The major corporations would look to lock up players on a long term deal to carry them into the player’s pro career. I don’t know if there is the lift to sign football players exiting high school. Just too many busts and very little value for several years. A high school Penn State football player means nothing to NYC. With football, I honestly think it will be the local regional businesses shelling out some cash, more so than major corporations.
Basketball is where you have a much higher chance of hitting on that can’t miss prospect that you’d want to lock up for years. Problem is, the NBA is set to eliminate the one year college rule again, and developmental leagues are capturing more talent. College basketball is retreating to 2nd tier talent (not necessarily a bad thing).
Once it all shakes out, I see the following:
1. General power structure will stay the same. Blue bloods will continue to get their players.
2. Some schools in major urban areas may do better that they traditionally have (say Maryland or Rutgers here)
3. Universities will fare the worst, as contributions that formally had to be funneled through the AD will now be more linear to the players.
4. Players are the big winners. They get an opportunity at an education and may get paid.
5. Wildcard - Covid 19 may make it all less relevant. If the 2020 season is cancelled and ADs need more financial assistance from the general fund, look for a wider push to decouple athletics from the core educational mission, which would follow a similar decoupling pattern of tying health care to the jobs market. Neither link really makes much sense.
Basketball is where you have a much higher chance of hitting on that can’t miss prospect that you’d want to lock up for years. Problem is, the NBA is set to eliminate the one year college rule again, and developmental leagues are capturing more talent. College basketball is retreating to 2nd tier talent (not necessarily a bad thing).
Once it all shakes out, I see the following:
1. General power structure will stay the same. Blue bloods will continue to get their players.
2. Some schools in major urban areas may do better that they traditionally have (say Maryland or Rutgers here)
3. Universities will fare the worst, as contributions that formally had to be funneled through the AD will now be more linear to the players.
4. Players are the big winners. They get an opportunity at an education and may get paid.
5. Wildcard - Covid 19 may make it all less relevant. If the 2020 season is cancelled and ADs need more financial assistance from the general fund, look for a wider push to decouple athletics from the core educational mission, which would follow a similar decoupling pattern of tying health care to the jobs market. Neither link really makes much sense.
