How Kevin Ollie’s new gig at Overtime Elite may change NCAA basketball (Paul Doyle)

[aburks41]

I'm kind of surprised ESPN let Jay Williams be on the Board of Directors for this. Isn't this league in direct competition with the product that ESPN pays billions of dollars for? Unless ESPN is planning on televising these games, it seems like there would be some sort of conflict of interest between the two, no?

 

[navery12]

I'm kind of surprised ESPN let Jay Williams be on the Board of Directors for this. Isn't this league in direct competition with the product that ESPN pays billions of dollars for? Unless ESPN is planning on televising these games, it seems like there would be some sort of conflict of interest between the two, no?

I bet they'll get involved with televising some of the games, they show a lot of the games between top prep teams already like the Chet Holmgren and Emoni Bates matchup

 

[Storrs South]

The most talented kids can make more money via NIL that would come with the exposure of going to college. It may even deter kids from going the G-League Ignite path, let alone Overtime.

Going to Ignite, Overtime, or whatever minor league option available, the NIL money will likely be minimal since no fanbase will be tied to the player until they make it to the NBA. Overtime helped create the culture that kids don't care for teams, only for players and that would hurt them in starting a league and ironic they would go this route.

We don't know what the money will look like, but NIL money for college players could be pretty good and likely substantial for basketball's best players that maybe a $100k NIL deal and NCAA exposure on ESPN/FOX/CBS outweighs a $200k contract to play on Ignite with games airing on NBATV at 12 PM on a Tuesday and having minimal fan support prior to getting drafted.

It's funny the NCAA dragged its feet so long on NIL, because it may be the very thing that keeps leagues like this from having a chance of surviving. Even without NIL, most kids would not be good enough for this league and still want the free education or as others noted at a minimum want to get their high school diploma.

 

[aburks41]

The most talented kids can make more money via NIL that would come with the exposure of going to college. It may even deter kids from going the G-League Ignite path, let alone Overtime.

Going to Ignite, Overtime, or whatever minor league option available, the NIL money will likely be minimal since no fanbase will be tied to the player until they make it to the NBA. Overtime helped create the culture that kids don't care for teams, only for players and that would hurt them in starting a league and ironic they would go this route.

We don't know what the money will look like, but NIL money for college players could be pretty good and likely substantial for basketball's best players that maybe a $100k NIL deal and NCAA exposure on ESPN/FOX/CBS outweighs a $200k contract to play on Ignite with games airing on NBATV at 12 PM on a Tuesday and having minimal fan support prior to getting drafted.

It's funny the NCAA dragged its feet so long on NIL, because it may be the very thing that keeps leagues like this from having a chance of surviving. Even without NIL, most kids would not be good enough for this league and still want the free education or as others noted at a minimum want to get their high school diploma.

when this NIL thing passes, will we finally be able to buy legit jerseys with players names on the back?

 

[husky8273]

when this NIL thing passes, will we finally be able to buy legit jerseys with players names on the back?

NIL is only applicable to current student-athletes. Until there is a federal law/policy, individual states differ. I don't believe NIL will alleviate the need for a UConn license for a "legit" jersey.

recent feedback - Players representing #NotNCAAProperty disappointed by call with Emmert

 

[aburks41]

NIL is only applicable to current student-athletes. Until there is a federal law/policy, individual states differ. I don't believe NIL will alleviate the need for a UConn license for a "legit" jersey.

recent feedback - Players representing #NotNCAAProperty disappointed by call with Emmert

Well if this passed then won’t a cut of jersey sales be a recruiting tactic? Why would a 5* come here if a school like Michigan State is offering a % of jersey sales to the player. It would be foolish of UConn to not do everything in their power to market it’s own players if the players could make money off said marketing. We have a huge national following, gotta capitalize on that

 

[Fishy]

Just looking at this from the KO perspective, I think the ultimate goal for him is to get back into coaching at the college or NBA level. This is probably going to generate a lot of positive publicity for him, and I would be surprised if KO is not on the sidelines again in some capacity within 2-3 years.

