Are College Athletics Becoming Professional Teams? The Blurred Lines Between NCAA and Pro Sports:

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 The introduction of the NIL into NCAA in 2021 was instrumental in changing the landscape of collegiate sports forever. Athletes once aiming for a scholarship and free schooling are now inking NIL deals worth millions of dollars. Each new deal that comes about outdoes the last. Since 2021 the lines between pro leagues and collegiate athletics are blurring and fast. 

Colleges teams that used to entice recruits by promises of a free education and playing time now give way to teams offering millions in an attempt to outbid the other schools vying for the same talent. For instance, high school football recruiting, and the changes made to the transfer portal, now resemble the likes of NFL free agency. 

Let's dive into the transfer portal and in particular Syracuse QB Kyle McCord. In the 2023 season Kyle was the starting quarterback for the Ohio State Buckeyes. A prestigious football program one where Kyle would earn hundreds of thousands of dollars and get the chance to compete for a national championship. Following the 2023 season Kyle jumped into the transfer portal. According to an article by the Columbus Dispatch, Kyle compared the transfer portal to NFL Free Agency and said the NCAA is "over Its Head" in regards to NIL deals. Kyle stated that his decision to leave the starting Qb role at a top ten program was purely business and he believed that the coaching staff was pushing him out. However, it is estimated that Kyle would receive offers in the millions to move up to upstate New York. In this video, posted by the AB Room, Kyle continues to talk about his reason from transferring from Ohio State.

This particular instance occurs sailing around the NCAA and across many sports. Is the market slowly changing into a professional league? Will the NCAA change its rules to mitigate the amount student athletes can make? Only time can answer these questions. For now we must sit and watch 18-24 year olds make more than many adults who have 9-5's. 

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