There will eventually be major changes coming to college football. One of those changes is the idea that NIL contracts will eventually have language that requires players to play in postseason games in order to collect what they are owed.

In this episode of the Buckeye Weekly Podcast, Tom Orr and Tony Gerdeman discuss this topic as well as the impact that House vs. The NCAA is having right now on the possibility of some settlements and fixes coming down the road in pretty short order.

Rundown

College football players’ compensation and bowl opt-outs. 0:00
- Tony and Tom discuss the potential for college players to sign binding contracts with schools for bowl and playoff appearances.
- Tony and Tom discuss college football players’ ability to opt out of bowl games and potential changes to the system.
- The hosts discuss Bowl Season director Nick Carparelli message of confidence in fixing participation numbers and interest level drops.
- Gerdeman raises concerns about the enforceability of deals and potential for schools to withhold NIL payments, potentially harming players and schools’ earnings.
College football playoffs and bowl games, with a focus on Ohio State and the potential for a disaster season if they miss the playoffs. 6:27
- Tony and Tom discuss the potential impact of a 12-team college football playoff on bowl games, with Gerdeman arguing that the bowl games will be diminished and Orr pointing out that Ohio State has never finished lower than 7th during the College Football Playoff era.
- Tom expresses skepticism about the NCAA’s plan to provide financial compensation to college athletes, citing potential conflicts of interest and the need for a more permanent solution.
- Orr suggests that the NCAA’s actions may not be enough to address the existential threat to college football, and that Congress may need to intervene to create a more sustainable solution.
Potential NCAA settlement due to lawsuits regarding amateurism and player compensation. 10:59
- The fellas discuss a lawsuit against the NCAA regarding amateurism and lost revenue, with a potential settlement of well over $1 billion.
- The NCAA has lost multiple court cases and faces the possibility of triple damages, totaling more than $4 million.
- Tom explains the NCAA’s motivation for settling the lawsuits: limiting the potential damage and gaining control over the solution.
- The NCAA is trying to buy time to find a more permanent solution, possibly through congressional or legislative action.
College athletes’ pay and revenue distribution. 17:07
- ACC is in an existential crisis due to a 20-year deal signed in the mid-2010s, which has not kept up with market changes.
- Tom: Conflicting factors in college sports reform, including equal opportunities for female athletes and market forces.
- Orr: Unionizing college athletes will be challenging due to diverse interests among athletes, including football players with different interests.
Potential unionization of college athletes, with complexities and uncertainties involved. 24:59
- Tony discusses potential implications of college athletes becoming employees, including schools handling NIL rights.
- Tom expresses skepticism about the potential resolution of the college athletes’ unionization process, citing complexities and conflicting interests.
- Orr questions the ability of anyone to fully understand the intricacies of the issue, including government officials and labor attorneys.
College sports spending and changes in the industry. 29:21
- Orr and Gerdeman reflect on how much college football has changed in the last five years.
- Tony discusses the challenges of funding non-revenue sports in college athletics.