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Will PSU pay (NIL) for players?

Pitt_Boss

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Dec 15, 2008
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USC has offered Pitt's Jordan Addison more than $2 million to transfer there. No, he's not even in the transfer portal, but that's the new world of CFB. Suck for Pitt and I am sure most PSU fans will take joy in it, and that's fine. We know we can't compete with the $$ of the big programs.

But, serious question, where do you see PSU fitting in this new world of CFB? As a program, you have more athletic department dollars than most and plenty of fans. But does PSU have the booster $ to offer huge NIL deals like USC, LSU, Oklahoma, etc. are doing? Even if the booster money is there, is there interest in spending it this way? I haven't heard of PSU using NIL to "buy" players like this, but feel like you will have no choice if you want to compete with Ohio St / Mich in conference and USC, Alabama, LSU, etc. out of conference.
 
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USC has offered Pitt's Jordan Addison more than $2 million to transfer there. No, he's not even in the transfer portal, but that's the new world of CFB. Suck for Pitt and I am sure most PSU fans will take joy in it, and that's fine. We know we can't compete with the $$ of the big programs.

But, serious question, where do you see PSU fitting in this new world of CFB? As a program, you have more athletic department dollars than most and plenty of fans. But does PSU have the booster $ to offer huge NIL deals like USC, LSU, Oklahoma, etc. are doing? Even if the booster money is there, is there interest in spending it this way? I haven't heard of PSU using NIL to "buy" players like this, but feel like you will have no choice if you want to compete with Ohio St / Mich in conference and USC, Alabama, LSU, etc. out of conference.
The university doesn’t pay nil dollars.
 
No, he's not even in the transfer portal, but that's the new world of CFB. Suck for Pitt and I am sure most PSU fans will take joy in it, and that's fine.

I’ve said this before on Patherlair, and I’ll say it again: Unlike Pitt fans, most of us don’t wish any harm on your football program, nor do we take any joy in its demise. Sure, we crack jokes at Pitt’s expense, but most of it is just good natured trash talk. We do not have that unhealthy obsession/hatred that so many of your board members seem to have for us (they’ll recognize my name, they know who they are).

That being said, I’m sorry about your receiver. I assume you guys were expecting him to really step up, what with a new QB and all. That just sucks, man.

As for your main question, I believe PSU is gonna play with the big boys. We have an athletic department that is firmly planted in the top 10 in size, revenue, and brand power. All of the other comparable athletic departments will be playing this game too, if they haven’t already started.

Furthermore, Franklin was asked last week about what traits he expected in our search for a new AD. His exact words were “bold and aggressive.” He wanted someone very football-focused, who was willing to adapt, but also be bold in the changing landscape of college football. (We actually just hired our guy earlier today.)

So yea, I think all signs point to PSU gearing up to play this new game of big boy football, whatever it may look like going forward.
 
How about this rule for NIL........

If a player or school is found to have illegally tampered or communicated with an athlete outside of the rules for such, that athlete and/or school will not be granted immediate eligibility and will be required to sit out a season before being eligible to play.

Simple enough.....You're welcome.
 
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The university doesn’t pay nil dollars.
I know, that's why I was asking about booster $ to pay NIL. All the money PSU makes from ticket sales, parking, etc. can't be used for NIL. So, if we are talking weight rooms and team lounges, PSU has the dollars to hang with anyone being a top 10 athletic revenue school.

But in the NIL world, you need millions per year from boosters to pay player salaries. USC, for instance, isn't even a top 20 athletic revenue school, but they have deep pocket boosters paying for players. Same for Miami.

In the new world of NIL CFB, we know who some of the 'haves' will be (USC, LSU, Texas, etc.) and the 'have nots' (Pitt, Purdue, etc.). But I wonder about some schools like Penn St, Florida, Michigan St etc. that would seemingly be in the 'haves' based on athletic department revenue, but that so far haven't used booster NIL to buy players or recruits...is the booster money there? For instance, if Dotson had decided to play one more year in college, then USC offered him $2 million to transfer, is there a PSU booster willing to write a $2 million check to keep him?
 
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How about this rule for NIL........

