College athletes are going to change in the not-so-distant future. States all over the country are introducing bills with bipartisan support to give college athletes the opportunity to make money. One of the major misconceptions of this bill is that players will get paid a paycheck from the university. In an effort to get clicks, many websites referred to it as ‘Athletes getting paid.’ But in reality, these bills are giving athletes the right to make money off endorsements versus actually getting paid. This doesn’t mean that every athlete will get x amount of dollars. With California, Ohio, Mississippi, Florida, Pennslyvania all putting bills on their state legislature floor, it is time for Wisconsin to do the same.

Two states with Big Ten Schools have proposed a bill, and they will not be the only ones. Michigan will obviously have an interest in a bill such as this one. Iowa should carry the same intrigue as well. Minnesota may too. And we couldn’t forget Nebraska. Wisconsin getting behind this versus being a follower would make sense for them. But the Big Ten and Wisconsin are both very antiquated in their ways. Jim Delany, Gene Smith, and Barry Alvarez all came out against it this week in a variety of hot takes. That is not what you want. Rather, these leaders should be looking for solutions and pushing their political leaders.

Wisconsin football isn’t the only one who would be affected by this bill. Marquette basketball would also benefit, and with their booster program, it wouldn’t surprise me if the basketball team ended up with more endorsements. College basketball is more competitive than ever when it comes to recruiting. If Marquette could be a state that does have this ability, it separates them from other Big East programs. If bills pass in Ohio and Pennslyvania, Villanova and Xavier would have an advantage over Marquette.

Think about Wisconsin college athletes today, who would actually have endorsements? Jonathan Taylor and Markus Howard are the two obvious choices. Both of those guys likely would be part of the endorsement world. After that, who is left? Jack Coan hasn’t done enough. Sacar Anim has been at Marquette for a while, but he doesn’t drive the needle. Maybe a farm or steakhouse sees an opportunity with Tyler Baidscz and the offensive line at Wisconsin. This is exactly the point that is being lost in this conversation. Not many of these guys are going to be paid.

The debate will rage on and Wisconsin should be on the right side of history.

Charlie.