Can Syracuse Compete in the New Era of Pay-for-Play College Sports—And What Will It Cost?
As college athletics enters a new era driven by Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals and widespread use of the transfer portal, the question looming over programs like Syracuse is whether they can keep up—and at what cost.
Syracuse has long relied on tradition, coaching, and development to compete, particularly in basketball and football. But in today’s landscape, that’s no longer enough. Athletes are now evaluating programs not only for playing time and coaching but for financial opportunities. NIL has effectively transformed college sports into a marketplace, where programs with wealthy donor networks and organized collectives hold a clear advantage.
Unlike schools in the SEC or Big Ten that benefit from massive TV contracts and booster-driven NIL collectives, Syracuse must be more strategic—and aggressive. The university has taken steps to adapt, including supporting the formation of NIL collectives and offering educational resources for athletes. However, the size of these efforts still lags behind the nation’s top programs.
The real cost isn’t just financial—it’s competitive relevance. If Syracuse can’t offer comparable NIL opportunities, it risks losing top recruits to better-funded rivals and seeing its stars transfer for better deals elsewhere. Maintaining talent, building continuity, and staying nationally competitive may now hinge more on dollars than depth charts.
Athletic Director John Wildhack has expressed commitment to keeping Syracuse competitive, but doing so will require more engagement from donors and alumni. The cost of staying in the game is rising fast—and Syracuse must decide if it’s willing and able to pay the price.
In this new era, tradition alone won’t cut it. For Syracuse to remain a serious contender, investment—both financial and strategic—will be
essential.