If a player or school is found to have illegally tampered or communicated with an athlete outside of the rules for such, that athlete and/or school will not be granted immediate eligibility and will be required to sit out a season before being eligible to play.

Simple enough.....You're welcome.
LOL, who do you think would enforce this? Emmert and his crew who have done such a wonderful job of controlling the money and investigations in the past?
 
LOL, who do you think would enforce this? Emmert and his crew who have done such a wonderful job of controlling the money and investigations in the past?
I vote for Jay Paterno and Urban Meyer to be co-chairs of enforcement.
 
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The university doesn’t pay nil dollars.
You are correct that the university does not pay the NIL dollars, but the university is acting as the middle man between the athlete and an NIL collective/business to pay the athlete.

The tampering and communication with athletes before the athlete enters the transfer portal is absolutely awful. This type of situation is why my interest in big time college athletics is waning.
 
Not to make light of your question, but I no longer care. I'm moving on from this mess and plan on giving football saturdays only a passing glance. Instead I'll watch the NFL and professional athletes rather than these semi-pros.
I am coming to the same conclusion. If rich people, and not so rich people, want to throw money at high school and college athletes, then I guess that is their choice, but there are many more worthy causes to support.

I've finding myself less interested and I'll see if I catch games on tv when I can, but no longer making it a priority.
 
Penn State will try. They have too much invested in the football program not too. Football is a big part of the school's identity and while I don't have any financials in front of me I know they have bills to pay. They are a big time athletic program and football pays the bills so they need to respond in a way to remain competitive. Having said that it is going to be hard. I'm not aware of any group of Penn State boosters willing to shell out big dollars to fund their own semi-pro team. A lot of fans will say they've seen enough of this clown show and lose interest in the program and college football in general. From there I don't know what happens but whatever it is I see difficult times ahead for Penn State football. If Penn State football was a stock I would rate it a SELL.
 
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I know, that's why I was asking about booster $ to pay NIL. All the money PSU makes from ticket sales, parking, etc. can't be used for NIL. So, if we are talking weight rooms and team lounges, PSU has the dollars to hang with anyone being a top 10 athletic revenue school.

But in the NIL world, you need millions per year from boosters to pay player salaries. USC, for instance, isn't even a top 20 athletic revenue school, but they have deep pocket boosters paying for players. Same for Miami.

In the new world of NIL CFB, we know who some of the 'haves' will be (USC, LSU, Texas, etc.) and the 'have nots' (Pitt, Purdue, etc.). But I wonder about some schools like Penn St, Florida, Michigan St etc. that would seemingly be in the 'haves' based on athletic department revenue, but that so far haven't used booster NIL to buy players or recruits...is the booster money there? For instance, if Dotson had decided to play one more year in college, then USC offered him $2 million to transfer, is there a PSU booster willing to write a $2 million check to keep him?
I'll disagree with other posters. I don't think PSU alumni are gonna
I know, that's why I was asking about booster $ to pay NIL. All the money PSU makes from ticket sales, parking, etc. can't be used for NIL. So, if we are talking weight rooms and team lounges, PSU has the dollars to hang with anyone being a top 10 athletic revenue school.

But in the NIL world, you need millions per year from boosters to pay player salaries. USC, for instance, isn't even a top 20 athletic revenue school, but they have deep pocket boosters paying for players. Same for Miami.

In the new world of NIL CFB, we know who some of the 'haves' will be (USC, LSU, Texas, etc.) and the 'have nots' (Pitt, Purdue, etc.). But I wonder about some schools like Penn St, Florida, Michigan St etc. that would seemingly be in the 'haves' based on athletic department revenue, but that so far haven't used booster NIL to buy players or recruits...is the booster money there? For instance, if Dotson had decided to play one more year in college, then USC offered him $2 million to transfer, is there a PSU booster willing to write a $2 million check to keep him?
I'll disagree with other posters. I don't think PSU alumni are going to pay nil money like other programs. Most alumni in a position to do such things likely believe this whole mess is contrary to the Success with Honor mantra that they have believed in for decades.
CFB is going to implode. I believe it will result in a P1 of 15-20 teams that throw untold millions at players, a big 2nd tier of programs that PSU will be a part of, and 15-20 programs that either fold or move down to FCS.
 
