Matthew Sluka Would Like To Introduce You To the Real World of College Sports

Sorry this column sucks, it’s not my fault … I have this crazy notion that I might get paid if people read it, but most who do think I should be doing this for the love of the game.

(But NOT For Love of the Game.)

Seriously, take the blue pill. You’ll be happier.

This stinks. It all stinks.

It stinks that college sports and the real world business are colliding in such an ugly way.

And it stinks that there isn’t some streamlined way to do this, and it stinks that it’s total anarchy, and it stinks that people who just want to watch a game have to wake up and realize the reality, and …

It stinks that Former UNLV QB Matthew Sluka had to do this.

With the STRONG caveat that I will totally change my tone and tenor if this is seedier than it first appears …

At the moment, the first reporting from Pete Thamel and Adam Rittenberg is that Sluka was verbally promised $100,000 by an assistant to go to UNLV, the UNLV collective was only going to pay him $3,000, and the misunderstanding led to Sluka leaving the unbeaten Rebels just as the season is getting rolling.

Back up for a moment. We have to start from a basic set of general facts here.

College sports are a BUSINESS

From right now and going forward, there are two things you have to get about the world of college sports that most people don’t.

1. College sports are a multi-billion dollar business. Colleges are a multi-billion dollar business. They exist to take money to provide a service.

Major college athletics exist to generate revenue both from fans and donors - don’t get me started on the ridiculousness of non-revenue college sports; that’s for another day - and that’s it.

2. College athletes are entertainers - at least in the revenue sports. That’s all.

They’re not soldiers fighting for their country in a war. They’re not playing some club level thing for the fun of it. They exist to entertain you, and to generate lots and lots and LOTS of money for the schools.

And here’s the hardest part that no one wants to get …

You’re a customer.

Everyone uses the word fan because it sounds more noble. Fan is used to make people feel like they’re a part of something instead of someone who’s there to give these giant businesses more revenue.

I like Starbucks, McDonald’s fries, and Method Men sea & surf body wash, but am I fan? Yeah, sort of, but I’m buying a product. Just like people who pay money for a ticket to go see the Chicago Bears are merely customers paying money to a franchise with the hope of being entertained.

“Passionate” … “loyal” … “best fans in the world” …

Tennessee 10% talent fee.

Mountain West exit fee.

Ad breaks on streaming networks you have to pay a fee to watch.

The job of college football is to get the most money out of you as possible.

Get there faster, and you’ll get why this whole Matthew Sluka thing is nothing more than simply business.

College football and major college athletics are giving you the “adapt or die” speech in real time

But that’s not enough for many who believe in the notion that college football is Johnny Collegeguy taking time off from his studies to play in a fun and spirted activity on Saturday before escorting Mary Sue Poodleskirt to the Homecoming dance.

“He quit on his team!”

You go into work. They say you’re not getting paid anymore. You leave for another gig … so you quit on your fellow coworkers.

“Great lesson! Wait until these spoiled kids get into the real world.”

This is the real world, son, and they’re living it.

“NIL is ruining college sports!”

Nah. It’s just bringing to light what was already happening behind the scenes, because …

“This is the end of college football!”

Nah. It’s part of the clunky evolution of college athletics before this all gets regulated and streamlined. It’ll get there.

But let’s do this whole Sluka thing.

Matthew Sluka leaves UNLV over an NIL dispute … and that’s okay

You’re a college football player with some value in the market.

You’re not going to the NFL, and you have one shot to make a whole lot of money for a year or so and then that’s it. This is a one shot deal.

When his college career is over, he has to earn a living doing something else - and he might be a big-time success in whatever field he’s taking on.

But if you have a chance to make, say, $100,000 playing a sport in one place, and no money at another place, you’re insane to risk your body - your asset - one more second than you have to …

Yeah, be just as mad this bowl season when that generational wealthy head coach bails on his team to go take more generational wealth at another school.

I’m sorry you all had to see how the sausage is made, and for 99% of most college football fans, they’ll turn on the TV on Saturday and not know who Matt Sluka is.

They’re there to be entertained.