First real step to paying College Football players

[ABQCOWBOY]

You"re 100% correct. I think college football as we know it today would die.

My own opinion is that the player pathway for professional football should follow the normal route that professional sport has worldwide - players work their way up through the ranks at underage level and then through professional academies or minor leagues. There is no logical link between university academics and sporting achievement.

I also think the sport would be stronger if it wasnt tied to the US education system because:

1. The college route rules out a percentage if athletes.

2. The strict links to the education system has killed off participation in football at adult level. Most football players stop playing altogether when they are finished high school, college etc.

I personally think it's a recipe for disaster. If you go that route, you pit what is now College Football against the NFL. They essentially both become Professional Leagues. I would also mention this. Developmental Pro Football Leagues have never really worked in this country. They've been tried many times. Understand that in order to duplicate what you currently have with College Football, in so far as creating a development league, it would be a massive endeavour. There are well over 700 College Football Programs in this Country. I mean, think about that now. In order to duplicate what College Football offers, you would need to sink a ridiculous amount of resources into developing a a solution that could provide what the NCAA offers now and then you would have to figure out a way to sustain it for a long period of time. The money involved with just getting it off the ground and keeping it afloat, until such time as it might become viable, assuming it ever did, would basically bankrupt the NFL. I just don't see it.

 

[csirl]

I personally think it's a recipe for disaster. If you go that route, you pit what is now College Football against the NFL. They essentially both become Professional Leagues. I would also mention this. Developmental Pro Football Leagues have never really worked in this country. They've been tried many times. Understand that in order to duplicate what you currently have with College Football, in so far as creating a development league, it would be a massive endeavour. There are well over 700 College Football Programs in this Country. I mean, think about that now. In order to duplicate what College Football offers, you would need to sink a ridiculous amount of resources into developing a a solution that could provide what the NCAA offers now and then you would have to figure out a way to sustain it for a long period of time. The money involved with just getting it off the ground and keeping it afloat, until such time as it might become viable, assuming it ever did, would basically bankrupt the NFL. I just don't see it.

Wouldnt it happen organically? In most field sports worldwide, local clubs arent funded by pro leagues. People who want to play amateur sport form clubs and play in local leagues......in time some will develop into semi pro outfits and a small number will become professional etc etc. There is a counter argument that the NCAA hoovering up amateur athletes is preventing the development of local clubs.