MelroseHawkins
Well-Known Member
The big problems:
1) Title IX (that's all that needs be said, no explanation necessary!)
2) Equity across sports. As an example, what car dealership will bring the women's softball team's catcher down on any Saturday for autographs? But, conversely, is it fair that the starting QB has to share his NIL notoriety with the women's volleyball back-up setter, anyway? But, again, this is already an issue. When the Iowa Women's B-ball team does a West Coast swing with a tournament, etc., flies out, stays in nice hotels, etc., you can bet that doesn't happen if the Men's Football and Basketball teams hog all their money for themselves...
3) Policing: except...one easy solution. No hiring of agents, but simply have the players get a 1099, which gets reported to the IRS. The NCAA may drop the ball a ton on investigating stuff. The IRS, not so much. Still, players can't coordinate all this stuff themselves. But an agent? No, thanks. But some schools aren't a hell of a lot more trustworthy than your average agent. So, how/who/when/where coordinating appearances, autograph signings, etc?
In short, there ae a LOT of things to be ironed out. But, the current system no longer works.
I have a first cousin who's daughter will be a sophomore at Wisconsin and is on the Crew team (Rowing for the novice). Since the number of women athletes on the crew team is most similar to what is on the football team, the women's crew team get the same benefits that the football players get, extra food allowance/meals, apparel, etc.. They try to parallel the benefits with the football team as much as they can.