We all cherish those special high school athletes who are seeing stardom at a very young age. They will enter the college football stage with incredibly new perspectives hitting them and their family constantly. This is unchartered waters for the families and not a lot of resources for them to turn to. Can you imagine how exciting this would be for you if your child had those special talents to allow for them to participate in this new era of college football? It can be the most amazing game-changing experience but at the same time do you have the tools to navigate the sea in front of you?
One thing the NCAA could do, I know I know, is to build a program to support new families entering the world of NIL and a place for them to get reviewed and approved consultation on just what is about to happen. I guess we can all say this is so new how do you do this? This is not new. This train left the station over a decade ago. It's long overdue. It's time for the NCAA to either fold its hand at the table to or belly up to the bar. Here's a short list of what the families could use right now:
Counseling
Financial Planning
Tax Planning
Full Retirement Overview
The Law
Compliance
If the NCAA just focused on institutional training around these six topics then families would have a better grasp of what they and their children are about to enter into. Letting the families fend for themselves allows for the ugly site of Sports to enter the fray and take them for a ride that can end horribly wrong. We have all seen it happen to young athletes who do not get the right guidance. Look at history and you will find the ones who could have used the help early on in their journey.
Step up to the bar, NCAA, and do your job.
Fight On
Well said!