NCAA Changing Forever

NCAA changing forever? Yes. Before our very eyes! A groundbreaking development is shaking up the landscape of college football and athletics, with the Big Ten and SEC at the epicenter of a potential revenue-sharing plan. This change could redefine college sports as we know them.

Referred to as the "Modern Model," this innovative approach aims to achieve two key objectives. First, it seeks to distribute revenue among student-athletes, tapping into the vast sums generated by media deals alone, amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars. Second, it may serve to resolve the ongoing "House vs NCAA" lawsuit, slated for trial in January.

The House vs NCAA lawsuit, a class-action antitrust case, alleges that the NCAA and Power 5 conferences have colluded to suppress athlete compensation, a grave accusation with potential multimillion-dollar implications for each school involved.

Athletic directors are scrambling to adjust budgets, earmarking substantial sums—upwards of $20 million per school—to cover potential settlements. This financial burden threatens to upend operations for many institutions.

In response, Power 4 schools, along with the NCAA, are engaging in intense deliberations to devise a revenue-sharing plan for athletes, an initiative long overdue, according to many observers.

While details remain murky regarding funding sources and distribution methods, it's apparent that TV revenue will play a significant role. For years, athletes have felt undervalued, while conferences and athletic departments have reaped immense financial rewards.

Traditionally, scholarships and exposure were deemed sufficient rewards for student-athletes, but now, demands for direct financial compensation are growing louder. This proposed arrangement is distinct from Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) arrangements, representing a formal payment for athletic services.

Earlier discussions between the Big Ten and SEC regarding the future of college athletics hinted at such developments, underscoring the influence these conferences wield in shaping policy and allocating funds.

Ultimately, here is the real reason NCAA changing forever is the headline: The outcome of these deliberations could impact the outcome of the House vs NCAA lawsuit, potentially resulting in substantial damages and significant shifts in NCAA policies. With mounting legal challenges and shifting public sentiment, the NCAA faces an uncertain future, with some predicting its demise.

Amidst these developments, the Big Ten and SEC are positioning themselves strategically to weather the storm, recognizing the need for proactive measures in an evolving collegiate sports landscape.

While not as flashy as a top-ranked matchup or a quarterback controversy, this evolving narrative carries far-reaching implications for every athletic department and conference nationwide. We always discuss how the NCAA changing forever is important to all sports fans. We invite you to join us each weekday afternoon on Craig Shemon and Company on ESPN Southwest Florida.

"Everyone has a podcast now," seems to be a typical response when the topic comes up. Maybe that's true, or more so, that the ability to have the resources to create own is easier. However, some retired professional athletes are finding a great next chapter to their career through impactful podcasts and media platforms.

Still, that does not mean anyone can do it well. The question becomes, how do you sift through and find those that are really doing it right? Aside from what is spoon fed to you through social media, certain athletes have trusted their knowledge and experience of the game to carry them to conversational success.

Well, for starters they need to be legitimate former professional athletes. Meaning, they played in their respective sport at a high-level for a long duration of time.

Next, we're looking for athletes who do this regularly now as a consistent means. In addition, the preference is for their subject matters to have a direct focus. For example, a former NFL star talking about football.

With the exception of Pat McAfee, there are not a ton of athletes (other than Michael Strahan) that can successfully cast a wide net and engage their audience on any topic under the sun. Sure, it can be done. But for this list, the preference is largely for the premise of each show to be somewhat specialized.

Another requirement here is that the athlete has to be retired from the sport and not currently on or associated with a team. That would make someone like Micah Parson (who has a successful podcast) and Travis Kelce ineligible (even though brother and co-host Jason is now retired).

Although the sports and subject matters will vary with this list, there are still a few common themes. Each athlete demonstrates their own personality in their podcast. Sometimes being under a helmet or on the court does not allow an athlete's true personality to always shine through. With a podcast it does.

The host also has a talent where they give the listener a great perspective on the subject at hand. Greg Olsen from Fox Sports does a great job with this on live broadcasts. He gives the audience an inside view of what a player may be thinking in that moment of the game, given he played for so long. He'll also share what goes on inside a locker room.

Before we get to the list, an honorable mention here goes to Fox sports insider, Jay Glazer. He did not make the list because he is not a former pro athlete. However, his Unbreakable podcast that discusses mental health in the world of professional sports has proven to be very impactful.

Without further ado, here are the six great podcasts hosted by retired professional athletes who have built an impressive following with their great shows.

With MLB on Fox and a previous stint hosting The Corp podcast with Barstool Sports, A-Rod has been no stranger to the media world since his retirement. One could argue that his new career has been less polarizing and more engaging as Rodriguez has opened himself up in great ways through the power of conversation. The Deal is hosted alongside Jason Kelly and has included riveting conversations with athletes such as Derek Jeter and Michael Strahan about how they set themselves up for success in New York sports.

Now, this one almost did not make the list because it has blown past the success of just an awesome podcast. Airing weekly live on ESPN, The Pat McAfee Show has put on a clinic on how to be a media host after retirement from sports. McAfee is a ball of personality. He and his crew have done an amazing job tackling sports subjects at hand from a very casual, down-to-earth, and authentic perspective. Yes, some of the dialog falls into the category of them saying what everyone else is thinking. Nonetheless, McAfee is incredibly funny, spontaneous, and witty. These three qualities are not often injected into the narrative of sports but are a refreshing, welcomed change.

Long, who was an outstanding defensive end in the NFL for 11 years, jumped into his Green Lights show pretty quickly upon retiring. What makes this show clever is that Long speaks as if he is still playing and sitting in his chair at his locker inside the stadium. Do you want to know how a situation feels like from a player's perspective? He gives you an honest take. In addition, Long occasionally has guests you would never expect due to the relationships he has forged. For exmple, that time Eddie Vedder and Jeff Ament from Pearl Jam were on because Long's father, Howie Long, had befriended Ament as both were Montana residents.

Reddick also jumped in quickly after unlacing his sneakers for the last time. Reddick is very direct and articulate. He falls into a bit of a McAfee category by essentially constructing his own media company that has built into a legit source for basketball knowledge. For example, he recently unveiled a second podcast called Mind The Game, where his co-host is LeBron James. Here, these two basketball minds share insightful knowledge of the X's and O's of basketball and the art of the game.

"Come for the sports, stay for the stories," Nightcap show says. Then, they completely back that up. Hosted by Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson, and perhaps the most beloved athlete turned media personality, Shannon Sharpe. This show can be tuned into live on YouTube, at night as it suggests. Or catch the entire thing via podcast. Of course you can't mention Sharpe without a nod to his solo show Club Shay Shay. His interview with Kat Williams has 62 millions views. However, it's the entertaining dynamic of the two different personalities that will give the edge here to Nightcap. Followers know that they go be "Ocho" and "Unc." Sharpe (Unc) usually brings his bold takes while Ocho brings his wild personality. Together, they balance quite well for a very entertaining show.