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At least in regard to football, amateurism's death started when the NCAA lost the tv case in 1984. That Supreme Court decision ushered in a new age with universities grabbing tv money that previously flowed to the NCAA. Now, 29 years later, tv contract rights drive conference alignment. But, it goes beyond that. Ohio State banks nearly $10 million a year from IMG College in exchange for promotional rights. With the amount of money in play, it's either simply dumb or incredibly naïve to think that amateurism as we once knew it would continue...and it hasn't. While it may offend our sense of nostalgia, it's not necessarily a bad thing. As a result, we get to see far more UD basketball games than we did prior to 1984. Athletic departments have used the resources to support non-revenue generating teams. I may not be a fan of the various not-so-beneficial results, but it's a different landscape that needs to be accepted.
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