Is this possible? The NFL has a model that could be followed.
Let's say that a Collective Bargaining Union is established. Every player who wants to play College Football or College Basketball at the highest level must join in their respective sport. This is a closed shop as no non-Union participants will be allowed.
Each school in the 40 plus football teams in the upper tier and however many basketball teams like Gonzaga and Villanova will have the same salary cap albeit more cap space for football. The salary cap will be set based on a percentage of whatever the TV revenues that these "Tier One" schools generate.
Each player will be given a four year contract which is guaranteed. If someone wants to leave to go to another "Tier One" school or the NFL after a season is completed, they are welcome to go, but there has to be enough in the receiving team's cap space to sign them. Obviously, every player is not earning the same amount. Certainly, there will be some bad choices made by transferring.
Schools can sign "free agents" from lower level conferences as long as they can fit them into the salary cap. They can "cut" a player but the original salary is still guaranteed even if they go to play at a lower tier.
As in the NFL, evaluation mistakes and injuries will occur. In the case of poor evaluations, that money stays on the books until the four years has passed. Perhaps, some sort of exceptions to the cap can be granted for career ending injuries but the four year guarantee remains. The four years are important because you at least retain a semblance of what a college is supposed to do which is educate, graduate, and prepare a student for life after college.
In the NFL, a small market team like Green Bay or Kansas City can be the very best and the New York teams can be the very worst. This happens due to better coaching and organization. Unfortunately, this is not the case in Major League Baseball.
Alabama won't like this because it puts them on a par with Vandy. Well, it does and it doesn't. Bama will still have its traditions, it's zillion dollar facilities, and more money to buy the best coaches. I guess boosters can still do their thing with additional inducements but then again, that goes on anyway. At least a governing body (NCAA?) would have a simpler structure to administer.
I believe something like this will eventually happen because even the "richest of the rich" cannot absorb many million dollar "busts" which are bound to happen with NIL.
As in the NFL, the sport needs to be reasonably competitive which it isn't now.
Let's say that a Collective Bargaining Union is established. Every player who wants to play College Football or College Basketball at the highest level must join in their respective sport. This is a closed shop as no non-Union participants will be allowed.
Each school in the 40 plus football teams in the upper tier and however many basketball teams like Gonzaga and Villanova will have the same salary cap albeit more cap space for football. The salary cap will be set based on a percentage of whatever the TV revenues that these "Tier One" schools generate.
Each player will be given a four year contract which is guaranteed. If someone wants to leave to go to another "Tier One" school or the NFL after a season is completed, they are welcome to go, but there has to be enough in the receiving team's cap space to sign them. Obviously, every player is not earning the same amount. Certainly, there will be some bad choices made by transferring.
Schools can sign "free agents" from lower level conferences as long as they can fit them into the salary cap. They can "cut" a player but the original salary is still guaranteed even if they go to play at a lower tier.
As in the NFL, evaluation mistakes and injuries will occur. In the case of poor evaluations, that money stays on the books until the four years has passed. Perhaps, some sort of exceptions to the cap can be granted for career ending injuries but the four year guarantee remains. The four years are important because you at least retain a semblance of what a college is supposed to do which is educate, graduate, and prepare a student for life after college.
In the NFL, a small market team like Green Bay or Kansas City can be the very best and the New York teams can be the very worst. This happens due to better coaching and organization. Unfortunately, this is not the case in Major League Baseball.
Alabama won't like this because it puts them on a par with Vandy. Well, it does and it doesn't. Bama will still have its traditions, it's zillion dollar facilities, and more money to buy the best coaches. I guess boosters can still do their thing with additional inducements but then again, that goes on anyway. At least a governing body (NCAA?) would have a simpler structure to administer.
I believe something like this will eventually happen because even the "richest of the rich" cannot absorb many million dollar "busts" which are bound to happen with NIL.
As in the NFL, the sport needs to be reasonably competitive which it isn't now.