It will probably generate no publicity for him.

Like Modern Acupuncture, they’re giving him some money for his name. Unless, of course, they think that he’s suddenly going to be motivated to coach high school basketball when UConn couldn’t get him to show much interest in coaching college basketball.

This is a job you take when even the tail end of an NBA bench isn’t an option.

 

[Fishy]

This idea seems destined to fail, but I think all these comments are missing one big factor. If NBA teams find that this league is preparing kids for the NBA better than college, it'll be in their best interest to help it succeed.

I cannot imagine a single scenario where that actually comes into play.

1) It will almost certainly go belly-up before a single kid gets from the TikTok league to the NBA Draft.

The G League is the pro answer to college...this thing is high school. There are already 'pro' academies out there doing what these folks are proposing - there is nothing new and unique about it other than the folly of thinking that people will support a professional high school basketball league.

 

[Chin Diesel]

If this were for age 18-21 I could support it, but there's something very unseemly about luring kids out of school at age 16 to pursue a basketball career.

They should at least get a high school diploma. Yes, I heard the "academic support" line. No, I don't buy it.

And yet there isn't any issue with musicians, actors, tennis players and a few other industries for doing that.

 

[husky8273]

Well if this passed then won’t a cut of jersey sales be a recruiting tactic? Why would a 5* come here if a school like Michigan State is offering a % of jersey sales to the player. It would be foolish of UConn to not do everything in their power to market it’s own players if the players could make money off said marketing. We have a huge national following, gotta capitalize on that

I don't believe the NIL proposals allow a school to be involved in a players NIL to specifically prevent the scenario you presented.

 

[Dogdeacon]

It sounds like I’m in the minority here but I do think this is a big piece in vastly changing the college landscape if not more.

we all know the NCAA is not an efficient marketplace. Players need to get shady deals behind closed doors and take legal and reputational risk to even get compensated close to what they are worth economically. I think we all realize the current model is not sustainable.

The is no such thing as a multi billion dollar business with amateur athletes as the product. These kids are already all professionals, just most have horrible “contracts”.

Im not sure how successful Overtime will be. The argument that the money college basketball brings in is heavily tied to the schools brand names is obviously legit, but the current system is inevitably going to be blown up and I think this will be an accelerating factor.

Paragraph II - the ncaa is very efficient For its schools advertisers and bureaucracies. It’s not trying to be a pure marketplace.
Para III - the NCAA and the Olympics (in the past) have been multi billion dollar ‘businesses’ with amateur athletes. It might not be infinitely sustainable, but little is.

Just because the ncaa doesn’t satisfy basic market or economic principles (doesn’t have to) that doesn’t mean a dozen even more hair brained ideas will end I t. Thus far it’s successfully morphed & survived for 50ish years. It’s flawed, but flawed yet working and profitable is a better bet than new, cash burning & also flawed.

 

[BGesus4]

Paragraph II - the ncaa is very efficient For its schools advertisers and bureaucracies. It’s not trying to be a pure marketplace.
Para III - the NCAA and the Olympics (in the past) have been multi billion dollar ‘businesses’ with amateur athletes. It might not be infinitely sustainable, but little is.

Just because the ncaa doesn’t satisfy basic market or economic principles (doesn’t have to) that doesn’t mean a dozen even more hair brained ideas will end I t. Thus far it’s successfully morphed & survived for 50ish years. It’s flawed, but flawed yet working and profitable is a better bet than new, cash burning & also flawed.

Survived against what competition?

 

[Dogdeacon]

Survived against what competition?

That's how monopolies work.

 

[HuskyHawk]

If this were for age 18-21 I could support it, but there's something very unseemly about luring kids out of school at age 16 to pursue a basketball career.

They should at least get a high school diploma. Yes, I heard the "academic support" line. No, I don't buy it.

It's what the big European soccer clubs do though. Messi was recruited to Barcelona at 13. They moved his whole family from Argentina. Their academy does include a school. If this had NBA backing as an academy that might work, but it's different because there is a still a draft. The reason that investment is worth it in soccer is that you keep or "sell" the guys you develop.

