Dave Boling: Nothing personal, NIL has brought business to the forefront of college sports. The schools have to adapt.

Apr. 1—Civilians would rarely benefit from hearing the time-killing chats among media members.

But here’s a small portion of one that may capture the frame of mind among observers of college sports.

Before Washington State’s loss to Iowa State in the Round of 32 NCAA Tournament game last week in Omaha, Nebraska, a discussion was held on the future of talented Cougars freshman point guard Myles Rice.

Hypothetical question: Would Rice celebrate his Pac-12 Conference Freshman of the Year season by jumping in the transfer portal to find a more lucrative position elsewhere?

When asked for potential landing spots, my answer came quickly: “Rice (University).”

“Think of the marketing: He’d have his name on the front and back of the uniform. Big NIL opportunities.”

The first factor considered: Money.

Last week, Rice actually did announce he was entering the portal. From a competitive standpoint, Rice does not seem an attractive fit for Rice, but if some rich oilman booster from Houston wanted to make him a million-dollar offer, it could sway his mind.

No knock on Rice at all. More power to him. And to all other athletes who can become financially secure.

Because this is college sports now, a marketplace called NIL: name, image and loot.

When the Alston court decision opened the NCAA to free agency, chaos and freewheeling money-grabs ensued.

Had the NCAA and college administrators waded into the topic responsibly, and with 21st century awareness, they might have corrected the unfairness in athletes’ benefits without the court throwing open the doors of the bank vaults.

As with any drastic changes, the consequences, intended and unintended, are still being discovered.

Most obviously, it’s fair, and long overdue for the players.

For coaches, well, they’ve been on the take and often on the move without limits for a long time. If you hear one lamenting a portal loss, you’re probably listening to a hypocrite.

But for fans, oh, man, it’s a hellscape of unrequited loyalties.

The frequent transferring…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/dave-boling-nothing-personal-nil-020200245.html

Author : The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, Wash.

Publish date : 2024-04-02 02:02:00

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