Surprised to hear that from you, Wole. You usually take the position of sticking it to big corporations like NCAA. Based on your previous posts, "sticking it to the players" seems contrary to your nature. Nonetheless, I endorse it.
I’m beginning to believe the players are getting too greedy. I’m also starting to wonder where all this NIL money is coming from. I spent 20 years begging major corporations to donate money to Boy Scouts. I watched as many major corporations just stopped giving. And it wasn’t just to the Boy Scouts. Major corporations were significantly reducing their giving to almost everything. I was also a volunteer for concessions at several minor and major league baseball teams. And many of those luxury box suites are no longer being rented by major corporations.
This leads me s to wonder, if major corporations are not giving out money, who is giving out this money and ask, why and what’s in it for them.
I follow politics and see certain people giving to certain candidates and political action groups. It’s fairly easy to see. Their reasoning and purpose for giving and that most of them want something and expect something in return.
This makes me speculate there are similar people that give to the NIL and want something and expect something in return for their generosity. I doubt any of the mega donors really care about the player they give their money to. I once knew of a banker in Alabama. He donated money to Auburn and was more powerful than the Auburn AD when it came to the hiring and firing of Auburn football coaches. Everyone bowed down to him long before NIL was created.
Gambling is a huge part college football! I’m just thinking of the movie the Natural Where certain people had a very strong interest in how the team performed. And many of the players were receiving money. I also believe Pete Rose was being controlled by gamblers.
So I ask why are these people so willing to give so much money. And I have to wonder why and what they are expecting in return? I read one article where a player as part of his NIL deal also received a personal services deal to represent the donor’s business. I’m becoming concerned the people who are donating all the big money have a bigger interest and desire just to give College athletes money. I’m beginning to believe they will soon put demands on the athletes involved.
People know how much pressure big donors already place on athletic departments. I know a couple of athletes currently receiving sponsorships mainly from shoe companies. I am worried that the NIL is drawing. In a different type of donor. And that donor will have different intentions as part of his giving.
And that’s why I expect. Future changes to the NIL to come from the donors. And not the NCAA. I expect the donors to have lawyers and complicated contracts. I also see the players looking for lawyers and or agents to be able to interpret the future NIL contracts.
And this is where the problem lies. In the old days, Donors would just give players cash and girls. But now Donors are putting forth big bucks and contracts. And those contracts will be tough for your average 18 year old athlete and family to understand.
This is my vision of where NIL is going. After 2024, I see a lot of powerful people changing their spending habits from political parties to athletics. I also fear their motives will not be ethical.
