Members

[Stone]

Good for him. Truly. I wish I had the money to do that. I also with there was a Utah booster doing that. I am envious of the situation.

[Stone]

Dude is a stud. I have coveted him for awhile, and wondered how the Utes missed on getting him originally. Also somewhat expected him (and the other top players there) to transfer given the conference’s demise.

[Stone]

I echo the frustration felt by many on here.
There are some that think the expanded playoffs will help the situation, but IMO it is only a matter of time before star players opt out of the CFB playoffs the same way they opt out of bowl games.

What does a star player get out of a playoff game appearance? There is no extra money, only extra injury risk. Why risk that when you have a shot at big NFL money? It is only pressure from teammates that likely keeps those stars playing in playoff games.

NIL money is not tied to performance or playing (although, there may be some contracts that have that clause). Unless the players become actual employees and have money on the line, I see no reason why the playoffs will save CFB.

[Stone]

How is he being booed? That conference is still alive. Sure, it’s not the SEC, but it’s also not the Pac12 (tear).

[Stone]

Don’t worry. With the internet, you’re never really that far away. Back in my day, I had to have the Sunday sports page from the Deseret News mailed to me every week so that I could read about the Utes. I was getting the news probably two weeks behind by the time I read it. It was still fun.

[Stone]

It seems like this is the way things are going. Nearly all college sports go back to their origins as club/intramural activities. Then the revenue producing teams break off as stand-alone professional entities with a licensing agreement with the corresponding schools. Those entities form a league (essentially, NFL minor league). It seems inevitable.

[Stone]

These are not the schools paying the players, it is donors. You can make the case that the donor money would have gone to the school if not to the player, but that is speculative. I would actually prefer the schools be the ones paying the players, since it is the schools that are gaining revenue from the ticket and broadcast right sales. It makes more sense for that sharing to occur. It also would make it so that the players are able to be fired and expected to play in games (when not injured), so there is none of this “opt-out” of bowl games.

If college athletes are going to be paid, professionals, then they should get contracts and abide by those terms. NIL is this odd land where boosters are expected to pay players for the school’s benefit – boosters then get to theoretically have the players they pay do some advertisements, etc. But that is just a facade. College sports is a broken marketplace.

[Stone]

I am still watching, because of my loyalty to the Utes, but I can feel my interest waning. Frankly, the move to the Big12 will be telling for me. I do think my interest in the games next year will be significantly less than this year. Bowl games do not really interest me anymore (they did at one time). I used to watch a lot of college football – many non-Utah games. Now, I only watch Utah games. I think my love of college football is on life support. What would make it fully die, I do not know for sure, but it will be sad when it does (and it is headed that direction).

Although not triggered by NIL, my love of Utah basketball, and college basketball, died about a decade ago. I still sort of like it, but I used to be very passionate about it. No more. My point being that there is a precedent for my fandom to wither.

[Stone]

The new era is going to get out of control quickly (if it is not already). There needs to be some rules put into place, akin to the NFL, NBA, etc. Salary caps, free agency periods, etc. College football is functioning like a professional league, but without any of the rules/safeguards to protect the product from devolving into chaos.

[Stone]

Regarding coaches, are we prohibited from having a paid consultant (not officially a coach). Not sure of Klingsbury’s role with USC (maybe he is officially a coach), but he has been seen at many practices and likely provides valuable input and coaching.