The popularity of college football continues to rise each year. But the rise has come at a cost. To old school men like Bill Snyder, head coach of the Kansas State Wildcats, college football has “sold out.” I myself tend to agree with this statement. Even though the NCAA continues to preach and glorify the “student-athlete” phrase, can we really believe that is their genuine agenda?
In college football especially, the game has become much more than 22 men on the field. It is now an all out arms race where schools with the financial advantage get the competitive one too.
According to Snyder, college football has “sold out to the cameras and TV has made its way.” This in turn has created an atmosphere that glorifies the on-field performance much more than in-class. Just taking a look at the premier conference in college football (the SEC), one can see this picture painted very clearly. Although graduation rates may be high for most of the football programs, it has to be questioned how strong of an education these players are getting and where all of the success and financial reward is going.
One may disagree with me but in my mind for majority of the time a player does not base his college choice on academics but instead on how nice the dorms and player facilities are, and this is something Snyder points out as well. According to him, all of the facilities and limelight send the wrong message.
“It’s no longer about education, we’ve sold to the cameras over there, and TV has made its way, and I don’t fault TV. I don’t fault whoever broadcasts games. They have to make a living and that’s what they do, but athletics- that’s it. It’s sold out,” Snyder said.
At the end of the day are we more likely to know a player’s GPA and career path or his season stat line? Snyder is among an endangered group of classic coaches, men who value work ethic and character and look down upon the flash and the glitz. There are obvious financial advantages for the “sold out” agenda Snyder accuses the NCAA for perpetuating, like the funds raised from television rights, advertising benefits, which lead to larger fan bases and thus larger merchandise sales. But it’s hard to argue with the wise elder at the table, and Snyder and his movement make valid arguments as to the negative effects of the current direction of college sports.
