The Death of College Basketball

[wichshock65]

He's fighting for the university just the same as us, just has a different perspective. He's been ass deep in shocker sports 24/7/365 for longer that some of us have been alive. I get it. May not agree, but I get it.

[shoxlax]

I find MK to be a rather cantankerous unlikable character these days. If you were a martian and just landed here what would be your perception?

Think that describes most of us when discussing this subject.

[pinstripers]

I find MK to be a rather cantankerous unlikable character these days. If you were a martian and just landed here what would be your perception?

MK is constantly making excuses

[1972Shocker]

MK is constantly making excuses

I think he thinks that is his job. And it is very possbile that is in his job description.

No question Mike is a top-notch play-by-play announcer. Expecting him to be something other than a cheerleader for WSU is probably not realistic.

[Downtown Shocker Brown]

Let’s be clear. Most of these schools having success with NIL didn’t have to create a thing. They just have been able to make public what they were already doing.

We, like most non-P5 schools, were left behind.

People keep talking like the NCAA can just up and change it. Fact is by 2026 the top FB division will likely not be NCAA. See Shocker Bowling. They will create own organization to play in and set the rules they want. The more the NCAA bends to appease them now does nothing but set the rest of the schools backwards and widen the gap.

[Rocky Mountain Shock]

After reading the comments by ND’s AD in that SI article, I wonder if the direction we’re ultimately heading in is not only a P5 split from the NCAA, but also a split of the athletic departments and the respective schools. So no requirement for an athlete to actually attend class. Sports act as a pure public relations entity for the benefit of the University—kind of like how an Olympic team has no actual ties to a country’s government or a pro team to the local city and state government. In this way, the P5 could act as a true minor league to the NFL/NBA. With no education requirement, teams would be free to actually pay players and institute free agency. Hell, you could have 30 year olds on a team, still chasing their big league dreams.

[Shock Top]

Yuck….

[BostonWu]

After reading the comments by ND’s AD in that SI article, I wonder if the direction we’re ultimately heading in is not only a P5 split from the NCAA, but also a split of the athletic departments and the respective schools. So no requirement for an athlete to actually attend class. Sports act as a pure public relations entity for the benefit of the University—kind of like how an Olympic team has no actual ties to a country’s government or a pro team to the local city and state government. In this way, the P5 could act as a true minor league to the NFL/NBA. With no education requirement, teams would be free to actually pay players and institute free agency. Hell, you could have 30 year olds on a team, still chasing their big league dreams.

I was wondering how ND sees themselves in such a split being they supposedly have a higher mission than athletics...

[C0|dB|00ded]

I envision a future for "elite" college basketball that looks something like the NBA with about 30% of the average talent and height, while maintaining 100% of its Cadillac'ing tempo. Essentially, unwatchable. Players will never exert themselves for fear of injury and not being able to upgrade their NIL deals in the offseason transfer portal.

The upside to all this will be watching ChicKUn Central implode as their beloved Cheaters find a level more in line with the ranking of their athletic department revenue expenditures. Your Final Fours will look something like this in the future: OSU, UT, UM, OU. Essentially a B1G/SEC super conference playoff every year.

The K|Ucks and only a handful of other "signature" basketball programs enjoyed a racketeering agreement with the NCAA that kept them permanently in the spotlight. Back in the "good ol' days", ku --- ERRRRRRRRRRRRR Adidas, could slip a fella an envelope with $40K and it would be like he just received a million. Those days are over. Now it's a bidding war, and we all know who's got the cash.

[WuShock16]

Eh, I’m not ready to write off KU, Duke, Kentucky, etc just yet. Those athletics departments might not be in line for as much money in the near future, but as long as they have passionate fanbases, there will always be wealthy boosters ready to drop large amounts of money to secure players.

[C0|dB|00ded]

Eh, I’m not ready to write off KU, Duke, Kentucky, etc just yet. Those athletics departments might not be in line for as much money in the near future, but as long as they have passionate fanbases, there will always be wealthy boosters ready to drop large amounts of money to secure players.

Kentucky is in the SEC, they'll be fine but still diminished. K|Uck and Dook are in BIG trouble lol. Mark my words. If for no other reason than the playing field for cheating has been leveled. Their massive advantage has been erased. This isn't just about one school's available capital, it's about ALL the schools being able to bid up top 10 recruits. And in these bidding wars, ChicKUn will NOT be able to compete with the likes of Alabama.

