NIL and future of NCAACF

[Mjohn1988]

I am not really sure what the big deal is. Your school is your school. Things may change, but it is still your school. The changes are for everyone not just Appalachian. So, if everyone has to play by the same rules the system is fair. I would say that the system is fairer now than it has ever been in the past. We are just seeing the amount of money that is now involved that we never noticed before.

I believe what we are seeing more now, at least the vocal ones, are not entitled athletes as much as entitled fans, especially those that gamble on college sports.

You can tell me a crap sandwich tastes like filet mignon but it’s still a crap sandwich.

[Stonewall]

Everyone doesn’t play by the same rules. Not that they did but now the resource differential and lack of academic integrity have made it a byline to a bad joke.

[biggie]

NIL related, see how this works out for them...

[AppSt94]

NIL related, see how this works out for them...

I think that Tennessee is looking to recoup money from Nico as well.

[appdaze]

https://x.com/DickieV/status/1915095033 ... FEu3A&s=19

[AppfaninCAALand]

I am not really sure what the big deal is. Your school is your school. Things may change, but it is still your school. The changes are for everyone not just Appalachian. So, if everyone has to play by the same rules the system is fair. I would say that the system is fairer now than it has ever been in the past. We are just seeing the amount of money that is now involved that we never noticed before.

I believe what we are seeing more now, at least the vocal ones, are not entitled athletes as much as entitled fans, especially those that gamble on college sports.

Not sure I agree with most of this post, but I get the sentiment for the bold part at least, and agree. Regardless of what happens, App State is the only college football team I would ever follow, whether App moves to the SEC or becomes nothing more than a D3 or club football team.

That would stink though, have you ever tried following a club team? I love lacrosse and ice hockey and would prefer to follow the App club teams instead of any D1 teams, but it is nearly impossible. Even the teams' X and instagram accounts are often months out of date.

[AppfaninCAALand]

We, the fans, do have some control over this mess.

G5 fans, sorry but we don't. The masses will continue to watch the same 40 schools on TV, while large donors brag about the funding they provide to their peers and coattail riders.

The biggest winners are the second tier "power" schools in football and basketball.

Second biggest winners are the walmart fans that never donated or went to games, but now get a better product on Saturday night.

The biggest losers are the upper tier G5 schools that did more with less the last two generations.

If guys keep jumping from team to team I’m not so sure fans, even at the highest level won’t become disenchanted. But you are correct that the folks with no real association to the schools who simply turn the game on on Saturday won’t notice a difference.

I disagree with last point. The non-alumni fans that are really into a particular school (let's say the blue collar worker)...they get into the players and the school they pull for as much or more , in many cases, than the actual college grads. They are getting disenfranchised as much or more...as, on average, they are making less in income and cannot fathom these young kids getting paid what they are...and the transfer from team is even worse for them as their only connection is the team (not the university as a whole)..Now, their favorite player that they followed for 3 or 4 years ...is now playing for a rival...if no other ties to university than the team ..I would say they are more disenfranchised... IMO

I will not gatekeep or judge anyone's fandom, but one thing I have never really understood is the "Wal-Mart fans" and how or why a non-alumni would become so passionate about what is effectively minor league sports. I love baseball and will cheer for our local AA baseball team the Richmond Flying Squirrels if I am at a game, but I cannot imagine being passionate about them. And I certainly would never tune in to see the Nashville Sounds take on the Toledo Mud Hens - for the same reason I don't watch Big10 or SEC football games. I don't care about those teams, why would I watch an inferior product when the better one is easily available. If you want to watch football and don't have any personal connection to a college, watch the NFL, its a far better product than even the SEC. People can cheer for whoever they want, and I'm probably the weird one on this, but I just don't get it.

[Stonewall]

Working my way through college I’ll admit to being a little envious of my buddies who were on scholarship. I wonder how I would have felt if they were also getting paid.

[Bootsy]

Whether we agree/disagree on where this thing is headed and how it will look when we arrive, we’re all on this journey together. It’s an interesting ride…not always fun, or good, or bad, but definitely interesting.

[BambooRdApp]

If football is being played and I am fortunate enough to continue to afford it, I will be a season ticket holder...

[Saint3333]

I am not really sure what the big deal is. Your school is your school. Things may change, but it is still your school. The changes are for everyone not just Appalachian. So, if everyone has to play by the same rules the system is fair. I would say that the system is fairer now than it has ever been in the past. We are just seeing the amount of money that is now involved that we never noticed before.

I believe what we are seeing more now, at least the vocal ones, are not entitled athletes as much as entitled fans, especially those that gamble on college sports.

