Ohio State AD Gene Smith addresses college sports industry changes

Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith recently spoke to the media about the ongoing changes in the college sports industry. Smith addressed a variety of topics, including name, image, and likeness (NIL), the transfer portal, and the future of the NCAA.

NIL

Smith said that he believes NIL has been a "positive" for college sports so far. He said that it has allowed student-athletes to "monetize their name, image, and likeness" and that it has "given them more control over their financial future."

However, Smith also said that there are some "challenges" with NIL. He said that it is important to make sure that NIL does not lead to "pay-for-play" or that it does not give an unfair advantage to schools with deep pockets.

Transfer Portal

Smith also addressed the transfer portal. He said that the portal has "changed the landscape of college football" and that it has "made it more difficult for schools to retain their players."

Smith said that he believes the transfer portal is here to stay, but he said that there are some "things that need to be fixed." He said that he would like to see the NCAA create a "cooling-off period" for transfers, so that players have to wait a certain amount of time before they can transfer to another school.

Future of the NCAA

Smith also spoke about the future of the NCAA. He said that he believes the NCAA is "at a crossroads" and that it needs to "make some changes" in order to survive.

Smith said that he believes the NCAA needs to "become more transparent" and that it needs to "do a better job of communicating with its members." He also said that the NCAA needs to "find a way to balance the interests of student-athletes, schools, and the NCAA."

Conclusion

Gene Smith's comments offer a glimpse into the future of college sports. It is clear that the industry is changing rapidly, and it will be interesting to see how it evolves in the years to come.

Other Key Points

In addition to the topics mentioned above, Smith also addressed a few other key points during his media appearance.

• He said that he believes the NCAA needs to "create a new model" for college sports.
• He said that he is "optimistic" about the future of college sports, but he said that it is "important to be realistic."
• He said that he believes the NCAA can "survive" if it makes the necessary changes.

Smith's comments are a reminder that the college sports industry is in a state of flux. It will be interesting to see how the industry evolves in the years to come.