An October overview in the world of sports
Well, to some people, this is the most wonderful time of the year. Baseball playoffs are in full bloom, the NFL season is getting through their early schedule and things are taking shape, WNBA playoffs are culminating, and the NHL and NBA seasons are starting! Meanwhile, we have college football galore, it just seems that all the sports seasons collide at this time of year. Meanwhile, NFL Week 6 action kicks off with key games set for this weekend.
Parcel with this is watching your favorite product, team or sport on television, but that might be harder to find these days as with many of the sports have headed to premium/streaming services, and money for their shareholders, but away from their fans!
It is often a challenge to find out where your team is actually being shown! Then you have teams like Notre Dame, who for years were the only team and collegiate or professional sports that had every one of their games broadcast on national TV.
No more!
Now they are showing their games on Peacock streaming service and based on the comments I’ve seen on Facebook; folks are not too pleased about this! People who pay for cable (or other services) say, “I’m not paying for another service when I pay for this much for to begin with,” and other people just cannot be put out with the aggravation of dealing with it. I must admit I like college football, and I jump from game to game, and I do have Peacock service, but I don’t want to “change the input” just to go to the Notre Dame game because I like to jump around so many other games with my “first” remote!
I did not watch their game on Peacock, and this is disheartening to my dear friend Terry Hanratty, whom I do a podcast with; Hanratty’s Huddle… I encourage you to check that out here.
WHAT IS NEW WITH NIL!?
Well, the wild West just got Wilder. The transfer portal in and I’ll have changed the collegiate landscape significantly forever, especially for major college football, and basketball. The NCAA was always a weak, leadership organization, and this has proven to be the downfall of collegiate athletics.
On top of NIL and the portal issues, you have a rule where a student athlete can play three weeks of collegiate football and then decide to enter the portal and redshirt meaning they do not lose any eligibility. Does this make sense?
Are these athletes even enrolled in classes?
Consider the case of the UNLV (hardly a football powerhouse) quarterback, Matthew Sluka. Sluka was starting quarterback at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, which started 3-0. He has opted to sit out the rest of the 2024 college football season after not receiving a $100,000 name, image and likeness payment that he said he was promised when he agreed to transfer to UNLV last year.
Sluka has played in three games for UNLV this season, leading the Rebels to wins in all three. He won’t play in any more games for UNLV and will transfer from the school when he’s eligible, according to his agent, Marcus Cromartie.
Cromartie said that at least one member of the UNLV coaching staff verbally promised that Sluka would receive $100,000 for transferring to the school, while conceding that “nothing was signed.” Sluka received $3,000 in name, image and likeness payments from UNLV’s NIL collective, the organization confirmed in a statement.
Where have you gone, Joe Dimaggio?
Recent developments have focused on a lack of federal consensus for NIL regulation, despite numerous legislative proposals. The 10th Congressional hearing on NIL highlighted the complexities of creating a unified national standard. While most agree on issues like the registration of agents, there remains division over topics like NIL collectives and how to prevent pay-for-play arrangements. There was also increasing concern over the potential collision between NIL policies and Title IX requirements, especially as more institutions navigate this landscape.
Additionally, discussions continue around the idea of athletes unionizing, with NCAA President Charlie Baker not outright opposing the concept, although he expressed concerns about classifying all athletes as employees. Some argue this could help athletes have more say in compensation and other benefits, but it’s a contentious issue.
The NIL space is also seeing major deals, including those aimed at diversifying opportunities for women athletes. Collectives remain central to NIL deals, making up around 80% of them, and are actively involved in seeking equitable opportunities across all sports.
For more info on NIL click here.
Could we possibly see a subway series between the Yankees and the Mets? The Yankees seem to have a clear pathway to the series and the Mets need to get through the LA Dodgers, which will be a very difficult task but as a Mets fan I can say this has been a magical run.
Do I want a Subway Series? I’ll hold that thought until it becomes a reality.
Here is a GREAT sports story; the Army and Navy football teams are both undefeated and nationally ranked for the first time since 1960!!
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