The short answer is no ...

Posted on August 20, 2026 at 09:48:26 AM by Cutter

I suspect we'll eventually see a NFL model with contracts, competitive bargaining and salary caps for college sports. Do I see the UM football team getting 48% of the revenue like the pros? Perhaps not, but say something in the 40% category.

But does that all come from the AD or does NIL pick up some of the tab? Interesting times ahead as the universities go ahead full to garner more revenue in anticipation that their athletes become full time employees. I think even they realize they're fighting a rear guard action with the current legislation knocking around Congress.

We're also not that far from witnessing a super league in college sports where the top 40 to 50 programs operate as a single entity rather than in separate conferences. If revenue maximization is the goal, then that's the next logical step in the process.

We're a long way from having a Kraft macaroni noodle ad parked outside Michigan Stadium during the off-season ...

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Thread:

Michigan reported $175.3M in football revenue in 2024/5 per The Athletic - By Cutter August 20, 2026 at 09:29:04 AM
- Warde sucks bro. Why do you love him so deeply?* - By Poster P August 20, 2026 at 10:46:45 AM
- the bloat in athletic departments isn't just staff, it's the immaculate facilities for non revenue producing sports - By DoctorD August 20, 2026 at 10:03:56 AM
  - But you have to ask how much of that money for non-revenue sports facilities come from private donors - By Cutter August 20, 2026 at 10:15:50 AM
    - He paid to build it. Who is paying the 100-200k a year to maintain it?* - By harbaughdyssey August 20, 2026 at 10:20:57 AM
      - So you want to eliminate the Michigan Women's Gymnastics Team ... - By Cutter August 20, 2026 at 11:49:00 AM
      - Bill Martin years ago wanted to escrow upkeep on facilities when he built them - By Onwolverine August 20, 2026 at 11:28:12 AM
- Lol. It’s weird that nobody ever complains about the bloated staff for an NFL team. What do you think non-coaches, non-GMs make?** - By xcheck August 20, 2026 at 09:40:00 AM
  - NFL teams have AVPs of field hockey, swimming, and golf?* - By harbaughdyssey August 20, 2026 at 10:18:08 AM
    - Not sure what point you are making? If you are saying that ADs are efficient users of capital, you are high. The size and salaries of ADs are the result of massive market distortion. They make so much money they have no idea where to put it all - so they do what every company in that position - By xcheck August 20, 2026 at 10:53:34 AM
- Do you think that the players should be paid <20% of the revenue they generate? (nm) - By suede August 20, 2026 at 09:31:46 AM
  - The short answer is no ... - By Cutter August 20, 2026 at 09:48:26 AM
    - NIL is a bull market phenomenon. It is not long term sustainable. Salaries will have to be tied to revenues at some point** - By xcheck August 20, 2026 at 10:51:21 AM
      - But there is massive room for growth with player compensation because even with the bull market, it's around 20% of revenue. - By GritsGoBlue August 20, 2026 at 11:17:41 AM
        
        I agree 100%. NIL is a patch. The fix is massive rationalization in athletic departments. ADs are massively overpaid. It happened because there was no where else to spend money. Now they want to bitch about paying the people generating the money.** - By xcheck August 20, 2026 at 11:44:52 AM

The Victors

The short answer is no ...