Plantation in a Blazer.
For decades, college sports built a billion-dollar empire off young athletes — mostly poor, many Black — while pretending it was about education. But let’s be honest: The National Collegiate Athletic Association ran a polished plantation. Kids broke their bodies for free while coaches cashed million-dollar checks and universities sold jerseys, tickets, and TV rights like cattle at auction.
They called them “student-athletes” — but most left with no real education, no career, and no safety net. When public pressure hit, they didn’t lead with reform — they reacted, tossing out NIL not to empower athletes, but to protect the brand.
The Fix: Respect the Player
Athletes should leave with more than scars and highlight reels. Give them real education, contracts with teeth, NIL guardrails, and lifetime healthcare for game-time injuries. If you profit off grit, you owe loyalty in return.
Verdict: Still Not SphstRDnck.
Until college sports honors the player more than the profit, it stays off the dirt road.