Pollard sounds off on NIL, changing landscape of college athletics in interview on Murphy & Andy

cyclone13

Well-Known Member
Apr 7, 2009
3,335
1,220
113
I wonder whether NIL comes with the caveat or performance thresholds such as minimum ppg, apg, mpg, sacks, ypg, etc. Once you have to pay, you want to get your money worth for what you’re paying for. And this will be interesting to see what’s behind the agreement.
 

Cyclones1969

Well-Known Member
Jul 26, 2021
8,885
6,077
113
55
This is why I wonder why there isn't more talk of the ISUs of the world breaking away first, as opposed to letting the top tier bully everyone else. There are many more ISUs in college athletics than there are Alabamas. When will that tier exercise their strength in numbers and collectively agree to a more functional governance structure and competitive landscape? When talented P5 coaches start getting fed up, that seems like motivation enough to rally your peer group and bring some sanity, fairness, and transparency back to college competition.
Because they might generate AAC money.
 

psychlone99

Well-Known Member
Apr 6, 2006
2,002
1,328
113
psychlone99.wordpress.com
Because they might generate AAC money.
That was the response I anticipated. But if your tier has real equity and represents the majority of the former P5, who cares?

Money isn't everything, and for most of the history of college athletics it wasn't. The influence of TV and money over the last 20-30 years has been more destructive than not. I'm done with letting money drive every decision.
 

keepngoal

OKA: keepingoal
Staff member
Bookie
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Jun 20, 2006
39,426
24,746
113
mostly on topic. Can anyone share a link with a good explainer on HS kids, and/or 18 older with rules about NIL that aren't in college but in a sport?
 

Cyclones1969

Well-Known Member
Jul 26, 2021
8,885
6,077
113
55
That was the response I anticipated. But if your tier has real equity and represents the majority of the former P5, who cares?

Money isn't everything, and for most of the history of college athletics it wasn't. The influence of TV and money over the last 20-30 years has been more destructive than not. I'm done with letting money drive every decision.
Athletic departments with millions in bonds for projects completed, and ones they want to take out in the future to keep up with their peers.

Iowa State doesn’t even have that

Maybe you want to go back to painted concrete for a football field, i doubt anyone who will be a head coach here in the future does.
 

isufbcurt

Well-Known Member
Apr 21, 2006
27,537
44,506
113
46
Newton

isucy86

Well-Known Member
Apr 13, 2006
9,165
7,763
113
Dubuque
I wonder whether NIL comes with the caveat or performance thresholds such as minimum ppg, apg, mpg, sacks, ypg, etc. Once you have to pay, you want to get your money worth for what you’re paying for. And this will be interesting to see what’s behind the agreement.

One of the few NCAA restrictions on NIL agreements is they cannot contain any performance criteria. Name, Image & Likeness is just that- guys getting paid for their off-field marketability. That's why it has devolved so quickly into a recruiting tool. If the kid is breathing, they can get paid whatever someone is willing to pay.
 
  • Informative
  • Agree
Reactions: SCNCY and cyclone13

isucy86

Well-Known Member
Apr 13, 2006
9,165
7,763
113
Dubuque
From what I can find its on a state by state basis because it is up to the state's legislature and/or state athletics governing body.

I did find an article about a supposed high school jr who signed a $8 million NIL deal https://usatodayhss.com/2022/class-2023-signs-8-million-nil-agreement

NIL is now reaching back into HS basketball players. One of the top HS sophomores recently agreed to join Overtime Elite. He will not be paid a salary to maintain his NCAA eligibility in a couple years. But he will have an NIL deal:confused:

It's just a matter of time before we see Prep School players sign NIL deals. It's a crazy, crazy amateur sport world.
 
  • Winner
Reactions: isufbcurt

psychlone99

Well-Known Member
Apr 6, 2006
2,002
1,328
113
psychlone99.wordpress.com
Athletic departments with millions in bonds for projects completed, and ones they want to take out in the future to keep up with their peers.

Iowa State doesn’t even have that

Maybe you want to go back to painted concrete for a football field, i doubt anyone who will be a head coach here in the future does.
"To keep up with their peers" is the key. Again, if you and the majority of the former P5 breakaway and form new governance and a truly competitive landscape, and earn AAC money while doing it, does it matter? Keeping up with the Joneses is driven from the top down, and it's an endless pursuit. It's chasing a mirage.

I'd rather the ISUs of the world proactively pursue their collective interests. And if that initiative ends up shrinking that peer group and separates them from the blue bloods, so be it. That peer group would still represent the majority of college football fans and have enough interest (and ultimately enough $) to be just fine.

And you painted concrete strawman is just that.
 
  • Like
Reactions: NWICY

isucy86

Well-Known Member
Apr 13, 2006
9,165
7,763
113
Dubuque
That was the response I anticipated. But if your tier has real equity and represents the majority of the former P5, who cares?

Money isn't everything, and for most of the history of college athletics it wasn't. The influence of TV and money over the last 20-30 years has been more destructive than not. I'm done with letting money drive every decision.

I would be fun to anonymously poll university Presidents and Athletic Directors if they would be interested being part of the minor league structure that Jamie and ND's AD Swarbrick mentioned as a possible break-out division within P5. Swarbrick characterized the breakout organization as something where athletes would not go to school and universities would license their name to an outside sport organization.

