Will college athletes being allowed to make money in the near future help smaller programs compete at a higher level?
I was listening to Joel Klatt and Clay Travis discuss this topic during a Monday conversation, and I found it very intriguing. (RELATED: David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football)
I have to be honest, after giving it a little thought, I think they’re both onto something when they say it’ll likely help smaller programs more than the teams that already dominate.
As we all know, the NCAA will soon allow an athlete to make money off of their name, image and likeness. It’s a huge step forward that many thought would never come.
How will it impact lower-tier Power Five programs compared to the traditional powers? Well, if you’re a star player and can go anywhere you want, would you rather be in a locker room crowded with stars where your marketability might be limited, or would you prefer to be the big dog on campus?
From a winning standpoint, the first option is clearly the best. However, from a money standpoint, the second option is the obvious winner.
If you’re the most famous person in Oxford, Mississippi, then you’re going to make more money than if you’re the 13th most famous person in Tuscaloosa.
You won’t win as many football games, but you’ll rake in cash. That means Ole Miss and other smaller SEC teams might start getting commitments from five star players, who previously wouldn’t have given them much attention.
If you’re a great quarterback, are you going to go to a school where you might have to compete for the starting job or will you go to a school where you’ll start right away and be plastered over billboards everywhere for car dealerships?
Again, you’ll win more with option one, but you’ll make way more money with option two.
I have to admit that I didn’t really think about it from this angle before, but it certainly seems to make a hell of a lot of sense.
Let us know what you’d do in the comments below.