Perhaps the BEST B1G Forum anywhere, here at College Football Fan Site, CFB51!!!

There might be enough of us around to keep it on TV for a few decades perhaps, but eventually we will age out and be replaced with a generation that views the Big Ten in the same manner as we view a Conference from D3-FCS.

Aging out is a worthy thing to point out. I'd argue the A.D.'s would lose significant revenue immediately if we enacted some scheme that fully drained their rosters and they refilled with Go5 or sub-Go5 level players. But we do have to acknowledge that badge is right that based on habits and traditions, many millions of us would keep watching anyway. Fewer millions than before, but many all the same. Decades later, however, that will have died down to sub-alumni association levels of intense interest. Because of course, not every Michigan or OSU graduate actually cares about CFB. And in those decades, we'd fail to recruit new non-grads as well.

I'm not making an argument for or against paying players, btw. I'm staying out of that one. 

Just sorta jumped in mid thread. Carry on.

I don't for a minute believe that true fans of college football would back away from the games if the NFL had a minor league and took 250 players away from the college game every year. True fans cheer for the helmet and jersey, not the specific players.

1. If so, then I imagine fans would also not care if the players get some cash.
2. Their is a delusion here that the only players who deserve money are those good enough to play professionally.  Jim Tressel ran into issues at Youngstown State involving players getting paid, and none of them were going to be in the NFL.  I spent my undergrad at Miami of Ohio and saw players working out ways to get paid, and they also were not NFL prospects.  The issue is college football itself, and every player involved, is a product that is being marketed and sold.  Every single player on Wisconsin and Iowa could make more money absent the amateurism rules, because they are part of a valuable product.  This idea that only college administrators and bowl game CEO's should profit off of the kids' work is, to me, really skeezy.

1. If so, then I imagine fans would also not care if the players get some cash.

HAH!

2. Their is a delusion here that the only players who deserve money are those good enough to play professionally.  Jim Tressel ran into issues at Youngstown State involving players getting paid, and none of them were going to be in the NFL.  I spent my undergrad at Miami of Ohio and saw players working out ways to get paid, and they also were not NFL prospects.  The issue is college football itself, and every player involved, is a product that is being marketed and sold.  Every single player on Wisconsin and Iowa could make more money absent the amateurism rules, because they are part of a valuable product.  This idea that only college administrators and bowl game CEO's should profit off of the kids' work is, to me, really skeezy.

No doubt about that. That common misconception also sidesteps the fact that the pre-NFLers aren't the ones whose lacking compensation is most tragic. It's the "role players." If it weren't for the too small/too slow role players being screwed, threads like these would be scarce because "let's give pre-multimillionaires a few hundred thousand beforehand" is a shit rallying cry. 
Letting kids on a lower middle class or pre-poverty line trajectory collect the few hundred thousand they've already proven they deserve, well that's a completely other thing.

Scott the best goalkeeper (parody) youtube. Stay to the end boys, specially for no money.

(1) We're still on topic ... mostly. .

Not. Even. Close.

got nothing to do with NCAA coaches salaries or how much money an education is worth

sitting out a bowl game or multiple games once a kid has proven himself worth a draft pick, especially a 1st or 2nd round pick, is all about the risk of injury vs the opportunity to sign his name and instantly become very wealthy.

If someone offered Noah Fant $500K to finish his senior season including a bowl game, would it be worth the risk?

A few years from now Noah could possibly be banking much more than Gronk.

My issue isn't with Noah and his family.  My issue is with his decision to leave his team, his coaches, his fans, the U of I, and the game he loves.  Probably at the urging of his agent, and financial advisors.

Understanding that his team, his coaches, his fans, the U of I, and the game he loves are responsible for his opportunity.

I like $$$ as much or more than most folks.  If it was my son, I'd look him in the eye and tell him to play the game if he wanted to play the game.  Hell take out the insurance policy for the bowl game.