I am coming to the same conclusion. If rich people, and not so rich people, want to throw money at high school and college athletes, then I guess that is their choice, but there are many more worthy causes to support.

I've finding myself less interested and I'll see if I catch games on tv when I can, but no longer making it a priority.
Agree.
 
I'd be curious to know why everyone thinks college football was so pure before NIL? As if it was some ultimate form of amateur athletics.
That's hilarious. It wasn’t. It was as low down and dirty as it has ever been. NiL actually forces transparency.
Why are people so triggered that kids can get paid and can go to the school they want to go to, when they want to.
What in the flying f is so bad about that? Please explain.
Jordan Addison leaving Pitt is karma for Narduzzi trying to poach PSU kids for MSU after the Sandusky scandal broke.
 
I think the change NIL has brought about is that by being out in the open, which is better, there are more people and companies willing to engage and the amounts of $ have changed dramatically.

In the shady bag of money days, recruits cost $20k , $50k in the day and $200k to $300k nowadays( going by the basketball investigation). Any school that wished to play that game could. Heck , even Pitt did in the 70s and 80s.

Now? Caleb Williams is making $3 million dollars this year and the USC boosters are still spending. Good for the individual players, but there are only so many schools that can play the game at those stakes over the long term. Maybe about 20-25 schools.
 
I think the change NIL has brought about is that by being out in the open, which is better, there are more people and companies willing to engage and the amounts of $ have changed dramatically.

Just trying to understand; exactly how would "people and companies" engage Penn State players in State College, PA? I can't think of one product or service that would benefit significantly from a 20 y/o student, athlete as a spokesperson. Admittedly I'm old and growing quite cynical, but I'll be happy to change my mind if this is explained to me. Thanks.
 
Just trying to understand; exactly how would "people and companies" engage Penn State players in State College, PA? I can't think of one product or service that would benefit significantly from a 20 y/o student, athlete as a spokesperson. Admittedly I'm old and growing quite cynical, but I'll be happy to change my mind if this is explained to me. Thanks.
Ha ha, that's a good question. They wouldn't benefit in reality. Almost all of the big NIL deals tied to companies are just a way for rich boosters who own/run those companies to use company $ to pay players. For instance, Miami billionaire booster John Ruiz is using his company LifeWallet to pay Miami football and basketball players NIL deal. No one is going to use LifeWallet because it's endorsed by Miami players and he would never pay them endorsement deals if he wasn't an athletics fan. No Madison Ave marketing firm would advise him to spend money this way from a purely marketing and advertising business perspective. The companies just allow a legal vehicle to funnel money to the players for use of their NIL.
 
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Ha ha, that's a good question. They wouldn't benefit in reality. Almost all of the big NIL deals tied to companies are just a way for rich boosters who own/run those companies to use company $ to pay players. For instance, Miami billionaire booster John Ruiz is using his company LifeWallet to pay Miami football and basketball players NIL deal. No one is going to use LifeWallet because it's endorsed by Miami players and he would never pay them endorsement deals if he wasn't an athletics fan. No Madison Ave marketing firm would advise him to spend money this way from a purely marketing and advertising business perspective. The companies just allow a legal vehicle to funnel money to the players for use of their NIL.
So the uber rich can use a university as a vanity project, and/or an NFL minor league team to which they will have a stable of agents ready to represent them when they are drafted?
 
I'd be curious to know why everyone thinks college football was so pure before NIL? As if it was some ultimate form of amateur athletics.
That's hilarious. It wasn’t. It was as low down and dirty as it has ever been. NiL actually forces transparency.
Why are people so triggered that kids can get paid and can go to the school they want to go to, when they want to.
What in the flying f is so bad about that? Please explain.
Jordan Addison leaving Pitt is karma for Narduzzi trying to poach PSU kids for MSU after the Sandusky scandal broke.
Everything has it's breaking point.
CFB wasn't pure before, but all the impurities were at least against the rules. All of the impurities of CFB have now been embraced as part of the game.

Why is this a bad thing? The bigger issue, as I've stated before is that CFB, at least pretended to be about amateur student athletes,(and by the numbers, most were). Amateurism has appeal. Conversely, no one cares about the minor leagues in any sport. As CFB moves closer to professionalism, people will care less and less.

