Welcome to the third installment of our series on changes coming to college football.

Today, we will consider how coming changes in name, image, and likeness (NIL) rules will change the NCAA Division 1 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).

When it comes to college athletics, I am a purist at heart. Take uniforms. Give me Bama’s classic simplicity or the timeless panache of Penn State. Or announcers. Keith Jackson is the GOAT (if you are too young to know who he is, YouTube him. You’ll agree).

While my default is to slant to time-honored traditions, amateurism in college football is going to have to change. The world has evolved, and big-time college football is way behind the curve.

Amateur sports made the shift decades ago. Olympic athletes once received no money from endorsements and no salary for participation. Soviet dominance in many sports from “military service” afforded professional training schedules and access to professional quality training support. The answer to competitive balance was simple, bring money out of the shadows and into the light.

While the answer was shocking at the time, it was effective. By allowing amateur athletes to profit from their NIL, Olympic sports flourished. Year-round training and competitive international federations grew sports like biathlon and bobsledding into major economic endeavors. Already established sports like Track and Field and Figure Skating have grown even stronger. The result is a huge net positive for athletes, fans, and sports federations.

College football can no longer delay paying athletes. Not addressing the issue head-on will crush FBS football.

Like it or not, FBS Football is a minor league for the NFL. Amateurism is already an illusion. The education afforded to players is a valuable asset for players. The value pales in comparison with the economic benefit for schools.

Like most athletes in minor league sports, only a few FBS football players will ascend to the pinnacle of their sport. The majority play until their eligibility is exhausted and move on to careers. Often, status as a college football player is extremely useful in bridging to future employment. The same can be said for many forward-thinking minor league athletes who use the opportunity of their public profile to prepare for life after sports. The parallels are many.

The principal difference is the money generated by big-time college football dwarfs virtually any minor league in the world. Currently, schools benefit disproportionately from the situation. Revenue from football is in part used to fund non-revenue sports.

A solution is complex, but the current situation is unsustainable. With the sizable money in play, it is only a matter of time until an industry disrupter with a solid plan changes the status quo. Sooner or later, a minor league competitor to the FBS will emerge. Education will not be part of their compensation package. but, they will offer freedom to athletes to profit from their names and likenesses.

The future is a question of economics not of morals or tradition.

The courts set the scene for change in O'Bannon vs. NCAA. To delay response is to fall further behind the inevitable. This week, Tulane University became the 3rd FBS institution to forego participation in EA Sports upcoming College Football game to wait for clear rules dealing with athletes’ NIL.

Public indications are that the NCAA is whistling in the dark hoping the problem will evaporate. It will not. Congress will likely step in this summer to bring clarity and force change.

At this point, Alabama has to be the Saturday night leader in the clubhouse in this tilt. Who has more opportunity to gain in this situation? Alabama is a school that is at the top of the revenue pile with the renegotiation of an apparel deal on the horizon. Yet, Alabama has everything to lose if it is not thinking beyond the NCAA’s current track.

Greg Byrne’s leadership is exemplary. His steering of an established behemoth to even greater dominance is impressive. It remains to be seen how he will negotiate the uncharted waters of NIL and athlete compensation.

Alabama has an opportunity to be part of the disruption. Coach Saban has embraced disruptive changes on the field to remain on top. Will Alabama do the same off the field?

What do you think are the most important things for Greg Byrne to do to keep Alabama Athletics (especially Alabama Football) at the top in a season of inevitable change. Share your comments and ideas below. And, thanks in advance for sharing this post with your friends to bring them into the conversation.

Roll Tide!

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