Why PAYING NCAA athletes could be REALLY BAD for Track and Field! || THIS could RUIN the sport?! 

Your comment about ESPN is the key here. They set the sports media landscape in the USA and they completely ignore the largest sport in the country, track and field. To me, this is a form of bigotry, they promote sports that mainly rich people traditionally play, such as golf and tennis, and highly organized team sports that require organized structures and negotiated rules. I don’t think they know how to cover track and field, especially when so many great athletes deserve national attention. The organizational-minded people who control the media have the same mindset as the people who invented team sports. I think there is a lot of jealousy, because so many of them could never keep up with the top track and field athletes, which is why they gravitated to team sports. This is also a terrible business decision. Remember that track and Field is the largest sport in the country, that means there are more track and field alumni sitting at home than any other sport, the largest untapped sports audience in history.

When you talk about generating revenue, you are right on point. I am a Track and Field FANatic, and a fan of other sports, and it pains me to see the stadium almost empty at college track meets, especially the major meets. At times the majority of those in the seats are athletes and their family. I turn on to ESPN to watch the NCAA Women's Softball, and NCAA Lacross Championships and the stadiums are at capacity. Track and Field is not marketed at the college and professional level in the USA to draw spectators. I aslo think that the NCAA T&F Champs should be pulled from Eugene and held at other locations, since most dislike traveling to meets held there. You see outstanding performances every week in the US and around ther world by US atheletes and it never gets mentioned on any of the sports networks. The last time T&F got a lot of coverage was when Richardson get banned for weed. Their coverage was not because they loved T&F or Richardson, it was because they wanted to push their weed agenda.

Top recruits are about to start going D2 and NAIA

Continued thanks for the edification.

On top of it as always, coach.

Swimming is really nervous about this. SEC has proposed roster caps of 22 men and 35 women.

Interestingly enough, the phenomenon that track and field is such an amazing and versatile sport, and being that it's internationally recognized as one of the oldest athletic competitions on earth, I would not surmize that the end is near for college track and field athletic programs. Not at all. Your comparison of say the University Of Maryland, (I live 20 minutes from UM) a heavy football recruiter, vs.Oregon, a heavy recruiter for track and field, the difference is Mox Nix. It's of no comparison in this discussion. Again, consider the international representation. Our schools must and will produce these athletes somehow some way. However, the other conclusion would be that talented high schoolers, as well as talented collegiate athletes will continue to attend college, while going professional, or train under a program specific to their events, and fulfill their passion for the sport. Its also a posssbility that athletic sports wear and equipment companies may put in bids to sponsor scholarships. I ran track in high school and college in the 1980's. Every year there was always whispering of cutting the budgets here and there in the athletic program, save football or basketball. But schools always find a way to make budget. Why? Because they have the funds to do so. There is pride in sports, and sports equals representation. I'm sure that colleges and universities will figure something out. Athletic directors and coaches will find a way, if they work in unison, how to create a robust and successful track and field program, or build upon an already existing great program.

D2 and D3 is the blueprint. You compete locally, and travel by bus.

The Pac 12 Slander 😂

It is going to be interesting to say the least. To all the kids out there, put full effort into your academics. There is a lot of academic merit money out there that is more than a lot of track scholarships. Consider going to the IVY League or some of the top Division 3 schools to continue running if you have that option.

If anything it seems that if athletes are able to take advantage of NIL, then more athletes will stay in college as the draw to go pro is reduced. What am I missing here?

You ever heard of Sydney Mclaughlin Levrone in the 200m...

The thing is you rather have the schools just take the money and not give it to the athletes that are the ones bringing in the money. Or at least let them get scholarships or endorsements

Athletes in most sports have been paid under the table for decades

why shouldn't they pay them?Come on...things and times have changed

Actually you are 100 percent right! If there is a program it is a women's program due to title nine! Sad.....We have to restructure our sport to make it more marketable!

NCAA track sounds like the scenario in the WNBA.

Consider the amount of money spent on college athletes already. Insurance, training, facilities, apparel, scholarships, education. It's a shame that people think these athletes aren't being adequately compensated. If they don't believe they are, they should leave college and try to pay for all that on their own. Now, however, colleges are going to have to pay them a salary in addition. I predict you're going to see a great many college athletes in trouble with the IRS soon.

They have been paid for many years now....I am not following your concern

I hear you bro but it certainly isn't a problem in Europe & as a matter of fact it is said that track & field is the number 2 sport in Europe especially in the summer time,& if it is over there it just tells me it can be the very same way over here, our great runners shouldn't have to go spend their long summers over in Europe unless they want to by choice & that means if these "Amerikka's" had the very same operations over here then the "European track 🌟's could also come over here just the same & mix it up both ways (I see it as big business indoors & out in both nations ) but for our talented Athletes they have basically nothing to l👀k forward to except the "Olympics" & then on to Europe the other in-between years, sorry for me it just doesn't make sense to anybody but the "Elite's", mean while for our Athletes just to make a living in a professional sport they have to travel around the👉 🌏 thats always been crazy 🤯 in my imagination, the real problem is that USA doesn't push it over the air waves & provide the stadium's for that kind of activity to the citizens, why not plan to use the very same format as they do in "Europe", there probably wouldn't even be necessary to invent experimental plans, just use the one that works for the "Europeans" & then just tweak it & make adjustments as the program grows cause i don't give a damn what the so call experts greedy asses say, there ain't a kid or grown up on "God's"👉 🌏 planet who doesn't want to see who is the fastest man or woman in the👉 🌏 & that goes for the field events & long distance events, it just needs to be advertised properly & the fans need to be enticed & educated bout the athletes, how they train & what they go through & time spent to prepare for their great event to entertain us all, it's simply all about exposure, thats why "Europe" never has a problem taking care of their athletes, the sport is good enough to put asses in those seats 💺 & they can sell just as many hot dogs 🌭 & popcorn 🍿 as in a basket ball-game you can bet that on a good hot🌭dog baby boy🤑!!! Amen 🙏!!!!