You know, college sports don’t feel the same anymore, and I think a big part of that is because of NIL. It used to be all about the love for your school, the hard work you put in, and cheering for your team alongside your friends. Now, it kinda feels more like a business. Players are hopping on huge endorsement deals even before they play their first game, which is wild! Recruiting now seems more like a bidding war instead of finding the right fit for a team. Athletes are moving from one school to another, chasing after the biggest NIL deals instead of really growing with one program. It’s creating a bigger gap between schools that have wealthy supporters and those that don’t. Just look at the case of Jaden Rashada. He reportedly signed a $13 million NIL deal with Florida, only for it to fall apart and lead to him decommitting. We used to have a pretty level playing field, but that’s changing fast, and it feels like all those traditions are fading away. Conversations have shifted too. Remember when we used to get hyped up about rivalries or cheer for the underdogs? Now, it’s all about sponsorships and how many followers someone has on social media. There was something special about college sports that set them apart from professional leagues. It had this raw, authentic vibe that you just couldn’t find anywhere else. But with NIL taking the forefront, that authenticity seems to be slipping away, and it’s a bit of a bummer.
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