How business turned me into a sports fan

As fascinating as I think the world of sports is, watching sports was never a hobby of mine. I’m not oblivious to the fact that’s an incredibly bold statement, given I’m writing this for the sports section, so allow me to explain.

Yes, I grew up in a loyal New York Giants family that hosted the huge, stereotypical Super Bowl watch parties; and I would sit on the couch with my dad to watch Sunday Night Football while he’d occasionally try to explain the different fouls or how the downs worked. But, frankly, my five-year-old self couldn’t have cared less.

In hindsight, those moments served more for tradition than my own viewing enjoyment. I could not tell you who won the NBA Finals in 2014 or which college is predicted to win March Madness. As the years and seasons passed, though, I found a new lens through which to see sports: one I actually was fascinated by and provided me with a newfound respect for die-hard fans who follow these sports so closely. 

Sports are more than just statistics and names. They’re about real people, real stories and real careers. It’s about business, economics and marketing, too. While on the surface fans may just be concerned with the final score, it’s a lot more complex than that behind the scenes.

From conference realignment and media rights deals to contract law and name, image and likeness rules, college athletics are evolving. Cases such as O’Bannon v. NCAA in 2014 — in which the ruling said the NCAA’s rules barring athletes from getting NIL compensation violated antitrust laws — and NCAA v. Alston — the ruling of which allowed student athletes to receive educational benefits — were landmark moments for college athletes.

Student athletes are the ones entering this new and ever-changing landscape of money, business and legality in sports. Things are definitely changing out in the Wild West — for better or worse, only time will be able to tell. This new era of branding sports along with the athletes playing those sports impacts how these games pan out but, more importantly, how college athletes make a career and name for themselves.

NIL is still at a controversial point. While it allows athletes to make up to six, maybe even seven, figures off their personal “brand,” the rules surrounding it in the NCAA are relatively new.

Earlier this year, USC Head Football Coach Lincoln Riley told the Los Angeles Times that he was not surprised about the University’s approach on NIL collectives, but it was happening “maybe faster than [he] expected.”

When the University announced Jennifer Cohen as its new athletic director at a press conference Aug. 21, Cohen addressed her goals on building a NIL program at USC using her experience from University of Washington, where she previously served as the AD.

“Our goal is to develop a championship program where all 21 of our teams can win national championships and deliver a world class student athlete experience … a robust NIL program is critical to that,” Cohen said. “So having a lot of experience and building out a NIL program at my previous institution, I’ll be rolling up my sleeves to support our coaches in any way possible and most importantly, give our student athletes the opportunities that they deserve.”

It might not be quite as prevalent yet, but it’s slowly starting to happen on our very own campus to our very own beloved athletes. As it is in the rest of collegiate athletics. 

So even though sports may not have been my first choice of what to watch on TV growing up, it certainly is something I’m excited to write about this semester. Whether it’s new contract deals involving college athletes or NIL collectives at USC, I want to explore them through this column and track the evolving intersection of business, law and sports.

Anjali Patel is a senior writing about the expanding landscape of business and legality of sports in her column, “Money Plays,” which runs every other Wednesday. She is also an associate managing editor at the Daily Trojan.