If CFB Were to Become True NFL Minor League

Oct 8, 2024, 2:32 PM

Some thoughts...By the way, I'd hate this idea pre-NIL/Transfer Portal...

Each NFL Team works out some kind of system of purchasing/adopting/sponsoring 3-5 college programs of various tiers (D1, D2, D3 or NAIA, etc. - think the various tiers of minor league baseball).

The NFL Draft would be more like the MLB draft currently is (except it would only be high school athletes being drafted). As an example, the Atlanta Falcons could have the Georgia Bulldogs, Georgia Southern, Valdosta State, etc. as their farm teams. They draft a kid from high school and place them into the school of their choosing based on developmental stage. Recruiting disappears. The NFL Franchise decides how to move the kid from tier to tier within the farm system or up to the "big show" or the NFL as we know it today. There would still be a 3-year minimum requirement for development post high school.

Maybe they could downgrade players from the NFL back down into the farm system for additional development or rehabilitation from injury.

Booster involvement and tampering would be a thing of the past. The transfer portal would be a thing of the past. The players would be locked in to the franchise in which they're drafted unless NFL teams worked out trades amongst themselves, of course.

College football players would have no obligation to go to classes. Their job would be football. This would be the "trade" or career for which they're being trained at each school. They would be paid per whatever contracts are negotiated by the NFL franchise and their agents. They could certainly attend college classes too, but they would pay out of pocket (unless recipient of academic scholarships/grants) like any other college student.

I don't really like this idea. I want everything to go back to the way it was...but it won't. I recently began thinking about this conceptually, and I believe I might like it better than the current environment we live in. If the NCAA or a new agency can tighten the reigns on the NIL/transfer portal/booster tampering madness and add rules that are enforced, I might be OK with the new system of college football. Anyway, this is just me brainstorming solutions using a model that already exists.

Thoughts?

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Re: If CFB Were to Become True NFL Minor League

Responding because I am board at work. That said, I dont think your idea has legs.

The major reason I dont see it developing is that the President/ Board of Trustees for the colleges that have "invested" in football would have to give up control of the team to an outside group. I just dont see that happening. One of the perks for those college administration positions is that they get the wine and dine atmosphere that having a major football program provides. "The party that is put on is for the betterment of the school", but its a nice perk to have and participate in. Bowl Games/ bowl game vacation, conference meetings at choice resorts, Pregame Parties, Hosting at the Box, I think would be diminished if you dont have outside interested boosters taking part in the program. I just dont see the decision makers making changes that would diminish this perk.

I hate to think that we need federal intervention. But I think, eventually, we will have multiple leagues splinter off that will each get some kind of federal exemption. Conditions will be that there is a "student union for players" where medical care, stipends, etc. are issued. Common theme will be that a group/ conference will have an agreement regarding "compensation" that the member schools for that league will abide by. This will be done for/ in the name of competitive balance and to stress that its a amateur sport. The NCAA will manage some of this. Some leagues will manage it themselves. It will take sometime to get there. But thats what I think happens. During this time, you are going to find out which teams want to have semiprofessional payrolls, and who does not, and go from there.

If CFB Were to Become True NFL Minor League

Re: If CFB Were to Become True NFL Minor League

Re: If CFB Were to Become True NFL Minor League

Re: If CFB Were to Become True NFL Minor League

Re: If CFB Were to Become True NFL Minor League

Re: If CFB Were to Become True NFL Minor League

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