The future of college baseball

[VObserver]

How many softball teams even have 27 parking spaces for players?

I can't answer that.. Arkansas is a school with virtually NO softball tradition; they have never been to a WCWS, have produced only one All America player in the history of the program and have won 40 or more games only twice in this century, though this year they will almost certainly reach that number. This NIL deal tells me that they are getting serious about softball. They will soon pass by schools unable or unwilling to invest more money in softball. Look for the Hogs to be a contender in the SEC as often as Alabama, LSU and Florida are.

[R1Letterman]

I can't answer that.. Arkansas is a school with virtually NO softball tradition; they have never been to a WCWS, have produced only one All America player in the history of the program and have won 40 or more games only twice in this century, though this year they will almost certainly reach that number. This NIL deal tells me that they are getting serious about softball. They will soon pass by schools unable or unwilling to invest more money in softball. Look for the Hogs to be a contender in the SEC as often as Alabama, LSU and Florida are.

Is this kicking in immediately or is it for next year? If they get the cars now, isnt there only a couple weeks left in season?

[ZoomZoom]

You beat me to it. I almost couldn’t make it through that article. It’s too depressing. This is the state of college athletics. At least in the big sports. How can anyone associated with college athletics and a sliver integrity read that and not see an issue? Even with the loose ncaa guidelines on nil.

Love the part where the NIL donor, Mr. LifeWallet, says he doesn’t renegotiate, they have a contract. Who knows, as the party who was getting money under the table come out, greed sets in. It will never be enough, even the vast majority of P-5 donors can’t sustain the level of greed coming.

Even whale donors have their limits. Ruiz is working 111 deals for the Hurricanes. Buyer’s regret? And the programs are caught in the crossfire.

[R1Letterman]

Hard to believe all these donors were purposely holding back their support for their beloved programs all these years or now magically have all this “extra money”

[ZoomZoom]

Oh, in this day and age, just wait until one of these deal go really, really, bad...to the level of criminal. Then phone/media records get drawn in, and the emperor (university) gets exposed. Long term, RICO in the making.

[CajunVic]

Oh, in this day and age, just wait until one of these deal go really, really, bad...to the level of criminal. Then phone/media records get drawn in, and the emperor (university) gets exposed. Long term, RICO in the making.

This really seems to be a far stretch . . .

[VObserver]

Is this kicking in immediately or is it for next year? If they get the cars now, isnt there only a couple weeks left in season?

The article I saw didn't say. The sponsor is a female owned Buick dealership who is using the NIL deal as part of her female empowerment ad campaign. I imagine the girls will do ads for the money/cars/whatever, so that could be a year round gig.

[LifeTimeCajun]

NIL gets exposed for what it really is.

https://mobile.twitter.com/DraftExpr...65836881723392

This just makes me want to vomit. Its only the begining of what is to come. And i didnt realize you could have an agent as an amateur athlete.

[CajunVic]

I guess you can have an NIL agent.

[VObserver]

You guys have on blinders here. This is not about baseball or softball or even about NIL.. What it IS about is forcing all but the richest programs out of FBS football. Let's do a little math here.. there are currently only 4 headcount sports, football, men's basketball, women's basketball and women's volleyball. These account for roughly 130 scholarships with current scholarship limits. In order to play FBS football under current rules, a school must sponsor a minimum of 16 sports, at least 9 of which must be women's sports. Let's assume every school plays all the current headcount sports. Most schools will sponsor baseball, softball, Men's and women's golf, men's and women's tennis, and men's and women's track and cross country. Track and cross country count as 6 sports, currently about 30 scholarships; baseball and softball, currently about 25; golf and tennis, about 25 total. So most schools are now fielding 16 sports with about 230 scholarships. Current rosters for the equivalency sports total about 150 athletes, with about 80 scholarships to divide among them. If this goes through, schools will have to add a minimum of 70 full scholarship equivalents to stay in FBS, 90 if they lift the 85 football limit to 105 [the roster limit, which they will]. Let's not forget that they are talking adding to the permissible coaches number as well. If they add only 1 per sport, that is 10-16 new coaches to be competitive.

Where are most G-5's going to find the money for this? The easiest path is to go FCS, which lowers football to 65 scholarships and sports requirements to 14. But the path that most G-5 conferences will take is to adopt the current rules; remaining with current scholarship limits. This instantly makes it impossible for ANY G-5 to compete with the big boys in football AND in ALL current equivalency sports.

Welcome to the new world order, gentlemen.

[R1Letterman]

You guys have on blinders here. This is not about baseball or softball or even about NIL.. What it IS about is forcing all but the richest programs out of FBS football. Let's do a little math here.. there are currently only 4 headcount sports, football, men's basketball, women's basketball and women's volleyball. These account for roughly 130 scholarships with current scholarship limits. In order to play FBS football under current rules, a school must sponsor a minimum of 16 sports, at least 9 of which must be women's sports. Let's assume every school plays all the current headcount sports. Most schools will sponsor baseball, softball, Men's and women's golf, men's and women's tennis, and men's and women's track and cross country. Track and cross country count as 6 sports, currently about 30 scholarships; baseball and softball, currently about 25; golf and tennis, about 25 total. So most schools are now fielding 16 sports with about 230 scholarships. Current rosters for the equivalency sports total about 150 athletes, with about 80 scholarships to divide among them. If this goes through, schools will have to add a minimum of 70 full scholarship equivalents to stay in FBS, 90 if they lift the 85 football limit to 105 [the roster limit, which they will]. Let's not forget that they are talking adding to the permissible coaches number as well. If they add only 1 per sport, that is 10-16 new coaches to be competitive.

Where are most G-5's going to find the money for this? The easiest path is to go FCS, which lowers football to 65 scholarships and sports requirements to 14. But the path that most G-5 conferences will take is to adopt the current rules; remaining with current scholarship limits. This instantly makes it impossible for ANY G-5 to compete with the big boys in football AND in ALL current equivalency sports.

Welcome to the new world order, gentlemen.

Wow, this may be the most informative post in the history of this site. Really opens the eyes.

[R1Letterman]

Wow, this may be the most informative post in the history of this site. Really opens the eyes.

Some of those rules are known in the back of the mind, but never really put it in that context. More like viewed as those are the rules to move up, never thought about having to maintain it. And really never thought you could get kicked out for giving less scholarships.

I knew the plan wasnt good, (as i always thought less scholarships was better for competitiveness sake) never trust the P5 to make a plan good for us (as many know) but wow, even they slipped this one past me.