Why would the colleges let the NFL in?

Why would the colleges let the NFL in?
by gregmorrissey (2023-01-27 13:44:52)

In reply to: It would be a waste of time. There's no good side posted by SWPaDem

Right now the Power 5 have the deal of all deals. Their cash cow business has a monopoly on 18-22 year old football players, and they don't even have to pay the service providers. Why would the NFL want to compete with that? And why would the Power 5 willingly invite the NFL in to compete?

So, the Power 5 are playing "dumb". They point to the NCAA or to Congress as merely a diversion. The system is working how they want for everyone -- well, nearly everyone. Like Scooby Doo..."if it wasn't for those pesky kids".

In the next decade, the Big Ten and SEC are likely to break away with another 10 or so teams, and they'll run their own show. The rest of the NCAA will revert back to looking more like the Missouri Valley or Conference USA. Maybe they are successful enough to grow and compete with the SEC/BIG Ten league -- compete in revenues/TV contract, not on the field of play as they will not actually compete against each other ala NAIA vs. NCAA or NBA vs. CBA.

And some of us will bemoan what it was or what it should be or what it could have been.

Because it's a small percent of kids who are

Creating problems for the colleges, and that small percent of kids aren't why college football is successful or lucrative.

If kids who wanted to go pro had a chance to do so, colleges would be on much better ground to retain the system.

The NFL doesn't want this to happen. Running a minor league isn't profitable for them.

Seriously, consider if the NFL created a minor league of 8 teams, took the top 450-500 kids out of college ball to field those teams, and played their games on Saturdays, competing against college football.

Where would the top game in this new league rank each week against college games?

The colleges are competing against each other for available talent, but they aren't competing against other leagues at all in terms of absolute talent. It mostly doesn't matter.

Does this factor in a CFB players union and CBA?

I think that's almost assuredly on the horizon; things which may change the calculus for SEC/BigN acting alone.

I still don't see why they'd give up monopoly

Or why the NFL would entertain the idea of competing.

I think the only way a union and CBA work is by having similarly capable programs and unified leadership. And, if now x% of the revenues need to be shared with the service providers then I don't think the Ohio States and Alabamas will be quite as willing to share revenue equally with the Northwesterns and the Purdues and the South Carolinas.

they're likely going to be forced to give up the monopoly

they're already on the losing side of several cases and a few more are likely on the way.

Pigs get fat hogs get slaughtered.

Good answer. I like the way you think. I'm going to be

watching you.