Transfer Portal 2023-2024...

[UntouchableCrew]

The problem is the players have all the power. If fans lose interest because of the players greed, eventually things would even out. Lower TV ratings, less seats in the stands, and no one buying the tee shirts. College football would eventually get the message. It's about time to boycott.

That is where all of this is headed IMHO.

I think it's pretty clearly heading in the opposite direction -- the schools are going to pay the players directly. Once it's collectively bargained they'll be under contract and you won't see this NIL craziness.

 

[B1GTide]

What really gets me too is the guilt tripping of fans to “donate” to “NIL Collectives”. Putting it directly on the fans and alumni to pay football players to play football. It’s just asinine. Fans and alumni are already buying tickets and merchandise, donating money for facilities, paying through the nose for the privilege to even be on the list for season tickets through Tide Pride, watching the games on TV and generating Ad revenue, etc. Now we get told that if we want good players it is on us to pay them in cash. No other sport or league asks this of fans. It’s insane, and unsustainable. The rules HAVE to change.

I refuse to donate to collectives. Not a nickel, ever. My family has financially supported OSU and Alabama enough.

 

[TideEngineer08]

What really gets me too is the guilt tripping of fans to “donate” to “NIL Collectives”. Putting it directly on the fans and alumni to pay football players to play football. It’s just asinine. Fans and alumni are already buying tickets and merchandise, donating money for facilities, paying through the nose for the privilege to even be on the list for season tickets through Tide Pride, watching the games on TV and generating Ad revenue, etc. Now we get told that if we want good players it is on us to pay them in cash. No other sport or league asks this of fans. It’s insane, and unsustainable. The rules HAVE to change.

It's pure gaslighting.

 

[RammerJammer14]

I think it's pretty clearly heading in the opposite direction -- the schools are going to pay the players directly. Once it's collectively bargained they'll be under contract and you won't see this NIL craziness.

Here is the thing though. If they are going to get paid directly, why do they need to be enrolled as students? Why is it even a University team? And how does this work for the “non revenue generating” sports? Are the volley ball players going to be employees?

This isn’t college football anymore. These aren’t school teams. It’s just a pro minor league.

 

[UntouchableCrew]

Here is the thing though. If they are going to get paid directly, why do they need to be enrolled as students? Why is it even a University team? And how does this work for the “non revenue generating” sports? Are the volley ball players going to be employees?

This isn’t college football anymore. These aren’t school teams. It’s just a pro minor league.

That's kind of what it's always been. Now the players are just being directly paid for their services instead of a bunch of coaches and administrators making all the money.

 

[81usaf92]

I refuse to donate to collectives. Not a nickel, ever. My family has financially supported OSU and Alabama enough.

Everytime I’ve gone to a REC meeting or a private UA event… Yea Alabama always had a pop up stand. Hardly anyone would even entertain their sales pitch. Alabama fans even in the donor level have actively resisted Yea Alabama and the Bama Standard initiatives.

I think Alabama has always taken the opinion of there will be some fixing to this soon by NCAA. I also think many believe that the University already gouges them with enough bull crap already and with little to show from it. This is why you see a bunch of new donors into the collectives.

 

[Bama1985]

What really gets me too is the guilt tripping of fans to “donate” to “NIL Collectives”. Putting it directly on the fans and alumni to pay football players to play football. It’s just asinine. Fans and alumni are already buying tickets and merchandise, donating money for facilities, paying through the nose for the privilege to even be on the list for season tickets through Tide Pride, watching the games on TV and generating Ad revenue, etc. Now we get told that if we want good players it is on us to pay them in cash. No other sport or league asks this of fans. It’s insane, and unsustainable. The rules HAVE to change.

Some of the overpaid University administrators should start taking pay cuts before they start asking fans...

 

[tidefan39817]

SIAP, have not read this whole thread but they were just talking on local Iowa sports radio that Kadyn Proctor will probably be entering the portal here in the next day or so and that the "smoke" is he wants to go back home to Iowa.

