HELLO FUTURE: Would Coach Wooden Want College Athletes to Get Paid?

The game has changed — and so has the business behind it. Kevin Cirilli sits down with Jeff Fellenzer, USC Professor of Sports Business Media at the Annenberg School — and a long-time friend of legendary coach John Wooden — to ask the billion-dollar question: what would Coach Wooden think about the new era of college sports? With NIL deals, transfer portals, and brand endorsements redefining what it means to be a “student-athlete,” the line between amateur and professional sports is blurring fast. Jeff, a Heisman Trophy voter who’s spent decades studying the intersection of sports, business, and media, brings historical insight and personal stories from his time with Wooden to explore how integrity, education, and competition can survive — and thrive — in this new landscape. Together, Kevin and Jeff tackle the future of college athletics, where the playbook now includes contracts, social media strategy, and AI-powered recruiting.Meet The Future: https://mtf.tv/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.