The fans aren't being forced to pay NIL. Nobody anywhere is forcing fans to do this. If the university picks up the bill that will simply result in higher donation requirements and ticket prices.Not fine. In its present form.
I would be in favor of more regulation, caps, an equity bias, so that the "haves" cannot simply outspend the "have-nots". And while they are at it, make NIL something that the advertisers, the universities, etc., pick up, rather than the fans. The fans pay for too much (or enough) as it is.
Also, when the fans have to pay for NIL (I realize that advertisers are set up to pay the athletes for NIL, to some extent), schools like ISU lose out because they cannot compete with even minimally similar cash flow.
And why should we cap free enterprise? Let the players receive their fair worth in pay.
Finally, it's not as if we've ever been on a truly even playing field before this. Top recruits have never thought "as I start my recruitment I will place Iowa State on level terms with Texas, Duke, Kentucky, UNC, Alabama, and Florida."