So, that big contribution that Jalen, Ty and Julian made to the "Hawkeye Nil Collective" has paid off???

 

[Sensation77]

While we have lost, or will lose, a few key players, I am trying my best to keep a positive outlook on this. We knew there would be some player turnover after Coach Saban retired. But there will be another portal open for everybody after Spring practice. I expect the new staff to evaluate the roster, and try to address any needs we have at that point. The roster is still loaded with talent, and I think Downs is the only one that will be impossible to replace. There will be kids that want to come play for CKD. Tampering is going on, so might as well fight fire with fire.

 

[RammerJammer14]

Some of the overpaid University administrators should start taking pay cuts before they start asking fans...

IMO a lot of university “administrative” positions need to be straight cut. They are bloated dead weight. But that starts veering into non-sports so I will leave it alone here.

 

[mlh]

That's kind of what it's always been. Now the players are just being directly openly paid for their services instead of a bunch of coaches and administrators making all the money.

Fixed it for you.

 

[AlexanderFan]

Everytime I’ve gone to a REC meeting or a private UA event… Yea Alabama always had a pop up stand. Hardly anyone would even entertain their sales pitch. Alabama fans even in the donor level have actively resisted Yea Alabama and the Bama Standard initiatives.

I think Alabama has always taken the opinion of there will be some fixing this soon by NCAA. I also think many believe that the University already gouges them with enough bull crap already and with little to show from it. This is why you see a bunch of new donors into the collectives.

The biggest issue is that some schools don't have to do all that soliciting. The right phone call to one booster can equal 100-1,000 phone calls to other boosters. That's what Saban warned everyone about when they thought he was scared. He was scared, but for the other schools as well.

 

[DzynKingRTR]

This is why Saban quit. I am close to quitting myself.

 

[imauafan]

I refuse to donate to collectives. Not a nickel, ever. My family has financially supported OSU and Alabama enough.

That is exactly my position on this as well. These kids are demanding money for playing college football and in a lot of cases it seems they are getting considerably more than the average person makes working a job. True NIL is about doing something that creates value for yourself and I support that 100% but I do not support the collectives at all. If there are other fans and/or big money boosters that want to support it, fine, but I'm not going to do it.

 

[BamaMoon]

I'm not believing the level of anxiety over one player.

This board is bigger and better than this.

There is so much more to be excited about than losing Caleb Downs can stomp out.

 

[Cruloc]

It better happen soon or alot of fans are going to lose interest in this mess.

Already have lost interest. Hard to stay invested in the mess college football is now.

 

[Tideflyer]

What really gets me too is the guilt tripping of fans to “donate” to “NIL Collectives”. Putting it directly on the fans and alumni to pay football players to play football. It’s just asinine. Fans and alumni are already buying tickets and merchandise, donating money for facilities, paying through the nose for the privilege to even be on the list for season tickets through Tide Pride, watching the games on TV and generating Ad revenue, etc. Now we get told that if we want good players it is on us to pay them in cash. No other sport or league asks this of fans. It’s insane, and unsustainable. The rules HAVE to change.

" The rules HAVE to change. " I`ll be damned if I can figure out what those rules even are!

 

[Bpilktree]

Vincent Holmes Washington player and number 8 safety in 2023 class just hit the portal. Could be a guy to help with loss of Downs.

 

[NoNC4Tubs]

Here is the thing though. If they are going to get paid directly, why do they need to be enrolled as students? Why is it even a University team? And how does this work for the “non revenue generating” sports? Are the volley ball players going to be employees?

This isn’t college football anymore. These aren’t school teams. It’s just a pro minor league.

Great point! These deals aren't supposed to be pay-for-play, but don't you have to be enrolled and on the team to even have value? The lack of regulation will eventually kill the sport.

Way back when, MLB had to make rules to keep the Yankees from basically dominating with $$$...

 

[TiderJack]

I'm not believing the level of anxiety over one player.

This board is bigger and better than this.

There is so much more to be excited about than losing Caleb Downs can stomp out.

Don't think it is specfically about Downs or any other player but the current system being totally out of control.