Mark. My. Words.

[WuShock16]

Kentucky is in the SEC, they'll be fine but still diminished. K|Uck and Dook are in BIG trouble lol. Mark my words. If for no other reason than the playing field for cheating has been leveled. Their massive advantage has been erased. This isn't just about one school's available capital, it's about ALL the schools being able to bid up top 10 recruits. And in these bidding wars, ChicKUn will NOT be able to compete with the likes of Alabama.

Mark. My. Words.

I think we are talking about two different things here. NIL comes from boosters, not the departments themselves...at least for the timebeing. If that changes, then yes, your argument is absolutely correct.

For the time being though, KU will always have alums who are venture capitalists, business owners, doctors, attorneys, etc. who will make sure that KU basketball players have access to top-dollar NIL deals. The fact that the Alabama/Texas type of departments have, say, $100 million more in TV revenue doesn't change booster money available.

I'll give this example. If the Koch family really wanted to (not saying they should or shouldn't...just an example), they could start some insanely large endowment to make sure WSU always had NIL money to get best players even if WSU Athletics was massively out-budgeted. KU surely has a large group of boosters who are collectively rich enough AND REALLY CARE ABOUT KU BASKETBALL ENOUGH to essentially do the same.

Again, if the departments themselves get involved in said bidding war, then sayonara to the Beakers. We're just not there...yet.

[eeshocker]

Kentucky is in the SEC, they'll be fine but still diminished. K|Uck and Dook are in BIG trouble lol. Mark my words. If for no other reason than the playing field for cheating has been leveled. Their massive advantage has been erased. This isn't just about one school's available capital, it's about ALL the schools being able to bid up top 10 recruits. And in these bidding wars, ChicKUn will NOT be able to compete with the likes of Alabama.

Mark. My. Words.

I agree. I think traditional basketball schools (non-football) are going to be hurting when the football schools start outbidding them for recruits. They will have more NIL money to go around. I look for all of the SEC schools to be very good in basketball soon. "Recruits" will not be looking to go to a school because of it's tradition anymore, it will be where they can get the deal. Places like Duke, Villanova, Gonzaga, Goergetown, etc.. will have to settle for lesser talent.

[C0|dB|00ded]

I think we are talking about two different things here. NIL comes from boosters, not the departments themselves...at least for the timebeing. If that changes, then yes, your argument is absolutely correct.

For the time being though, KU will always have alums who are venture capitalists, business owners, doctors, attorneys, etc. who will make sure that KU basketball players have access to top-dollar NIL deals. The fact that the Alabama/Texas type of departments have, say, $100 million more in TV revenue doesn't change booster money available.

I'll give this example. If the Koch family really wanted to (not saying they should or shouldn't...just an example), they could start some insanely large endowment to make sure WSU always had NIL money to get best players even if WSU Athletics was massively out-budgeted. KU surely has a large group of boosters who are collectively rich enough AND REALLY CARE ABOUT KU BASKETBALL ENOUGH to essentially do the same.

Again, if the departments themselves get involved in said bidding war, then sayonara to the Beakers. We're just not there...yet.

So you're saying that athletic department financial prowess isn't reflective of fanbase/booster's prowess? If that's the case then LOOK OUT RICE OWLZZZZ!

Yes, the CHEATIN' CHICKUNS have wealthy alumni (so do we). Do you think Ohio State, Michigan, Texas, and OU have wealthy alumni? Michigan endowment $17B, Ohio State $7B.

Again, the advantage K|Uck HAD was its basketball-focused CHEATING relative to other power schools who spent most of their NCAA payoffs on football. That RELATIVE advantage is over. This has nothing to do with Cheat-U's ability to raise money, this has to do with them not having a competitive advantage. In fact, it would be prudent to say they are now at a clear competitive DISADVANTAGE if you factor in that they are now trapped in a former power conference.

Their revenue opportunities are dropping while their cost of staying At The Same Level has just gone up... considerably. Meanwhile I hear their football statdium just cancelled next year's orders for napkins and toilet paper.

[Dan]

When SEC schools rake in football money, they don't need to do as much private fund raising for their athletic depts. KU and the Big 12 is about to become a mid major football conference. They will absolutely be affected by this change. They are begging the Big 10 to let them in, they know the writing is on the wall.