• Loading stock data...
Tuesday, July 1, 2025

NBC’s Chris Simms: College Football ‘Messed Up’ With NIL Era

The former QB thinks Texas and a handful of teams have financial advantages in the new college football landscape.

Texas Longhorns defensive back Jahdae Barron celebrates a turnover against Clemson Tigers in thein the first round of the NCAA College Football Playoffs on Dec. 21, 2024, at Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas.
Credit: Democrat and Chronicle via Imagn

Former NFL quarterback turned NBC host Chris Simms doesn’t think the era of NIL (name, image, and likeness) deals was such a smart idea for college sports—just maybe not for the reason you’d think.

“College football messed up with this NIL,” he told Front Office Sports during an interview at Radio Row in New Orleans before the Super Bowl. “They messed up because nobody’s got more money than Texas. Texas and Notre Dame are going to be like, ‘NIL? Sure. We can print money at these schools.’”

He added Ohio State and Michigan to the list of clear NIL winners due to their financial largesse.

To be fair, Simms has a rooting interest as a UT alum. But he’s not wrong. In December, with private equity firms circling college athletic programs to try to invest, CNBC released a ranking of the most valuable programs. It listed Ohio State and Texas at No. 1 and No. 2 with valuations of $1.32 billion and $1.28 billion, respectively. 

Those figures matter as the NCAA sprints toward a future in which players get a share of athletics revenue. The House v. NCAA settlement, a $2.8 billion deal that outlines damages for schools and establishes infrastructure for paying players, was preliminarily approved in federal court in October 2024 and should be finalized in April—well before college football season kicks off.

According to the proposal, every Division I school will be able to pay out $20.5 million to athletes across sports—not just football.

This proposed system stands in contrast to the current NIL system in which players negotiate the rights to each instance in which their name, image, and likeness is used for marketing purposes, but can’t directly get paid by schools for playing their sport. To get around this, groups connected to the school have launched NIL collectives run by companies or nonprofits to raise funds from boosters that are then distributed to athletes.

It’s a bit like political action committees, which technically can’t coordinate with candidates on messaging—but act in concert. Revenue sharing, by contrast, will allow athletic departments to take a more direct role in deals and begin paying players. 

“But what that means is when every school pays their players $20.5 million, everyone’s back at zero,” Adam Breneman of “Next Up” told FOS at Radio Row. “No one has the competitive advantage, which means the money from the NIL collectives will still come into play. Because when Ohio State and Penn State pay their players $20.5 million, they’re going to try to figure out, ‘How do we get an extra $5 million to pay them extra?’”

Theoretically, the agreement has limits to how much collectives could offer. The NCAA pushed for NIL deals above $600 to be approved by a third-party clearinghouse to make sure it’s “fair market value.”

But as Breneman suggested, this could turn out to be a huge loophole. As FOS has previously reported, it’s unclear who will run the clearinghouse and how fair market value will even be determined in an industry that’s never had payments; lawyers suggest it could very likely be challenged in court. 

Collectives have been particularly instrumental in getting players to transfer to a new school. In 2021 the NCAA lifted the restriction on one-time transfers; players can now transfer between seasons without penalty—even before their bowl games.

Thus players like former UNLV quarterback Matthew Sluka are quickly taking their talents elsewhere if they feel their school isn’t living up to its NIL promises.

“Most of the college coaches I talk to, it’s really hard to set a culture, it’s really hard to coach kids the way they want to coach them because they’re so scared of guys jumping in the transfer  portal and leaving,” former Panthers center Ryan Kalil, who played at USC, told FOS at Radio Row. “I think, if anything, we should look at how to fix the transfer portal so guys just can’t keep jumping and going from school to school.”

Several schools, including Deion Sanders’s Colorado, have prepared for revenue sharing by doing away with their collectives, but that could change just as easily as the college athletic landscape has changed.
One school that hasn’t gotten rid of its NIL collective? The University of Texas. The Texas One Fund raised $10.5 million in 2023 and gave $11.9 to Texas athletes.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

College Sports Revenue-Sharing Underway As More Changes Loom

July 1 marks the first day schools can directly pay players.
Nov 23, 2024; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Jake Retzlaff (12) against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium.

Rape Suit Against QB Retzlaff Dismissed, but He’s Still Leaving BYU

Retzlaff admitted to “consensual” sex, violating BYU’s strict honor code.
Nov 16, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Spirit owner Michele Kang celebrates during a team celebration lap after the playoff semifinal match against NJ/NY Gotham FC at Audi Field.

Michele Kang to Lead Lyon As UEFA Delays Multi-Club Ownership Ruling

Lyon’s Europa League fate remains unclear as Michele Kang replaces John Textor.
Jun 10, 2025; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) drops back to pass during minicamp at their South Side facility.
opinion

Steelers Win-Now Mode Is Good News for NFL Media Partners

The conservative “Steeler Way” has finally adapted—and media partners are happy.

Featured Today

The Battle Over Wimbledon’s Ambitious Expansion Plan

A classic NIMBY standoff on one of the most hallowed grounds in sports.
Seattle Rough & Tumble
June 28, 2025

Women’s Sports Bars Are on the Rise. Survival Isn’t Guaranteed

Some women’s sports bars are cashing in. Others are clawing for funding.
June 27, 2025

Shitposters Have Taken the Reins of Pro Sports’ Official Voices

Meet the social media pros turning sports teams into internet trolls.
Jun 17, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart (13) hoists the Stanley Cup after winning game six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers at Amerant Bank Arena
June 26, 2025

Stanley Cup’s International Summer Tour: Rules, Repairs, and Raucousness

No pro trophy tour compares to the NHL’s three-month global victory lap.

Pac-12 Hits Football Membership Threshold With Texas State Entry

The school is paying $5 million to leave the Sun Belt Conference.
June 26, 2025

Pac-12 Rebuild Nears Completion With 2026 Texas State Addition

The Sun Belt school is likely joining the Pac-12 in 2026.
Mar 23, 2025; Raleigh, NC, USA; Baylor Bears guard Jeremy Roach (3) reacts after a play during the first half against the Duke Blue Devils in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Lenovo Center.
June 26, 2025

Power Four Put Finishing Touches on How Revenue Sharing Era Will Work

The agreement stipulates that schools can’t sue to challenge any terms of the settlement.
Sponsored

Hottest Matchups Following NFL Schedule Release

The NFL released the 2025 regular-season schedule, and anticipation is already building in the ticket marketplace with four months to go.
Sep 16, 2023; Stanford, California, USA; Sacramento State Hornets running back Elijah Tau-Tolliver (25) celebrates after a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Stanford Cardinal at Stanford Stadium.
June 25, 2025

Sacramento State ‘Full Steam Ahead’ for FBS Despite Not Receiving NCAA Waiver

The Hornets launched a public campaign to join the FBS last fall.
Jun 7, 2025; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina infielder Jackson Van De Brake (6) and outfielder Carter French (18) celebrate an out during the first inning of the Super Regionals game against Arizona in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
June 25, 2025

Most Power Conference Sports Won’t See Revenue-Sharing Dollars

But there is a silver lining for Olympic sports: more scholarships.
June 23, 2025

Colleges Are Raising Student Fees to Pay for Athlete Revenue-Sharing

Schools are preparing to pay student athletes up to $20.5 million annually.
Dec 27, 2024; San Diego, CA, USA; The Washington State Cougars ban perform during the second half at the Holiday Bowl at Snapdragon Stadium. Mandatory Credit:
June 23, 2025

Pac-12 Announces CBS As ‘Anchor’ in New Media-Rights Deal

The league may announce expansion before finalizing the rest of the package.