Watch a lot of college football podcasts for various teams, mostly opponents of ours and the fact is that fans all over just feel abused and taken advantage of in this NIL, Coaching buyout culture with the fear of portal activity, is just sowing despair through fanbases when things fall slightly short much less collapse expectations wise.
Some NC fans want Mack Brown gone. Nc State fans are tired of 8-4, 9-3. Miami fans can't believe that their money won't buy them heart and discipline. Notre Dame fans don't understand why they are 1-5 in their big opponent games the last two years. They want to buy more transfer QB's. Florida fans are fed up with Sunbelt Billy. UT Fans don't understand their 4 play passing offense doesn't work with their current receivers. SC fans are just miserable in general. Southern Cal fans don't get why their teams are soft. Ohio State fans are obsessed with everyone else but their own team.
Lots of misery around teams that had winning or not so bad seasons. Where is the joy? Honestly, sport is supposed to be a distraction at worst and a passionate display of athletic prowess at best. You give your money to the Booster club at your school, you buy the tickets, buy the apparel, you book the hotels, you watch the games on TV when you can't go. You follow the social media accounts of the team and some of the players. You fly and support the teams in the biggest stakes games. Win or lose you support the school. There was at least at one time the appearance that the coaches and players were as invested as you as a fan are and with the future just being a money grab and semi pro football with no free agency rules, that appearance is now gone. You are not a fan anymore. You are a investor in a product and if it doesn't deliver a profitable product, you shelve it and start over.
I didn't join any of the NIL Collectives when it started because I didn't want to feel that type of responsibility in my passion for Clemson. Watching this season play out, I do understand that their is a line for all of us if we want Clemson to succeed until whatever is next in the structure of College Football. Clemson has a great culture. The Alignment of Dabo/Neff/Clements with the new NIL structure gives me the confidence to contribute in that way knowing that the people that have the interests of fans and the school are in charge of the money. If you have been on the fence about doing this I encourage you to do it or in the least give serious thought to how you expect Clemson to move forward with such a small and young Alumni base. Even if all you can do is the minimum amount just do it.
Some NC fans want Mack Brown gone. Nc State fans are tired of 8-4, 9-3. Miami fans can't believe that their money won't buy them heart and discipline. Notre Dame fans don't understand why they are 1-5 in their big opponent games the last two years. They want to buy more transfer QB's. Florida fans are fed up with Sunbelt Billy. UT Fans don't understand their 4 play passing offense doesn't work with their current receivers. SC fans are just miserable in general. Southern Cal fans don't get why their teams are soft. Ohio State fans are obsessed with everyone else but their own team.
Lots of misery around teams that had winning or not so bad seasons. Where is the joy? Honestly, sport is supposed to be a distraction at worst and a passionate display of athletic prowess at best. You give your money to the Booster club at your school, you buy the tickets, buy the apparel, you book the hotels, you watch the games on TV when you can't go. You follow the social media accounts of the team and some of the players. You fly and support the teams in the biggest stakes games. Win or lose you support the school. There was at least at one time the appearance that the coaches and players were as invested as you as a fan are and with the future just being a money grab and semi pro football with no free agency rules, that appearance is now gone. You are not a fan anymore. You are a investor in a product and if it doesn't deliver a profitable product, you shelve it and start over.
I didn't join any of the NIL Collectives when it started because I didn't want to feel that type of responsibility in my passion for Clemson. Watching this season play out, I do understand that their is a line for all of us if we want Clemson to succeed until whatever is next in the structure of College Football. Clemson has a great culture. The Alignment of Dabo/Neff/Clements with the new NIL structure gives me the confidence to contribute in that way knowing that the people that have the interests of fans and the school are in charge of the money. If you have been on the fence about doing this I encourage you to do it or in the least give serious thought to how you expect Clemson to move forward with such a small and young Alumni base. Even if all you can do is the minimum amount just do it.
