What we're learning about college sports at NCAA trial

[adman]

I feel like this should scare the pants off the NFL. They are very close to having a new league competing against them and one that you could argue would have more passionate, loyal fans. Perhaps, this leads to the NFL being forced to start its own farm system. And then it becomes a real battle for players.

Edited June 24, 2014 by adman

[adman]

Can I go ahead and vote to bring men's soccer back to all Div.1 schools and lets have a March madness ala world cup tournament each year. Less concussions, less dollars for schools to support and a great way to gamble.

[oldguystudent]

Didn't Frisco host the men's college soccer finals a while back?

An NFL farm system wouldn't necessarily kill college football. It would make it more like college baseball, where the players either didn't get drafted out of high school or felt they didn't get drafted high enough.

Incidentally, college baseball players are obligated to play through their junior year. That's why Bryce Harper went the JUCO route.

[UNT90]

Can I go ahead and vote to bring men's soccer back to all Div.1 schools and lets have a March madness ala world cup tournament each year. Less concussions, less dollars for schools to support and a great way to gamble.

And more naps for everyone?

[UNTexas]

I feel like this should scare the pants off the NFL. They are very close to having a new league competing against them and one that you could argue would have more passionate, loyal fans. Perhaps, this leads to the NFL being forced to start its own farm system. And then it becomes a real battle for players.

The NFL wouldn't be scared at all. The elite players are in the NFL. These "trusts" we are talking about are chump change compared to the NFL. Every college player will still compete to play on Sundays. There will also fans like me that will be done with college football for good if all this doom and gloom occurs.

Either way, in my opinion, the anti trust issue is they have intentionally created a monopoly were the deck is stacked in favor of a few schools. They should bust up the monopoly, not reinforce it.

Edited June 24, 2014 by UNTexas

[Mean Green 93-98]

I feel like this should scare the pants off the NFL. They are very close to having a new league competing against them and one that you could argue would have more passionate, loyal fans. Perhaps, this leads to the NFL being forced to start its own farm system. And then it becomes a real battle for players.

Many of us passionate, loyal fans of college football wouldn't be fans at all anymore. . . . It changes the intrinsic nature of what we love about college football. Why would the NFL be afraid of college football that had nothing different to offer from what they do, other than an obviously inferior product?

[Ben Gooding]

Many of us passionate, loyal fans of college football wouldn't be fans at all anymore. . . . It changes the intrinsic nature of what we love about college football. Why would the NFL be afraid of college football that had nothing different to offer from what they do, other than an obviously inferior product?

Absolutely.

[adman]

Many of us passionate, loyal fans of college football wouldn't be fans at all anymore. . . . It changes the intrinsic nature of what we love about college football. Why would the NFL be afraid of college football that had nothing different to offer from what they do, other than an obviously inferior product?

Passionate and loyal to a program that stands to lose in this - but ask someone that is a fan in Oklahoma or Nebraska or the other 23 states that don't have a professional football team. Now their school/state can sign unlimited players to make the best team possible. This starts a whole new professional league. (More professional than the SEC already is.) I don't think those fans stop watching or caring.

[UNTLifer]

There is no good end to this and that is sad. One reason I hate every P5 school. They have ruined college athletics.

[UNT90]

There is no good end to this and that is sad. One reason I hate every P5 school. They have ruined college athletics.

You should be mad at ESPN.

Something that started as an innocent way to bring 24 hour sports to America in the 1980s, and did it in such a charming way, has turned into the evil empire, at whom's feet every college in America grovels (P5 or non-P5).

College football on a Tuesday and Thursday night? Thank you, ESPN.

It isn't about selling tickets, game day experience, or the student athlete anymore. It's about TV market size and how much cheating you can get away with, which is directly related to whether are not you are a member of the P5.

[oldguystudent]

Hate weeknight games. Hate them. Did I mention I hate them? Because, you know, just in case you haven't been reading, I hate them.

[forevereagle]

You should be mad at ESPN.

I have almost completely stopped watching ESPN since FS1 started. To top it off, I like FS1 better than I ever liked ESPN because they seem to have more fun.

[VideoEagle]

This is more complicated than just ESPN. In the old days, the NCAA controlled all TV coverage. NT got on TV once every three years, period. A lawsuit opened up the market and ESPN and other broadcasters took advantage of the situation. They contributed to the problem, but didn't cause it all by themselves. And if they didn't exist, college football would have a MUCH smaller fan base overall.

[Harry]

There is no good end to this and that is sad. One reason I hate every P5 school. They have ruined college athletics.

Have they or have they just been so incredibly successful with their programs that they are doing what anyone at the top of the pile would do. If we were in their shoes would we be more benevolent?

[CMJ]

Sort of related....USC takes a step to subvert one of the complaints athletes have.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/usc-offer-4-football-hoops-174157535--ncaaf.html

[Harry]

Sort of related....USC takes a step to subvert one of the complaints athletes have.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/usc-offer-4-football-hoops-174157535--ncaaf.html

Good info. Looks like they see the writing on the wall and are wanting to be ahead of the game. This is a policy that the top programs can afford to do since they really don't have to take too many chances. USC probably gets the best talent in Cali every year as Texas does in Texas. The interesting thing will be to see how UCLA and the other PAC 12 programs follow.

[Mean Green 93-98]

Passionate and loyal to a program that stands to lose in this - but ask someone that is a fan in Oklahoma or Nebraska or the other 23 states that don't have a professional football team. Now their school/state can sign unlimited players to make the best team possible. This starts a whole new professional league. (More professional than the SEC already is.) I don't think those fans stop watching or caring.

Maybe . . . but if you are talking about places where the NFL has no presence anyway, what would the NFL have to fear?

[UNT90]

I have almost completely stopped watching ESPN since FS1 started. To top it off, I like FS1 better than I ever liked ESPN because they seem to have more fun.

FS1 is nothing but ESPN's evil younger brother.

[forevereagle]

FS1 is nothing but ESPN's evil younger brother.

[UNT90]

Just because they televise our games doesn't mean they are any different than any other broadcasting network.

I am glad that there is now competition for ESPN, though.

[adman]

Maybe . . . but if you are talking about places where the NFL has no presence anyway, what would the NFL have to fear?

Ever hear of a guy named Lamar Hunt and a league called the AFL?

[Mean Green 93-98]

Ever hear of a guy named Lamar Hunt and a league called the AFL?

Sure. The AFL struggled for years, but were eventually able to catch up in talent. There is no way college football will ever do that.

By the way, I'm not trying to be disagreeable. I just happen to disagree on what I perceive to be the point.

[oldguystudent]

If the NCAA is no longer a player, and the athletes are employees, would there then no longer be eligibility maximums? Couldn't the players who don't get drafted as "seniors" continue on to multiple "degrees" or not even attend class at all? Eventually, there could be enough money to entice players to not enter the NFL at all.

Of course, that would cause a backlog of incoming freshman, as there would be no logical place for them on a team of seventh year seniors. So the freshman would go to CUSA. Then after graduation, barring a free agent signing their sophomore years, they could go try out for the SEC.

[Harry]

Great summary up to today for those wanting to catch up:

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/11131166/all-need-know-ed-obannon-v-ncaa-trial

[greenit]

Wow, wonder if we will see the player's names removed from the backs of jerseys?

Must have been why it took so long to get a TMitch jersey. As always, RV two steps ahead of everyone else.