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Message: [QUOTE="Chuck, post: 5170410, member: 1646"] I agree that the NFL and NBA are unstoppable forces, but I don't know if it's as easy as you think for them to fully crush big time college football and basketball. First, minor leagues are just not financially successful anywhere and certainly not in the US. Baseball can be cute and nostalgic, but the teams don't make much money and pay their players next to nothing. Nobody watches the G League and I guess the NFL tried unsuccessfully with NFL Europe. Also, while they don't have NBA/NFL support, I don't think the NBA/NFL have gone out of their ways to try to crush football and basketball minor leagues, but they have all failed or remain tiny. NCAA football and basketball are just an odd concept that works. Alums and locals love their schools and they are paying and supporting their players significantly more than a typical minor league. The only way the NFL/NBA could crush college football/basketball is to take all of their players and fans. Fans have just never shown a love for a lesser league, so why would they show up in the same numbers for games, buy all the gear, etc. for a minor league team? And it would be a huge financial hit to the franchises to finance minor league teams at the same support level. Compare a minor league team's facilities and other perks to what top colleges provide their athletes, and now they are making hundreds of thousands of dollars (or more). And if the NBA/NFL used their monopoly to crush state schools, I can't see local politicians, courts, congress being pleased. The NFL crushed the USFL and lost a $3 judgement. I'm not sure the same would happen if they crushed Beloved State U. I think the P2 (or whatever number we end with) will be careful not to poke the bears too much. If there can only be one survivor (pro or college), the NFL/NBA wins, but it won't be easy. EDIT: I do agree that the P2 can wind up significantly harming themselves if they use their power to crush other schools and conferences. Their power is partially in being the top of the heap. Fans of lower teams still watch. Transform that heap to just the P2 and they will lose a lot of eyeballs and the NFL/NBA could end them a lot easier. [/QUOTE]

Verification: First name of men's bb coach