FCS football. It's just one more thing for us to talk about here!

TA is a known commodity and would be welcome at any FBS school. He stayed because he had MSU in his blood since birth - and he is a super loyal kid.

Of course players still have to play. I am not sure if you are just trying to be argumentative, but it is not hard to figure out that top performers could be lost via the portal, stipends and now NIL makes a transfer even more attractive. For example, every member of the University of Miami team is getting money from just one sponsor:

https://amp.miamiherald.com/sports/coll ... 92583.html

This is going to change the quality of play at lower levels. The best players will have the ability to move up. The money will continue to get bigger and will become a real factor when making a decision.

How many Big Sky players have transferred up and played a significant role on their new team? How about just the Bobcats? Anyone besides Prukop in the last decade? They always had the ability to transfer up and play immediately so ability was what held guys back from moving up. That hasn't changed.

Vernon Adams. Gage Gubrud, and Kevin Thompson. Arguably 4 out of the top 10 Big Sky QBs the last decade have transferred to P5 schools after graduating. Thompson didn’t play at UDub because of Covid and Gubrud got beat out for the Washington State QB job, and amazingly, Thompson was eligible this fall for an EIGHTH season but declined to play.

[ND0479]

There is a chance it actually works in our (FCS/Bobcats) favor. Is TA worth more to some sponsor from Utah or Oregon than he is to a Montana sponsor. He's a Montana ranch kid playing on a Montana team. In reality he might be worth more to a John Deere or Murdoch's if he stays here. He's not going to mean much in another state. While I think he could get paid just to get him to move based on the speculation he will make a splash, his NIL is already worth something here.

A bird in the hand...

I think along these same lines.

It actually has a change to bring more parity. A 2nd or 3rd stringer at U of Texas or Texas A&M could go be a starter at SMU, UNT, or Houston (all major markets) and get far more attention dominating at the smaller school, versus being a backup at a larger school.

[kennethnoisewater]

I think the average FBS player will have minimal opportunities to make big money off NIL. It will be the elite players who really make life-changing money. I don't see many FCS players moving up and being elite. Not saying it can't happen, but for the most part anybody who moves up is going to be a solid contributor at best, and right now I don't see those types of guys getting rich. If their earning potential is, say, $10k a year in the Pac-12, I'd think MSU boosters and supporting businesses would find ways to come up with that cash to keep a guy in Bozeman. If it's $100k a year, they deserve to move up and it would probably be the best move for that player--but I think that will be a rare case.

Having said that, even if all things were the same financially, we're going to see more guys like Connor Wood move up to test the waters. The good news is, those FBS rosters will get bloated and there will be more drop-down guys who can play right away.

[luckyirishguy25]

There is a chance it actually works in our (FCS/Bobcats) favor. Is TA worth more to some sponsor from Utah or Oregon than he is to a Montana sponsor. He's a Montana ranch kid playing on a Montana team. In reality he might be worth more to a John Deere or Murdoch's if he stays here. He's not going to mean much in another state. While I think he could get paid just to get him to move based on the speculation he will make a splash, his NIL is already worth something here.

A bird in the hand...

I'd say this is solid reasoning. Also in my opinion, its not so much big school versus small school, its how the schools community decides to support athletics. i'd say most potential sponsors in the Bozeman area realize the amount of money athletics (cough...football...cough) and bring into the community, and if your name is plastered all over an event, you're going to make more money.
I think if UM or MSU have a lot better sponsors than others that would easily shift the in state recruiting dynamic.