IMO most university Presidents would probably want no part of pay-for-play and it's Title IX implications. Also I doubt universities want to deal with the legal issues if athletes are employees. Long term sport injury medical expenses and the huge liability for CTE.
 

Cyclones1969

Well-Known Member
Jul 26, 2021
8,885
6,077
113
55
"To keep up with their peers" is the key. Again, if you and the majority of the former P5 breakaway and form new governance and a truly competitive landscape, and earn AAC money while doing it, does it matter? Keeping up with the Joneses is driven from the top down, and it's an endless pursuit. It's chasing a mirage.

I'd rather the ISUs of the world proactively pursue their collective interests. And if that initiative ends up shrinking that peer group and separates them from the blue bloods, so be it. That peer group would still represent the majority of college football fans and have enough interest (and ultimately enough $) to be just fine.

And you painted concrete strawman is just that.
We had that exact thing until 1994

What’s your donation level?
 

psychlone99

Well-Known Member
Apr 6, 2006
2,002
1,328
113
psychlone99.wordpress.com
We had that exact thing until 1994

What’s your donation level?
What's my donation level? That's your rebuttal? That junior high pissing match material.

It would have been better to question the duration and depth of my ISU fandom. I'll yield to your 1969, assuming that carries meaning. I'm in my 40s and I'm a lifelong fan. I watched games and walked on that "painted concrete" in the 90s. I graduated from ISU, and have had fball and mbb season tickets for nearly 25 consecutive years.

I was once of the mindset that the pursuit of the Joneses was the only way to survive. I've learned that even that hasn't guaranteed fairness and transparency in competition. I'm done.
 

HFCS

Well-Known Member
Aug 13, 2010
75,859
66,298
113
LA LA Land
I've got to disagree with this one, it would function just like the NFL, and all 30 teams would be happy. Each team would have periods of success, followed by periods of rebuilding, (there would eventually be a salary cap and collective bargaining) . Also keep in mind that a little over .500 would make the playoffs. They would all be happy.

They’d be happy for a few years until national interest implodes.

I don’t watch G League basketball but I’d greatly prefer it to a college minor league I have absolutely no connection to.

A kid growing up in a non super league market is gonna be a pro sports fan or not a fan at all.
 

mynameisjonas

Well-Known Member
Jan 19, 2019
6,605
8,646
113
Pollard said he wasn’t losing any sleep over the NIL situation.

translation

Pollard is losing sleep over the NIL situation but wants to give the impression that all is good. He knows fans are not happy about this and he knows some fans like @jereseib are disgruntled and out, which means less donations.
 

Cyclones1969

Well-Known Member
Jul 26, 2021
8,885
6,077
113
55
What's my donation level? That's your rebuttal? That junior high pissing match material.

It would have been better to question the duration and depth of my ISU fandom. I'll yield to your 1969, assuming that carries meaning. I'm in my 40s and I'm a lifelong fan. I watched games and walked on that "painted concrete" in the 90s. I graduated from ISU, and have had fball and mbb season tickets for nearly 25 consecutive years.

I was once of the mindset that the pursuit of the Joneses was the only way to survive. I've learned that even that hasn't guaranteed fairness and transparency in competition. I'm done.
It’s actually incredibly pertinent to the conversation you’re trying to have

Iowa State fan doesn’t donate now. We won’t be peers to the group you think we will be.

In order to measure up to just that peer group, with the loss of the media revenue, Iowa State fan will have to make up at least part of that loss.

So it’s a simple question. And, in order to meet your desired reality, you need to be ready to default on a whole bunch of debt owed to the state of Iowa, and understand that the neighborhood we will be living in will be more akin to North Dakota State, than Oklahoma State

Are you willing to make that sacrifice to donate more ( or any I guess) to be in the Oklahoma State neighborhood?
 

isucy86

Well-Known Member
Apr 13, 2006
9,165
7,763
113
Dubuque
Is there really a big difference between having a collective that helps us "retain" players rather than "recruit" players? And do we really think we are going to be able to maintain that distinction? The industry has changed. I thought this statement sounded a bit out-of-touch and with the new reality.
IMO the recruiting talent pool for any sport is shaped like a bell curve. In basketball there are 30-50 players whose talent appears to be far above players ranked around 100. And then there isn't a whole lot of difference between the 100th ranked and 300th ranked player.

So if the top tier of talent is peeled away and they play "minor league", the remaining players are pretty equal. So we may not see recruiting wars for HS kids. NIL may actually be kids marketing themselves to the local car dealership or restaurant.

The biggest issue would be, what happens when a few kids like Morris, Niang, Garza or Murray blow up. Can they jump to the minor league or is the NBA their main option.
 

Cyclones1969

Well-Known Member
Jul 26, 2021
8,885
6,077
113
55
Pollard said he wasn’t losing any sleep over the NIL situation.

translation

Pollard is losing sleep over the NIL situation but wants to give the impression that all is good. He knows fans are not happy about this and he knows some fans like @jereseib are disgruntled and out, which means less donations.
Very reminiscent of the video he did with the president when the news about Oklahoma and Texas came out.

We ended up far worse there too.

He knows what that meant then, knows what losing AAU status means now, and what NIL means in the future. He knows he can’t get ad donations now, and everyone losing their minds about paying players, and how the new rules, makes that an even more insurmountable task.

It’s not a pleasant scenario for him. I admire his loyalty to the university for it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Cyclad