What teams do you pull for?

[KentHogan]

I am not really sure what the big deal is. Your school is your school. Things may change, but it is still your school. The changes are for everyone not just Appalachian. So, if everyone has to play by the same rules the system is fair. I would say that the system is fairer now than it has ever been in the past. We are just seeing the amount of money that is now involved that we never noticed before.

I believe what we are seeing more now, at least the vocal ones, are not entitled athletes as much as entitled fans, especially those that gamble on college sports.

For many fans I think the big deal is that they don’t want to spend money and cheer for players who clearly could care less about the school, staff or even teammates, and it’s certainly true that the players have no interest in the education part of it.

Just look at Joey Aguilar, he’s been at App, UCLA and now Tennessee in less than a year. Mountaineer, Bruin or Volunteer, doesn’t matter anymore.

The spirit of the game is being destroyed.

[AppSt94]

I am not really sure what the big deal is. Your school is your school. Things may change, but it is still your school. The changes are for everyone not just Appalachian. So, if everyone has to play by the same rules the system is fair. I would say that the system is fairer now than it has ever been in the past. We are just seeing the amount of money that is now involved that we never noticed before.

I believe what we are seeing more now, at least the vocal ones, are not entitled athletes as much as entitled fans, especially those that gamble on college sports.

For many fans I think the big deal is that they don’t want to spend money and cheer for players who clearly could care less about the school, staff or even teammates, and it’s certainly true that the players have no interest in the education part of it.

Just look at Joey Aguilar, he’s been at App, UCLA and now Tennessee in less than a year. Mountaineer, Bruin or Volunteer, doesn’t matter anymore.

The spirit of the game is being destroyed.

Do the majority of athletes, past or present really care that much to begin with? I realize that some older athletes probably have more reverence to the school like us regular students, but the typical college experience for todays athletes consist of regimented schedules of weight lifting, classes, practice (workouts) studying. That’s a far cry from the App experience that we all had.

[bcoach]

I am not really sure what the big deal is. Your school is your school. Things may change, but it is still your school. The changes are for everyone not just Appalachian. So, if everyone has to play by the same rules the system is fair. I would say that the system is fairer now than it has ever been in the past. We are just seeing the amount of money that is now involved that we never noticed before.

I believe what we are seeing more now, at least the vocal ones, are not entitled athletes as much as entitled fans, especially those that gamble on college sports.

For many fans I think the big deal is that they don’t want to spend money and cheer for players who clearly could care less about the school, staff or even teammates, and it’s certainly true that the players have no interest in the education part of it.

Just look at Joey Aguilar, he’s been at App, UCLA and now Tennessee in less than a year. Mountaineer, Bruin or Volunteer, doesn’t matter anymore.

The spirit of the game is being destroyed.

Do the majority of athletes, past or present really care that much to begin with? I realize that some older athletes probably have more reverence to the school like us regular students, but the typical college experience for todays athletes consist of regimented schedules of weight lifting, classes, practice (workouts) studying. That’s a far cry from the App experience that we all had.

A couple of years ago I would have commented differently. I would have said they had a better experience. They got to play the game they love in a great environment with thousands cheering them on. Some still feel that way. Somewhere along the line it turned into a job instead of a joy for the rest. We didn’t do that, they did. I know a bunch of guys who would love to go back, and they would be more than happy to do it for free. What is also lost in all this “we owe them” is what they owe us. Stadiums are not free. Locker rooms are not free. Scholarships are not free. Tutors are not free. Food is not free. Need I go on? Somebody had to pay for all these things, and it was not them. Now they want more. My personal opinion is that they are getting close to killing the golden goose that enabled them to play at this level.

[appstatealum]

It's a minor league now. College football is dead. We should refer to it as dead and a governing league needs to run CFB moving forward as kids are doing whatever they want with little governance at this point. I am no longer interested in App Football like I used to, I'll still watch and rep my gear, but I'd be a fool to invest in it the way I once did. And that's no indictment on those who will do the opposite. We all have our passions, mine was just for the App State FB that existed in that old way. I won't criticize those who invest in this one.

[BallantyneApp]

I am not really sure what the big deal is. Your school is your school. Things may change, but it is still your school. The changes are for everyone not just Appalachian. So, if everyone has to play by the same rules the system is fair. I would say that the system is fairer now than it has ever been in the past. We are just seeing the amount of money that is now involved that we never noticed before.

I believe what we are seeing more now, at least the vocal ones, are not entitled athletes as much as entitled fans, especially those that gamble on college sports.

