Several industries are built off of our nostalgia for the past. The commercialization of holidays, the food industry, terrible television and movie reboots, and commercialized college sports. An industry that will sell us the agony of defeat as the “love of the game.” Commercializing 18-22-year-old’s facing the end of their dreams. Defined by a season during the pandemic in which, before pro sports, airports and air travel, and even the very schools they represent figured out polices for safety, they shipped these kids, mostly from at-risk communities, around the country. While some coaches made wise decisions about holding their teams out, the rest revealed themselves to be aged frat boys looking for the glory days.
How did college sports get this way?
Let’s look, going back to the beginning of the creation of the NCAA. How it slowly gained popularity and what allowed it to become the predominant force in college sports. We’ll also look at what happened with an influx of money that coincided with integrating colleges and college athletics. Leading to the adults in the room trying to keep all the money for themselves and their families.
