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Name Image Likeness (NIL) Deals
Having grown up in the Midwest and a Big 10 Conference fan, I am highly annoyed with the back and forth of colleges between conferences… or at least the names. I mean the Big 10 hasn’t been 10 teams since 1989. They kept the name Big 10 but designed their logo to read 11 when Penn State joined in 1990. Now there are 14 teams and next year there will be 18 Teams.
Meanwhile, conferences like the Former Pac-10 became the Pack-12 and now it looks to be the PAC-4 in the 2024-2025 season as five more schools announced Friday their intention on leaving the Pac-12. It’s getting ridiculous. Does this have anything to do with individual players getting NIL deals? Possibly.
Share the Wealth
I think it’s great that players are now able to be compensated for what they bring to the school and the NCAA can no longer profit off these kids with no recourse. Some of these kids are phenomenal collegiate athletes, but due to injury or other life circumstances they never make it to the professional level, so being compensated in my opinion is only fair, why should the governing body of collegiate sports be the only ones to profit off these youngsters?
Why aren’t conferences based on location like in professional sports? Well, they used to be. For example the Atlantic Coast Conference was just that a group of schools on the Atlantic Coast. The Big 10 was based in the Midwest, The Pac-12 was all based on the Pacific Coast. Now conferences are inviting any school from anywhere to their conference if they think it will bring them more money, tradition and loyalty be damned.
Money and TV and Money
In the recent past the SEC undoubtedly has been the “Grand Poohbah” of conferences in powerhouse teams, conference size, trophies and only got bigger and bigger while pretty much dismantling the Big 12. Turnabout is fair play I reckon as the Big 12 seems to be doing that now to the Pac-12. And the Big 10 will technically be the Big 18. I guess it’s good for TV and TV deals are what pays the money. The money is what pays the schools and now the NIL deals for players. So, I ask you, in your opinion are the NIL deals ruining college football as we once knew it? Is it better or worse?
I look forward to reading your emails and comments. You can always reach out to me by email at TheBigTykie@gmail.com
