Rece Davis weighs in on seismic changes this offseason in college sports
It’s been a busy offseason for off-the-field news across college sports, largely centering on the proposed 12-team College Football Playoff. But bouncing around state legislatures and governor’s offices has been legislation about name, image and likeness, or NIL, bills and laws. Those issues have been hot topics on sports radio shows and message boards across college sports.
ESPN host Rece Davis visited with the Associated Press’ Ralph D. Russo on the AP Top 25 podcast to discuss the changes, and how they will impact college sports in the coming years.
“I think the two things together, and I know it’s more fun to talk about College Football Playoff, and the things that could happen on the field,” Davis said. But I think the two things together are intertwined and are on the cusp of fundamentally changing the sport that you and I love on a very permanent level. Because we won’t go backward. That doesn’t mean it deteriorates it, or it’s going to become unpopular, or there’s going to be less of that passion and connection of fans that we’ve seen in the past.”
Davis noted that internships will be an element that will draw attention because it will be a way for schools to pay players directly.
“I’m not too bothered by it, I’m really not, because that’s the way the world works,” Davis said. “I do take issue when people say that the players get nothing because I was talking to a major Power 5 coach and they were breaking it down and they put, in excess of the scholarship, they figured that around the surfaces, they’re probably approaching $100,000 a year per player in investment.”
However, that doesn’t give a school the right to limit outside compensation, Davis said.