My perception is that there is a TON of money at UF! Case in point: the Heavener facility and stadium renovations. Someone may be able to correct me, but I think it is ALL ABOUT PRIORITIES!!! I have been told by someone in the know, that the Gator football team has always received ridiculous money (undeserving) for the staff! I have an appreciation for the other sports at UF, but, the identity of the Gators is still, primarily, football!
Absolutely, 100% agree!!! My son has essentially given up on the Gators as irrelevant! He likes the Oregon Ducks, because "they're fun to watch!"
I do think the whole debate is interesting. There are so many levels, and I think many fans get tied up on basic issues and don’t look at everything. I do not have a good grasp of it all so I try not to take a hardline opinion. who does stricklin really answer to and what has he been told to do? What are the expectations that his bosses have given him? Is it a reasonable expectation to want stricklin to divert donations away from the UAA? Knowing that NIL is not being used as it was intended should we expect stricklin to break the rules so UF can compete? Should stricklin tell donors not to give money to actual upgrades in order to break the rules just because everyone else is doing it?
That’s essentially what we are doing. Taking position values (think NFL Draft) relative to available funds (think salary cap). That’s why Napier hired a GM in that Texas A&M dude.
Seems to be a misconception that we CAN overpay.....as if there is an unlimited fund sitting there. The simple fact is a LOT of boosters don't believe in NIL. And let's be honest, it's absurd giving crazy money to unproven high school kids. And you "overpay" some kids you risk the locker room. That's unavoidable I cannot imagine anyone thinks overpaying for anything in their lives is a good thing, certainly not a sustainable thing. So how could it be good for uf?
[QUOTE="AFCyberGator, post: 16124283, member: 18756"]5.9 million fans[/QUOTE] I know that a lot of these fans attended UF and have a connection to it and some of these "fans" are like me. I was born and raised in Florida and have always pulled for the Gators. I'm retired now and my time and money are for my family. Why should I feel obligated to fund a sport that I watch (a lot less now) for entertainment. This whole situation is spiraling out of control and will soon crash and burn.
About $20M a year. Ref: Why the University of Florida Gets a ~$20M Cut of Gatorade Profits Every Year
Agreed on all points. You are not obligated to pay to be a Gator fan, but it helps the cause if you learn where the problem lies. The problem is not Billy Napier, Scott Stricklin, the UAA, or UF itself. The problem is that NIL only works if a rabid fanbase with a mix of rich donors and large numbers of us poor folks dump money into the system win or lose, and many of us poor folks are fed up. Rich folks have accountants to help with wise investments of tax write-offs and gobs of discretionary funding. Poor people like me sit around and complain, but are least I chip in to the dadgum collective.
The game rules have changed...Opinions, and whether we like it or not are irrelevant...If we want to win, then we have to fully invest in the new rules, pay up, and play to win.
So, awhile back I posted an article that a few schools were spending about 2.4 million a year on NIL deals. Apparently, the going rate is $2 million for a quarterback and you can read the rest. Probably, as soon as you read this article these prices for College athletes will have gone up again! And to think NFL players salaries in the 60's were a fraction of what college players get today! REPORT: Ohio State Buckeyes Spent $13 Million And Counting In NIL Money In Attempt To Field Elite Roster - Gridiron Heroics
I don't think we should pay money on the high school recruit. Wait until they play at whatever school and see who actually is elite. Then either pay them what it takes if they are in the portal, and if they aren't in the portal, go ahead and offer it to them anyway to see what happens. Tampering be damned.
