680 the fan, college football — Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signs an executive order allowing college athletes in Ohio to earn money off their name, image and likeness Monday, June 28, 2021, at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio. The order would bring Ohio up to speed with more than a dozen states who now prevent universities or college athletic conferences from punishing athletes if they are compensated based on their sports performance. (AP Photo/Farnoush Amiri)

July 1, 2021
680 THE FAN, ATLANTA – Name, Image and Likeness is here and I’m ready to see what it will bring. This along with the transfer exemption is giving the athletes what a lot of people have wanted for them… Power.

We have heard people complain about the money made by institutions and the lack of funds that athletes are able to bring in. Some suggested that we just pay the players!

Former Ohio State University quarterback Cardale Jones speaks at a ceremony where Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed an executive order allowing college athletes in Ohio to earn money off their name, image and likeness, Monday, June 28, 2021, in Columbus, Ohio. The order would bring Ohio up to speed with more than a dozen states who now prevent universities or college athletic conferences from punishing athletes if they are compensated based on their sports performance. Jones said “I’m just excited for the future of student athletes and the opportunity for them to take advantage of their name, image and likeness and the branding created on and off the field.” (AP Photo/Farnoush Amiri)

That blanket just pay everyone would not have worked. It wouldn’t have worked, because that means that all athletes across all sports would have needed to be paid the same amount. Are you really going to tell me that a major university football player would have been fine making the same amount as say a swimming and diving athlete? Nope.

This is the best way for the athletes. The ones who are the most popular and receive the most coverage will benefit the most. They should! The demand is there for them.

It doesn’t matter how good a starting right guard at Georgia is. They will never be more popular in the fans eyes than the starting quarterback or hard-hitting linebacker.

The supposed worry about this dividing the locker room is not going to be an issue. Players know that certain position groups get notoriety over others on the team. The players who get the ball, will usually fit into that category.

As for players being blocked by their coaches or other authority types in their respective programs? Think again… They’ll be encouraged to use their “NIL.”

Any remote word of a coach stopping an athlete from an opportunity will spread like wild fire in public and on the recruiting trail. Programs are already embracing NIL. All you have to do is get on social media over the last few days.

As for the transfer exemption, it serves its purpose and will eventually level itself out. We’ve all heard about the huge number of athletes who have entered the transfer portal over the last few months, since the rules were eased.

The players who have the most value on the field/court were going to benefit from this rule regardless. It will work itself out, because this offseason is going to be a huge teaching tool for coaches and athletes a like. Just look at the enormous amount of names in the portal and tell there is a way that everyone can find a landing spot in the same division of play that they’re leaving. There’s not enough spots to land. In the future, it is going to take athletes having to be honest with themselves about the decisions they’re making.

But Dan, what about if the coach who recruited them leaves? Sure, I get that. But are you in a worse position with your program, without them in the building? If the answer is yes and you truly believe an opportunity is better for you elsewhere; you should take that chance.

The moral of the story, is athletes now have options. I think deep down that is what we wanted for them.

Dan Mathews
Chuck Oliver Show – Anchor/Fill-In Host
WCNN-AM 680 The Fan, also on FM at 93.7

Contests & Events