On Monday night, January 8, the University of Michigan and the University of Washington football teams will vie for the collegiate national championship. While championships always bring excitement to fans and participants alike, this year’s game brings attention to major changes that have occurred in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I in the past few years involving both monetary payments and mobility for athletes.
While there is excitement for the game, we are seeing undercurrents that some claim will destroy college football as we have known it. The major changes involve athletes being able to gain product endorsements or make money off their likeness (Name, Image, and Likeness, or NIL) as well as being able to transfer one time via the NCAA Transfer Portal with no restrictions and no waiting for a year. Lou Holtz, a Hall-of-Fame college football coach, voiced his own concerns saying, The NIL and the transfer portal are both terrible for college athletics…I think that you go to school to get an education and to have that school be part of your diploma. … Why do we have athletics as part of college? Because you learn more lessons on a football field than you ever learn in a college classroom. You learn perseverance, you learn teamwork, you learn to wait your turn, you learn improvement. When you transfer, all you do is change the address of your problems. The problem’s with you.
These changes have sparked a debate about the future of college sports. The old rules, which restricted athletes’ ability to transfer and profit from their name and likeness, imposed high costs on those who wanted to leave their university for another team. Athletes had to wait for a year before they could compete in collegiate sports again, making transferring unappealing. Similarly, strict controls on broadcasting only allowed one collegiate football game to be televised each week, limiting the exposure and potential revenue for college sports.
However, the introduction of the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) policy and the Transfer Portal have transformed the landscape of college sports. Athletes now have the opportunity to secure product endorsements and monetize their popularity through social media. Additionally, the Transfer Portal allows athletes to switch programs without sitting out a year, providing them with the freedom to pursue their athletic ambitions elsewhere. These changes have not diminished interest in college football; in fact, it continues to enjoy increased viewership despite the overall decline in live TV viewership.
Critics argue that these changes undermine the educational aspect of college sports and create an uneven playing field. They believe that athletes should focus on education rather than profit, and that the transfer portal disrupts the traditional dynamics between coaches and players. However, proponents of the new system argue that it enhances competition, provides athletes with more opportunities to excel, and levels the playing field by allowing programs with limited recruiting resources to acquire talented transfer athletes.
Notably, the Transfer Portal has made success stories possible, such as Michael Penix Jr., the quarterback of the University of Washington’s football team. Penix transferred from Indiana University to Washington and now leads a team playing for a national championship. The Transfer Portal has opened up possibilities for athletes to find the best fit for their skills and succeed in their chosen sport.
Another significant change brought by the NIL policy is the ability for athletes, particularly in women’s sports, to capitalize on their fame and secure endorsement deals. LSU’s Angel Reese, a transfer from the University of Maryland, played a vital role in winning last year’s NCAA basketball tournament and has since signed endorsements. However, it is essential to note that the amount of money athletes earn through NIL varies significantly, with some securing multi-million dollar deals while others receive limited compensation.
In conclusion, the introduction of the NIL policy and the Transfer Portal has brought about profound changes in college sports. While critics argue that these changes undermine the educational purpose of college sports and create an unbalanced playing field, supporters contend that they enhance competition and offer athletes more opportunities. As college sports continue to evolve, it is crucial to strike a balance between the educational aspect and the professional aspirations of student-athletes. Ultimately, these changes have the potential to make college sports more competitive and enjoyable for athletes and fans alike.
