The State of College Athletics with Dr. David Ridpath: Problems and Potential Solutions

This episode was recorded a couple days after the 108-year-old Pac-12 conference imploded, sending the world of big-time college sports into greed-based chaos. Dr. David Ridpath, sports administration professor at Ohio University and a long-time member of The Drake Group, a college sports reform think tank, joins us on this podcast episode. Topics include: 1) Why the Pac-12 fell apart; 2) The toothless NCAA and the lack of a sheriff with clout, which has resulted in a Wild, Wild West college sports landscape; 3) The hypocrisy of college sports administrators testifying before Congress that name, image and likeness (NIL) benefits for athletes are ruining college sports while simultaneously selling their souls in the quest for the almighty dollar in the conference realignment game; 4) The negative impact long cross country trips will have on athletes' mental health; 5) The unethical cross-subsidization of college athletic departments at universities, as well as the growing percentage of student fees directed to the athletic department; and 6) The seemingly inevitable trend towards two super conferences at the highest level of college football. Throughout the episode, Dr. Ridpath shares several ways college sports can be fixed. While today's college sports landscape certainly can be pretty depressing, Dr. Ridpath believes there is definitely hope for better days.