For many fans I think the big deal is that they don’t want to spend money and cheer for players who clearly could care less about the school, staff or even teammates, and it’s certainly true that the players have no interest in the education part of it.

Just look at Joey Aguilar, he’s been at App, UCLA and now Tennessee in less than a year. Mountaineer, Bruin or Volunteer, doesn’t matter anymore.

The spirit of the game is being destroyed.

Do the majority of athletes, past or present really care that much to begin with? I realize that some older athletes probably have more reverence to the school like us regular students, but the typical college experience for todays athletes consist of regimented schedules of weight lifting, classes, practice (workouts) studying. That’s a far cry from the App experience that we all had.

A couple of years ago I would have commented differently. I would have said they had a better experience. They got to play the game they love in a great environment with thousands cheering them on. Some still feel that way. Somewhere along the line it turned into a job instead of a joy for the rest. We didn’t do that, they did. I know a bunch of guys who would love to go back, and they would be more than happy to do it for free. What is also lost in all this “we owe them” is what they owe us. Stadiums are not free. Locker rooms are not free. Scholarships are not free. Tutors are not free. Food is not free. Need I go on? Somebody had to pay for all these things, and it was not them. Now they want more. My personal opinion is that they are getting close to killing the golden goose that enabled them to play at this level.

No matter what it was always only a matter of time once a coach signed the first million dollar contract. Everything since then has been borrowed time

[AppWyo]

I am not really sure what the big deal is. Your school is your school. Things may change, but it is still your school. The changes are for everyone not just Appalachian. So, if everyone has to play by the same rules the system is fair. I would say that the system is fairer now than it has ever been in the past. We are just seeing the amount of money that is now involved that we never noticed before.

I believe what we are seeing more now, at least the vocal ones, are not entitled athletes as much as entitled fans, especially those that gamble on college sports.

For many fans I think the big deal is that they don’t want to spend money and cheer for players who clearly could care less about the school, staff or even teammates, and it’s certainly true that the players have no interest in the education part of it.

Just look at Joey Aguilar, he’s been at App, UCLA and now Tennessee in less than a year. Mountaineer, Bruin or Volunteer, doesn’t matter anymore.

The spirit of the game is being destroyed.

Do the majority of athletes, past or present really care that much to begin with? I realize that some older athletes probably have more reverence to the school like us regular students, but the typical college experience for todays athletes consist of regimented schedules of weight lifting, classes, practice (workouts) studying. That’s a far cry from the App experience that we all had.

A couple of years ago I would have commented differently. I would have said they had a better experience. They got to play the game they love in a great environment with thousands cheering them on. Some still feel that way. Somewhere along the line it turned into a job instead of a joy for the rest. We didn’t do that, they did. I know a bunch of guys who would love to go back, and they would be more than happy to do it for free. What is also lost in all this “we owe them” is what they owe us. Stadiums are not free. Locker rooms are not free. Scholarships are not free. Tutors are not free. Food is not free. Need I go on? Somebody had to pay for all these things, and it was not them. Now they want more. My personal opinion is that they are getting close to killing the golden goose that enabled them to play at this level.

No matter what it was always only a matter of time once a coach signed the first million dollar contract. Everything since then has been borrowed time

Kidd Brewer got out of coaching, because he could make more money selling textbooks.

[fjblair]

It's a minor league now. College football is dead. We should refer to it as dead and a governing league needs to run CFB moving forward as kids are doing whatever they want with little governance at this point. I am no longer interested in App Football like I used to, I'll still watch and rep my gear, but I'd be a fool to invest in it the way I once did. And that's no indictment on those who will do the opposite. We all have our passions, mine was just for the App State FB that existed in that old way. I won't criticize those who invest in this one.

That's exactly how I feel.

[Mjohn1988]

It's a minor league now. College football is dead. We should refer to it as dead and a governing league needs to run CFB moving forward as kids are doing whatever they want with little governance at this point. I am no longer interested in App Football like I used to, I'll still watch and rep my gear, but I'd be a fool to invest in it the way I once did. And that's no indictment on those who will do the opposite. We all have our passions, mine was just for the App State FB that existed in that old way. I won't criticize those who invest in this one.

That's exactly how I feel.

Me too

[ASUTodd]

I'm still pulling for App State football and In still watching. I won't be giving a bunch of money though. I don't long for the days of FCS. I also don't long for the days of playing in some random bowl. I never want to go back to playing Wofford, Citadel, or Samford..... Things change and we adapt. Eventually this will all get sorted out.