 

[SportsFan88]

I know a lot of y’all aren’t fans of KO but some of the takes on the guy are a lil bit unfair in my opinion, life got real for KO and in turn he let it affect his career, but it’s not like he’s a bad dude or something. The program is in much better shape I think we gotta lighten up just a lil bit no?

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

 

[the Q]

I hope this league works.
Kids who want to get paid 6 figures while in hs still can.

they can go try to focus on pro ball earlier.

less one and dones in college

maybe everyone will realize

1) the pro leagues shouldn’t be getting a free ride for minor league system on tax payer dollars

2) the laundry is what makes the money

 

[Dogdeacon]

I guess its a paycheck for Leitao. While he's cashing those checks maybe he can whisper some pearls into Ollie's ear about how to move on after coaching gigs.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

It's what the big European soccer clubs do though. Messi was recruited to Barcelona at 13. They moved his whole family from Argentina. Their academy does include a school. If this had NBA backing as an academy that might work, but it's different because there is a still a draft. The reason that investment is worth it in soccer is that you keep or "sell" the guys you develop.

Even US men’s soccer signed a 15 year old a couple of years ago.
Pele played in his first World Cup at that age.
Juniors Hockey also has been around a long time it was the chief path to the NHL for years.
Baseball signed kids that age years ago . I think a 15 year old actually played in the majors. They still sign Dominican‘s 15-16 year olds .
College sports as a gateway to the pro’s are almost exclusive an American Tradition. It’s that Tradition that the chief obstacle.

 

[the Q]

Even US men’s soccer signed a 15 year old a couple of years ago.
Pele played in his first World Cup at that age.
Juniors Hockey also has been around a long time it was the chief path to the NHL for years.
Baseball signed kids that age years ago . I think a 15 year old actually played in the majors. They still sign Dominican‘s 15-16 year olds .
College sports as a gateway to the pro’s are almost exclusive an American Tradition. It’s that Tradition that the chief obstacle.

the NBA and nfl getting tax payer funded minor league systems is a problem.

another reason to root for this new operation to work.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

College sports as a gateway to the pro’s are almost exclusive an American Tradition. It’s that Tradition that the chief obstacle.

The only reason that I think college "revenue" sports should even exist is because I've been rooting for UConn since I was little. It's a model that makes no sense compared to the rest of the world.

 

[Dogdeacon]

the NBA and nfl getting tax payer funded minor league systems is a problem.

another reason to root for this new operation to work.

Taxes, that's your angle really? Prompts 3 Q's:
1. Why do you think college basketball and football are taxpayer funded, b/c of state schools?!
2. Do you think if those schools don't have lucrative college sports they will need more or less public money?
3. Exactly how much of your state taxes do you hope to recoup via Overtime Elite ('Oh Tee E')?

A legit NBA feeder system isn't reducing anyone's taxes other than hopefully Mark Emmert.

 

[HuskyHawk]

The only reason that I think college "revenue" sports should even exist is because I've been rooting for UConn since I was little. It's a model that makes no sense compared to the rest of the world.

It is also why the debate has become ridiculous at times. "We bring in hundreds of millions and so deserve $x". Nah. Put every player in college basketball and football in uniforms of minor league pro teams and that revenue would be a tiny fraction of what it is now. People are cheering for their college alma mater, or a school they feel represents their state or region. They root for the laundry.

Most of the schools lose money. This is marketing, nothing more really. Yes, some schools turn a profit but they do it because it provides exposure to prospective students, and some students want the attraction of attending games and all that comes with it.

 

[Pgh2Storrs]

Slater dropped a gif seeming to hint towards Efton Reid joining Overtime. If so, I don’t know if I’ll physically survive the fits of laughter resulting from KO stealing Pitt’s most coveted recruit in years.

 

[HHusky]

Eventually kids who are good enough will get drafted to the LEAGUE. Those who don't will probably then go to colleges and (after amateur gets "redefined" will be allowed to play at the college level.