[Goose]

I fear you both have a naively optimistic view of the connection to reality of the average sports fan. I suspect most sports fans care more about how college sports teams represent the superiority of their state, their region, their tribe, far more than they care about any particular ideal of college sports. Those winning just want to win; those not winning fantasize they will be in the winner's chair as soon as their team's AD gets that bug out of his/her rear end and hires a real coach - or properly pays players - or whatever is the complaint of the moment.


Of course I don't know the future or what Stanford would ultimately do. In fact I doubt those in a position to control things at Stanford have any real idea of what Stanford would ultimately do. It does seem to me that the average Stanford sports fan would be more concerned by these developments than most, but don't know if that turns the table.

I agree that most "average" college sports fans care about their team representing their superiority by winning. Obviously, there are many programs that seldom win, but the fans at least believe that it is possible. What will change in the "brave new world" is that the average fan will eventually have to confront the fact their team's success is directly tied to the ability to pay. Right now, there is the fiction that there is more or less a level playing field. People do get put on probation/receive sanctions, although not with the frequency probably warranted. That will be gone. It will be demonstrably and painfully true the field isn't level, and everybody will know it. Foe example, Reggie Bush's parents will get a car to go with the new house, and everybody else will just have to live with it. Maybe Nike can convince him to transfer to Oregon for a few mil a year. It may take a few years for the rabid SEC fans to realize it, but they will.
There will be some interesting re-alignments where teams that were no good but have big available donors become perennially good. Other teams that were good will no longer be because they can't afford it. What will finally tear it for many fans is when some SEC also-ran starts to make a run and then suddenly their best player drops out of school to make a million dollars a year working for an Alabama alum. That will happen, make no mistake. So, I think I can say that one can have a pretty low estimate of the average fans awareness and still be almost certain that a 2x4 between the eyes will get noticed. This won't be pretty if nothing is done.

[Goose]

I fear you both have a naively optimistic view of the connection to reality of the average sports fan. I suspect most sports fans care more about how college sports teams represent the superiority of their state, their region, their tribe, far more than they care about any particular ideal of college sports. Those winning just want to win; those not winning fantasize they will be in the winner's chair as soon as their team's AD gets that bug out of his/her rear end and hires a real coach - or properly pays players - or whatever is the complaint of the moment.


Of course I don't know the future or what Stanford would ultimately do. In fact I doubt those in a position to control things at Stanford have any real idea of what Stanford would ultimately do. It does seem to me that the average Stanford sports fan would be more concerned by these developments than most, but don't know if that turns the table.

I agree that most "average" college sports fans care about their team representing their superiority by winning. Obviously, there are many programs that seldom win, but the fans at least believe that it is possible. What will change in the "brave new world" is that the average fan will eventually have to confront the fact their team's success is directly tied to the ability to pay. Right now, there is the fiction that there is more or less a level playing field. People do get put on probation/receive sanctions, although not with the frequency probably warranted. That will be gone. It will be demonstrably and painfully true the field isn't level, and everybody will know it. Foe example, Reggie Bush's parents will get a car to go with the new house, and everybody else will just have to live with it. Maybe Nike can convince him to transfer to Oregon for a few mil a year. It may take a few years for the rabid SEC fans to realize it, but they will.
There will be some interesting re-alignments where teams that were no good but have big available donors become perennially good. Other teams that were good will no longer be because they can't afford it. What will finally tear it for many fans is when some SEC also-ran starts to make a run and then suddenly their best player drops out of school to make a million dollars a year working for an Alabama alum. That will happen, make no mistake. So, I think I can say that one can have a pretty low estimate of the average fans awareness and still be almost certain that a 2x4 between the eyes will get noticed. This won't be pretty if nothing is done.