‘A new era of college athletics’: Speaker Tate and MSU coaches talk changes in NCAA

House Speaker Joe Tate (D-Detroit) attends the Mackinac Policy Conference on May 31, 2023. (Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

Recruiting athletes for college sports has changed in the last couple of years, as players gain increased access to an athletic program’s profits.

Two head coaches and the athletic director from Michigan State University discussed changes in college athletics with House Speaker Joe Tate (D-Detroit) onTuesday, the first day of the annual Mackinac Policy Conference. The conversation was hosted by MSU. 

Alan Haller | MSU photo

“I’m not an advocate of ‘this is the end of college athletics,” said Alan Haller, MSU’s director of athletics. “I don’t believe that. I think this is a new era of college athletics.”

College athletes in Michigan can make money using their name, image and likeness (NIL) through opportunities like endorsements or advertising campaigns. The rules from lawmakers banning colleges from prohibiting compensation went into effect at the beginning of 2023, under HB 5217 and HB 5218.

Colleges may also be able to start directly paying athletes, if an agreement with the National College Athletics Association (NCAA), the governing body for college-level sports, stands.

Additionally, last year, the NCAA made it easier for athletes to transfer schools. Undergraduate students who meet certain academic criteria will be eligible to play their sport in a new program, immediately after transferring. 

Robyn Fralick, the head coach of MSU’s women’s basketball team, said both of these changes contributed to a constantly evolving process for recruiting and coaching athletes. 

“The portal and NIL sort of happened at the same time, but they’re really different,” Fralick said. “But their connection matters.”

The opportunity to receive outside compensation and efficiently transfer to different teams could make it more difficult for athletic programs to retain the best players. 

The changes will shape how coaches recruit and try to retain potential athletes, according to Haller. 

“There is a reset that is going to happen when it comes to a lot of the NIL activity that is happening that is impacting the coaches ability to recruit, to retain,” Haller said. 

All three speakers expressed support for NIL opportunities for students. Fralick pointed out that athletes like former Iowa women’s basketball player Caitlin Clark deserve monetary compensation because they can bring attention to the program and sport. 

IOWA CITY, IOWA- FEBRUARY 15: Guard Caitlin Clark #22 of the Iowa Hawkeyes listens as the crowd cheers after breaking the NCAA women’s all-time scoring record during the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on February 15, 2024 in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)

NIL will probably be on many athletes’ minds when looking at schools. When athletes visit programs, they may weigh how much money a program could offer them, from outside sponsorships to potentially a direct check. Some have speculated that athletic programs will have to spend more money to get and keep the best players.

“We have to still make sure we are competing nationally, as well as in the Big 10,” Haller said. 

However, both coaches on the panel said the experience of working with student athletes has not changed with NIL. Adam Nightingale, the head coach of ice hockey at MSU, said he still promotes his same coaching style while recruiting. 

“I told our staff we’re not going to coach afraid of the portal,” Nightingale said. “Coach how we believe kids need to be coached. Hold them accountable, hold them to a high standard. We’re not going to beg anyone to come to Michigan State.”

Going forward, Haller said he hoped for a governance structure that would make sure athletes were being compensated fairly. 

The post ‘A new era of college athletics’: Speaker Tate and MSU coaches talk changes in NCAA appeared first on Michigan Advance.