Many changes have been made to college sports and one big one is NIL (Name Image Likeness). NIL is letting the players be paid during college sports like the professional players. All sports that NIL is affecting are basketball, football, and wrestling. NIL allows players to make money through jersey sales, endorsements, and paid money to play for the team.
Eighth grader Connor Obdyke speaks out about NIL affecting college football. “The players are going to a school for the money and not the playing time, coaches, and loyalty to the program.” One example of how NIL is affecting college football, is with Tennessee quarterback, Nico Iamaleava, who entered the transfer portal because he wanted four million dollars and wasn’t being paid enough by Tennessee.
Another eighth grader, Dominic Rottinghaus shares his opinion about college basketball being affected by NIL. “I think NIL is ruining college basketball because the team with the most money and the best players are going to keep winning.” Many saw this affect March Madness this year, as most of the teams that made the Final Four had the most NIL money to spend. Duke paid Cooper Flagg the unanimous number 1 overall player in college basketball 4.8 million dollars to play for Duke. Duke, who made the final four, has the most NIL money to spend in college basketball, and closely behind Auburn and Florida, who also made the Final Four.
Taber Mcberney, a seventh grader talked about how NIL affects college wrestling. “ I don’t think NIL is running college wrestling because it gives wrestlers a chance to make money for the sports they love.” College wrestling is being affected by NIL just as much as other sports. Programs have certain budgets that they have to follow and they aren’t allowed certain players because they request more money.
HEAT team history teacher, Mr. Wernimont, talked about the effects of NIL on college sports. “No I don’t think so, I mean like i am old enough or young depending on how u look at at it to remember. When college sports like a lot of people had a lot of complaints about how things were done. Beforehand players were expected to be students first and athletes second. I think in a way that it should still probably be the case, but I don’t really see why there is any reason why. If there’s these organizations making a lot of money off of their likeness and the way they pa-trade and in games marketing jersey sales all of that stuff you know it’s a big business. So I see no reason why athletes shouldn’t get paid for that. There was a time before that where students were just expected to just suck it up, what you had when students did take money and bribes the punishments were frankly outlandish.”
Before NIL was created in 2021 players weren’t allowed to be paid outside of scholarships, and now they are getting brand deals, jersey sales, and even commercials for the program. If any players were paid outside of scholarships they were held accountable and had a punishment, whether that was a suspension or even kicked off the team. NIL affecting college sports also comes with the transfer portal which allows players to leave a school and not have to wait a year to play. NIL is ruining college sports and the best teams keep winning and have the most money.
