ND AD Says D1 Breakup is Inevitable

[sufandu]

So far not discussed are the ramifications of no longer having an 85 scholarship limit in the new era of semi-pro ball.

They can still have rules limiting rosters. The NFL does.

 

[rrlbees]

4x16

 

[elimunelson]

I'm sure they would. But hoops just works differently than football. If there was a 30-40 team Super League, there's still only 200 minutes/game for hoops. 1-AA, or whatever, would still likely be very talented and competitive.

Yes but I think Jack Swarbrick made it clear that ND isn't going to cut off its nose (olympic sports) to spite its face. So maybe the hoops teams decide to be like holy cross where it's de-emphasized but still are in the tournament and can be players in any given year.

I really do think the days of Syracuse as a major college sports power will come to an end at some point because of economics and what we consider to be important for the mission of the school. To me the bigger question is when (not if) the big factories split, will it be all that it cracks up to be when all the other schools are gone and the tapestry is decidely less interesting from a national standpoint.

 

[Scooch]

Yes but I think Jack Swarbrick made it clear that ND isn't going to cut off its nose (olympic sports) to spite its face. So maybe the hoops teams decide to be like holy cross where it's de-emphasized but still are in the tournament and can be players in any given year.

I really do think the days of Syracuse as a major college sports power will come to an end at some point because of economics and what we consider to be important for the mission of the school. To me the bigger question is when (not if) the big factories split, will it be all that it cracks up to be when all the other schools are gone and the tapestry is decidely less interesting from a national standpoint.

A challenge for SU is that a sizable portion of its students choose the school, in part, because of the presence of big time athletics and what that fosters (attending games, school spirit, alumni connectivity, and the like).

I just went through the college admissions process a year ago with my daughter, and she was far from alone amongst her friends in wanting to go to a school that had big time sports.

This will be a high wire act for SU, because without major athletics the school may end up with a radically different profile. That's a huge thing to consider.

 

[Cusester]

At some point I would expect the NFL to consider the professional college teams to be a competitor and to adjust their schedule accordingly. Why not have Dallas play the Giants on Saturday? Whatever big game is scheduled for that week, New England-Tampa, 49ers-Chiefs, Falcons-Titans (hit the Sec where it lives).

 

[alphaorange]

What happens if the play for pay players under-perform? Can they be terminated? So no education and no money?

 

[Scooch]

What happens if the play for pay players under-perform? Can they be terminated? So no education and no money?

I doubt it. The cost of paying out that "salary" and those 2-3 years of tuition is not much compared to the blowback that'd occur if scholarships and money get pulled.

 

[Willy75]

the reckoning, if it's what Swarbrick says, i'm fine with if Syracuse goes with the academic schools vs the corporations.

I envision we will be a Ivy league esque operation at that point where sports will be an activity one can do at Syracuse but will not be the revenue maker it once was. Hopefully our fellow academic operations like Duke, Northwestern, BC, Stanford, ND, et al are part of that and it creates a wonderful conference of like minded operations where student athletes get an education first and foremost

Add Tulane, Wake, SMU and maybe TCU and you have the outline of a private school conference.

 

[All4SU]

If playing college football no longer requires the player to be enrolled and completing a college degree, it is de facto no longer “college football.” The academic schools should do everything possible to reinforce this narrative.

 

[texascpa]

What about "gaggle " or "streak"? Would you be open to either of those terms? How about parliament? Would you accept the use of parliament?

Anything European is a no from me.

 

[longtimefan]

Anything European is a no from me.

European? Have you never heard of Brexit? (Besides which, our neighbors to the North have one of those Parliamenty things, too.)

 

[texascpa]

European? Have you never heard of Brexit? (Besides which, our neighbors to the North have one of those Parliamenty things, too.)

Yeah, Canada is a big no too. lol

 

[IthacaMatt]

College football slowly dies if it turns into a south and Midwest sport only. Right now most of the country has a local routing interest if they can catch lightning in a bottle. Take that away and the major college football world shrinks tremendously.

Gambling will keep it going a lot longer than we anticipate.

 

[IthacaMatt]

What he says about NIL is hilarious. How could they not have expected exactly what has transpired, when people like us that have no inside knowledge saw it coming from a mile away?

I think many people thought NIL would be used to reward players who became stars through local advertising deals; not a slush fund to buy them in the first place. $100K to how many HS seniors in your recruiting class?? That part happened REALLY quickly.

 

[IthacaMatt]

They're not being paid to play to ball. They're being paid outside of playing ball. For most of Michael Jordan's career he made more money in endorsements than his playing salary paid him. He paid taxes on it, but it had notning to do with the Bulls or the NBA. It'll be the same way with these college athletes.

No, I think it's already gone beyond this. It's not endorsement money anymore, now that they have these "investment companies" ponying up money. It's big bags of cash to sign recruits. It has nothing to do with advertising or jersey income to these kids anymore. There's too much money out there when kids who may never pan out get six figures. NIL is Bitcoin - "detached from reality".