Linked below is the Penn State Football Story intro. Watch it as you think about HS recruits signing 7 figure endorsement deals and the transfer portal. "The Walk-ons, the All-Americans, the Legends, who ensured to uphold the tradition..." becomes something about portal transfers and players who didn't see a full depth chart and greener grass elsewhere. Loses some of it's luster.

Time will tell, but this is why, IMHO, we're going to see the CFB bubble start to deflate. Fan interest will become less fervent, dollars spent on attending games will go down, and fewer eye balls will watch games. Fewer dollars/eye balls means less lucrative TV contracts and less interest means less spent on NIL for the vast majority of CFB players.
That's why I think there will be a P1 of 15-20 programs, centered around the SEC, with OSU, USC, and a handful of others. The vast majority of programs will adjust to a lower revenue model, where players are mostly there with an eye on a degree instead of the NFL, and lower revenue model will cause 15-20 programs to fold or move back to FCS.

 
Everything has it's breaking point.
CFB wasn't pure before, but all the impurities were at least against the rules. All of the impurities of CFB have now been embraced as part of the game.

Why is this a bad thing? The bigger issue, as I've stated before is that CFB, at least pretended to be about amateur student athletes,(and by the numbers, most were). Amateurism has appeal. Conversely, no one cares about the minor leagues in any sport. As CFB moves closer to professionalism, people will care less and less.

Linked below is the Penn State Football Story intro. Watch it as you think about HS recruits signing 7 figure endorsement deals and the transfer portal. "The Walk-ons, the All-Americans, the Legends, who ensured to uphold the tradition..." becomes something about portal transfers and players who didn't see a full depth chart and greener grass elsewhere. Loses some of it's luster.

Time will tell, but this is why, IMHO, we're going to see the CFB bubble start to deflate. Fan interest will become less fervent, dollars spent on attending games will go down, and fewer eye balls will watch games. Fewer dollars/eye balls means less lucrative TV contracts and less interest means less spent on NIL for the vast majority of CFB players.
That's why I think there will be a P1 of 15-20 programs, centered around the SEC, with OSU, USC, and a handful of others. The vast majority of programs will adjust to a lower revenue model, where players are mostly there with an eye on a degree instead of the NFL, and lower revenue model will cause 15-20 programs to fold or move back to FCS.

I would tend to agree with you. the current system will become a mess.
 
Everything has it's breaking point.
CFB wasn't pure before, but all the impurities were at least against the rules. All of the impurities of CFB have now been embraced as part of the game.

Why is this a bad thing? The bigger issue, as I've stated before is that CFB, at least pretended to be about amateur student athletes,(and by the numbers, most were). Amateurism has appeal. Conversely, no one cares about the minor leagues in any sport. As CFB moves closer to professionalism, people will care less and less.

Linked below is the Penn State Football Story intro. Watch it as you think about HS recruits signing 7 figure endorsement deals and the transfer portal. "The Walk-ons, the All-Americans, the Legends, who ensured to uphold the tradition..." becomes something about portal transfers and players who didn't see a full depth chart and greener grass elsewhere. Loses some of it's luster.

Time will tell, but this is why, IMHO, we're going to see the CFB bubble start to deflate. Fan interest will become less fervent, dollars spent on attending games will go down, and fewer eye balls will watch games. Fewer dollars/eye balls means less lucrative TV contracts and less interest means less spent on NIL for the vast majority of CFB players.
That's why I think there will be a P1 of 15-20 programs, centered around the SEC, with OSU, USC, and a handful of others. The vast majority of programs will adjust to a lower revenue model, where players are mostly there with an eye on a degree instead of the NFL, and lower revenue model will cause 15-20 programs to fold or move back to FCS.

Another question to consider, since you bring up comparisons to minor leagues: at what point does the NFL step in and advocate for certain reforms? College football is their minor league and I’d have to imagine that all this change, particularly a break-off of the biggest schools, may not be good for player development.
 
Everything has it's breaking point.
CFB wasn't pure before, but all the impurities were at least against the rules. All of the impurities of CFB have now been embraced as part of the game.

