Estimated NCAA Athlete Revenue Sharing 2025-26 (Power Conference Schools)
Average/Athlete
Football $140,741
Basketball $218,506
Would anyone on this board have made a different decision than Cooper and All?
I will also say 100% yes! College is supposed to be getting a degree, internship to gain experience and ultimately get a job. Is it 78% of NFL players have financial hardship 2 years after retirement? Believe NBA is 65% 3 years (may have those backwards). Doubt most of these college kids will handle money any better. Also anything they get even what Valpo offers I believe is taxed at the higher "self employed" rate.
Valpo has a lot to offer student athletes longer term, an education and finding a job post sport. Hoping many of these athletes see that value, and can look to post college when they need that degree and job.
Stop...no one cares....
Bottom line is this. I a forum setting you can say all you want about making a different decision than these kids, but when it comes down to it. I don't think anyone would have chosen differently. Fact of the matter is you aren't Cooper. You aren't All. You will likely never be faced with the decisions they are being faced with now. How could anyone possibly make a decision without understanding how these guys feel.
Life changing money is life changing money. I don't think anyone is turning that down
@rezynezy nobody has a problem with the kids’ decisions. We are simply pointing the flaws in the format, regulations, and implementation of the current rules.
I am very uncomfortable looking at these players from my (our) position and their positions could be even more tortuous. By choosing teenage free agency all bets are essentially off and we suddenly have a deluge of independent contractors none of which have any business experience. With loyalties gone what happens to all the kids who crash and burn? Do they fall back on relationships they have built? 
WHAT RELATIONSHIPS?
The situation with Isaiah Stafford is particularly irking. I don't see him getting worthwhile BIG money anywhere so will he sell out for chump change? In exchange would he dare ask anybody on this board for a future favor or should he ask his agent?
@vok22 I'm not saying the system isn't all of these things. Because it is. All I am saying is that you can claim you would make a different decision than these athletes, but if you actually were faced with these decisions. I would find it hard pressed to believe you would be true to your word. Not calling anyone here a liar. I certainly would have a similar answer to the highlighted question. But if you were handed theb opportunity to make life changing money for you and your family doing the thing you love. I dont think anyone is passing it up
I am very uncomfortable looking at these players from my (our) position and their positions could be even more tortuous. By choosing teenage free agency all bets are essentially off and we suddenly have a deluge of independent contractors none of which have any business experience. With loyalties gone what happens to all the kids who crash and burn? Do they fall back on relationships they have built?
The situation with Isaiah Stafford is particularly irking. I don't see him getting worthwhile BIG money anywhere so will he sell out for chump change? In exchange would he dare ask anybody on this board for a future favor or should he ask his agent?
One method of a bit of control over the current wild west of the portal is enough players getting burned by transferring to the point it becomes a bit of a risk. I don't know if we'll ever get there as it will take multiple years to develop but its essentially the "sorting itself out" method of control.
I don't think they'll be any rules put into place to stop the process.
I wouldn't be surprised if overall the college basketball world just shrinks in the long-range shake-out of all this.
There are always going to be a couple of very rich institutions that can pay the NIL and get from it a reliable-enough winning trajectory to make the costs worth it; at these rich elite places the college sports model will continue in some way that is beneficial enough to both the institution and the players.
But a lot of schools (esp in this environment were federal and state funding have evaporated the last few decades and most uni's are going to face even steeper cuts ahead) are just eventually going to conclude it's not worth it to fund sports for coaches and players who don't necessarily win, have no loyalty, and keep leaving.
I wouldn't be surprised if overall the college basketball world just shrinks in the long-range shake-out of all this.
There are always going to be a couple of very rich institutions that can pay the NIL and get from it a reliable-enough winning trajectory to make the costs worth it; at these rich elite places the college sports model will continue in some way that is beneficial enough to both the institution and the players.
But a lot of schools (esp in this environment were federal and state funding have evaporated the last few decades and most uni's are going to face even steeper cuts ahead) are just eventually going to conclude it's not worth it to fund sports for coaches and players who don't necessarily win, have no loyalty, and keep leaving.
I mean, its no coincidence the SEC was able to come out on top of the basketball world in such a short amount of time. The SEC has some of the most profitable NIL collectives in the business. Just taking a look at this list here, and the teams in the top of the SEC. There is a significant correlation between the 2
https://www.on3.com/nil/news/on3s-top-15-nil-collectives-in-college-sports/
@vok22 I'm not saying the system isn't all of these things. Because it is. All I am saying is that you can claim you would make a different decision than these athletes, but if you actually were faced with these decisions. I would find it hard pressed to believe you would be true to your word. Not calling anyone here a liar. I certainly would have a similar answer to the highlighted question. But if you were handed theb opportunity to make life changing money for you and your family doing the thing you love. I dont think anyone is passing it up
I respect your viewpoint, but you are incorrect. Loyalty matters more to me than selling myself to the highest bidder, and I have applied that in my work life, when encountering a somewhat similar situation over the last few years.
