I don’t know anyone personally invested in Oklahoma State Football, but they’ve got a new way for even the most casual fan of the Cowboys to invest. Believe it or not, OSU – not the Columbus version, is putting one-and-a-half-inch QR code decals on player helmets this year so fans can take photos and donate to the individual player. This puts a whole new spin on pay-to-play and the next evolution of the NIL – Name, Image and Likeness issue in college sports.
My first thought as an entrepreneur is that I applaud Oklahoma State’s innovation. But the football purist in me is having a hard time with this. I remember the fallout when stadiums started doling out naming rights, and of course, we now have UCLA and USC in what used to be the Big Ten, which is Bizzaro world to me.
I’m not saying the players shouldn’t have more empowerment to make a buck because these colleges have been cashing checks on these players for years. But reputation-wise we are steadily losing the team aspect of college sports. Remember the phrase, no one is more important than the team? The NIL and now QR codes on helmets obliterate that concept like the Georgia D-line is going to do against Tennessee Tech (check your local listings for that upcoming beat down). It’s like an instant GoFundMe page for individual athletes.
My guess is that other teams will quickly follow suit, especially those mid-level programs that can’t afford to keep their star players.
I tell my teenage sons all the time – sports is a business. This is just another example. While it may be innovative, it unfortunately also signals yet another death knell for the concept of team sports.