Why is this a bad thing? The bigger issue, as I've stated before is that CFB, at least pretended to be about amateur student athletes,(and by the numbers, most were). Amateurism has appeal. Conversely, no one cares about the minor leagues in any sport. As CFB moves closer to professionalism, people will care less and less.

Linked below is the Penn State Football Story intro. Watch it as you think about HS recruits signing 7 figure endorsement deals and the transfer portal. "The Walk-ons, the All-Americans, the Legends, who ensured to uphold the tradition..." becomes something about portal transfers and players who didn't see a full depth chart and greener grass elsewhere. Loses some of it's luster.

Time will tell, but this is why, IMHO, we're going to see the CFB bubble start to deflate. Fan interest will become less fervent, dollars spent on attending games will go down, and fewer eye balls will watch games. Fewer dollars/eye balls means less lucrative TV contracts and less interest means less spent on NIL for the vast majority of CFB players.
That's why I think there will be a P1 of 15-20 programs, centered around the SEC, with OSU, USC, and a handful of others. The vast majority of programs will adjust to a lower revenue model, where players are mostly there with an eye on a degree instead of the NFL, and lower revenue model will cause 15-20 programs to fold or move back to FCS.

And we are a lot closer to this coming reality than most here believe. My daughter is finishing her freshman year. CFB (and the PSU experience we all grew up with) is about to cease to exist - probably before her graduation…unless rules are established and very quickly. A blue ribbon panel should be established with a new set of rules ready b4 signing day (maybe push it back to the old early February time frame.
 
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Just trying to understand; exactly how would "people and companies" engage Penn State players in State College, PA? I can't think of one product or service that would benefit significantly from a 20 y/o student, athlete as a spokesperson. Admittedly I'm old and growing quite cynical, but I'll be happy to change my mind if this is explained to me. Thanks.
There are none. It’s the alumni base that must be cracked. Besides the state has a say in what can and can’t be done. Pa is not a friendly NIL state compared to others because they rushed into the fray.
 
There are none. It’s the alumni base that must be cracked.

I watch Boomer Esiason & Gio every morning on CBS Sports, (Hey, it beats the hell out of news & I'm a NY sports fan). He was just approached by Maryland for a NIL contribution of $50k. He told them no, and this coming from a man who was very generous in the past. He believes this will be the end of CFB as we knew it.
 
If there is any hope for NIL regulation, it is that the current NIL environment may actually hurt as many "blue blood" programs as it helps. Pitt losing Addison to a big NIL deal stings, but being realistic, if this was pre-NIL, Pitt could have just as easily lost Addison to a school like Alabama anyway without a NIL, selling him on a chance at a National Championship, playing with a bunch of other NFL guys, etc.

However, in the NIL world, those kind of advantages that Alabama has can be negated pretty quickly with a NIL check. This goes for HS recruits and transfers. A school like Arkansas or OK State can come along with a big NIL/booster check and sway players even from powers like Alabama, LSU, etc. Sure, if the blue blood offers similar NIL $ then they probably still get the player, but even the blue bloods aren't going to be able to outbid every NIIL offer for every player they want. Playing in the Big Ten for Penn St in a packed stadium sounds great for some 4 star recruit...until Baylor offers him $300k, then that will sound a lot better.
 
Another question to consider, since you bring up comparisons to minor leagues: at what point does the NFL step in and advocate for certain reforms? College football is their minor league and I’d have to imagine that all this change, particularly a break-off of the biggest schools, may not be good for player development.

Well, the NFL has nothing to do with the NCAA so they will not do anything. They have no standing and really can't.
Football is expensive to support and they've enjoyed a free development league for a long time. I think that time is coming to a close. CFB will either move to the P1 scenario I list above or the alternative is the end of major college sports in the US and a move to professional development systems like what exists world wide in Hockey and Soccer.
The NBA G-league will replace big time college basketball and the AAU or something similar will emerge as a "Juniors" basketball system.

Football is a bit trickier due to costs, but the NFL will have no choice but to do something if CFB implodes....although, let's just say that CFB implodes and there is a market correction...maybe it's just a return to the CFB of 30 years ago.
 
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