Colorado Buffaloes head coach Tad Boyle has watched fifteen players depart his program over the past two seasons, a churn that reflects a broader shift in college athletics.
The Marketization of College Basketball
Speaking about the new landscape, Boyle says the combination of name, image and likeness opportunities and the transfer portal has turned scholarship athletes into de facto professionals, demanding a different approach to recruitment and retention.
He notes that the lack of public accounting for player compensation obscures the financial realities behind roster moves, leaving coaches, fans and administrators without clear insight.
Boyle argues that transparency should be mandatory, insisting that NIL budgets be disclosed so that the sport’s governing bodies and the public can assess fairness and competitive balance.
The coach also emphasizes the need for regulation that acknowledges the market forces at play while preserving the educational mission of college programs.