 

[IthacaMatt]

The schools will take care of this or they will end up killing the golden goose.

Already seems too late. This last 6 months has already changed everything.
When you think about how conference realignment has played out over two decades, the speed with which outright buying of players has taken root is astonishing, at least to me. And the only reason is because the NCAA refused to enforce its rules in the first place. This whole "shadow economy" of sports has been coming out more and more into the open these past 10-15 years. Now, it's like anyone can be Calipari or World Wide Wes.

 

[IthacaMatt]

OK fans - pick the teams you want to be with (and would likely be available) in SU's future non-semi-pro conference.

OK. Here's my group:

Pitt, BC, Maryland, Rutgers, Temple, Army, Navy, Va. Tech and Miami.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Yes but I think Jack Swarbrick made it clear that ND isn't going to cut off its nose (olympic sports) to spite its face. So maybe the hoops teams decide to be like holy cross where it's de-emphasized but still are in the tournament and can be players in any given year.

I really do think the days of Syracuse as a major college sports power will come to an end at some point because of economics and what we consider to be important for the mission of the school. To me the bigger question is when (not if) the big factories split, will it be all that it cracks up to be when all the other schools are gone and the tapestry is decidely less interesting from a national standpoint.

Let's say there are 40 schools who will make the investment to compete in the "No Limits" Category. That's enough teams to determine a true college football champion.

But there's no way that that 40 schools are enough to create a true national basketball championship.

Basketball could return to the days when the NIT and the NCAA tournaments were almost on par. Syracuse and the other non-factory schools might compete for their own Division national championships, halfway between Division 1 and 1A, in both sports.

 

[Orangefizz]

Add Tulane, Wake, SMU and maybe TCU and you have the outline of a private school conference.

Private Alliance
Boston College (MA)
Syracuse (NY)
Pittsburgh (PA)
Northwestern (IL)
Notre Dame (IN)
Duke (NC)
Wake Forest (NC)
Vanderbilt (TN)
Miami (FL)
Tulane (LA)
Baylor (TX)
TCU (TX)

 

[OttoMets]

the reckoning, if it's what Swarbrick says, i'm fine with if Syracuse goes with the academic schools vs the corporations.

I envision we will be a Ivy league esque operation at that point where sports will be an activity one can do at Syracuse but will not be the revenue maker it once was. Hopefully our fellow academic operations like Duke, Northwestern, BC, Stanford, ND, et al are part of that and it creates a wonderful conference of like minded operations where student athletes get an education first and foremost

I'd be way more likely to give to a school like that than whatever I've been seeing for the last few years.

 

[sufandu]

No, I think it's already gone beyond this. It's not endorsement money anymore, now that they have these "investment companies" ponying up money. It's big bags of cash to sign recruits. It has nothing to do with advertising or jersey income to these kids anymore. There's too much money out there when kids who may never pan out get six figures. NIL is Bitcoin - "detached from reality".

I agree that that's what it actually is, but under the guise of endorsement. And as long as it's framed the right way, they can keep it like that. This immediately moved away from what certain people were asking for, but it's exactly what I expected.

 

[sufandu]

I think many people thought NIL would be used to reward players who became stars through local advertising deals; not a slush fund to buy them in the first place. $100K to how many HS seniors in your recruiting class?? That part happened REALLY quickly.

Those people were clueless or intentionally ignorant. I and others said this is nearly exactly what would happen. And I'm no insider.

 

[JustPherU]

A damn shame what this is turning out to be.
That’s all I got!

 

[SkyTopBus44]

Yes but I think Jack Swarbrick made it clear that ND isn't going to cut off its nose (olympic sports) to spite its face. So maybe the hoops teams decide to be like holy cross where it's de-emphasized but still are in the tournament and can be players in any given year.

I really do think the days of Syracuse as a major college sports power will come to an end at some point because of economics and what we consider to be important for the mission of the school. To me the bigger question is when (not if) the big factories split, will it be all that it cracks up to be when all the other schools are gone and the tapestry is decidely less interesting from a national standpoint.

How would you feel if you are John and Laura Lally or any of the other donors for the athletics campaign if a few years later it is for a deemphasized athletics program? So much money pumping into the dome from the state, JMA wireless etc. Syracuse seems to really be trying to compete, it would be a lot of wasted doe for a glorified high school club situation!

 

[kcsu]

How would you feel if you are John and Laura Lally or any of the other donors for the athletics campaign if a few years later it is for a deemphasized athletics program? So much money pumping into the dome from the state, JMA wireless etc. Syracuse seems to really be trying to compete, it would be a lot of wasted doe for a glorified high school club situation!

Not true. Just because 40 - 50 schools go the professional route doesn't mean the end of SU or any other School that still values education over athletics. Su will be fine as will the other 100 plus schools like us.