The SEC football’s 10-year television contract with ABC and ESPN is worth about $3 billion. So, you might conclude the conference is set for life.
You might conclude that if you have been living in a cave. Not that there’s anything wrong with living in a cave, but it could give you a warped sense of financial matters.
Inflation is on the rise. Expenses are, too.
College football will soon begin sharing its revenue with college football players. Imagine that.
Revenue sharing won’t mark the end of NIL deals. Players will continue to capitalize on their name, image, and likeness. My guess is they will capitalize more next year and the year after that.
You think $300 million a year in TV revenue for an entire conference assures your member schools of financial security? Don’t be silly.
One thing I have learned from covering college sports for decades: Colleges never have enough money – no matter how much television networks are willing to throw their way.
Fortunately, the NCAA is aware that colleges – despite the ramped-up television deals – remain at risk for abject poverty. I assume that’s why it will allow corporate-sponsor advertisements on football fields this regular season.
This decision wasn’t impulsive. Both an NCAA panel and a committee signed off on this in a wonderful example of bureaucratic collaboration.
Don’t get the wrong idea. Players won’t have their helmets tattooed with business logos. Nor will the Aflac duck be permitted to waddle along the sideline with a football coach.
Only three corporate advertisements will be allowed – one at the 50-yard line and two other smaller ones in yet-to-be-named spots. And I’m sure such advertisements will be subtle and tasteful, so as not to detract from the natural beauty of a football field.
Maybe, that’s how it will start out. But that’s not how it will end up.
Who finds one oil well on his property and proclaims: “We’re good now. Let’s go plant some trees.” Instead, they will search feverishly to find more oil-producing wells.
Once colleges realize how much money they can rake in from corporate advertisements, do you think they will shout to the heavens: “That’s all we need”?
If you answered “yes,” go back to your cave.
I envision a field fraught with commercials since there is so much open space available for the taking. As any self-respecting corporate CEO will tell you, open space is lost money.
I envision future fields with a corporate sponsor every 20 yards. A national car manufacture could sponsor one 10-yard line. A major insurance company could sponsor a 30. Of course, goal-line advertising will cost more.
ADAMS: College football players, not other athletes, should receive their revenue sharing
And why not put the goal posts to work, too?
A corporate banner could be draped over the crossbar. Corporate flags could dangle from the top of the uprights, which will be the focal point of millions of viewers when a game-deciding field-goal attempt flies through the sky.
The sky will remain unspoiled by corporate logos – at least, until some clever CEO figures out how to put that open space to work.
John Adams is a senior columnist. He may be reached at 865-342-6284 or john.adams@knoxnews.com. Follow him at: twitter.com/johnadamskns.
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