historian said:
It seems to be happening already. The important question: is this irreversible?
I don't think NIL or paying players is reversible and honestly - I think players deserve a cut of the revenue. However, there is no oversight, governing body or structure to NIL or player compensation.
I do take issue with that lack of oversight and I have a disdain for the conference realignment that has occurred due to the influx of TV revenue.
The sport was built on fan interest and regional rivalries. The more they chip away at that, the more fans will become apathetic to the sport as a whole.
There is a different group of fans that don't have those experiences, such as big 10 and sec fans. They haven't seen multiple teams come and go over the past 15 years, so they are oblivious to the experience that occurs in other conferences. As far as those fans go - everything is normal and going great, with NIL perhaps being a bit weird, but not a nail in the foot, so to speak.