Some changes to make college athletics better

I’ve never been a fan of how the NCAA operates, but they represent college athletics and I do adore college athletics.

I know some of you think I just mean the University of North Carolina or solely sports like football and basketball, but it’s simply not true. I have spent countless hours covering for newspapers, or watching for fun, small colleges and universities compete in soccer, softball and tennis.

I’ve had the pleasure of meeting extraordinary athletic directors, sports information directors, coaches, athletes, trainers and various support staff. All people invested in college athletics and in a common goal.

As sports like football and basketball have continued to evolve as a business, I have suggested here that universities offer a curriculum designed to provide degrees for those intending to pursue professional athletics. That was a column I wrote that got a good amount of feedback.

Just like students who get undergraduate degrees in pre-med or pre-law aren’t guaranteed to become doctors or lawyers, a degree in professional athletics would not guarantee a career as a professional athlete.

It could, however, better prepare them for success if they got there, help them establish a plan for when that phase of their career was over and even ensure they develop a plan for what to do if the dream of becoming a professional athlete never becomes reality.

My new idea to help the NCAA will better benefit student athletes who aren’t planning on going professional in their given sport one day. What if they got a fifth season of eligibility? I think this helps in a couple of different ways.

Players of certain sports who are good enough to play professionally are still going to leave early. Kudos to them, I hope they make their money.

For the others though, an extra season of eligibility would provide some real advantages. An extra year of play means an extra year of scholarship, which means the ability to pursue an advanced degree in their study of choice.

There are a lot of college athletes who are making NIL money, but won’t play professional sports. The number of colleges, universities and boosters willing to pay athletes dwarfs the number of general managers willing to do the same. An extra season of eligibility will provide these young people an extra year of that NIL financial opportunity.

For those of us who love college athletics, it will only get better as players get more experienced. An extra year of coaching and training and play improves the product.

Don’t believe me, watch what is about to happen in the NCAA basketball tournaments. Many of these players have benefited from the extra year of eligibility provided by Covid and I predict this may be an extraordinary set of tournaments.