I am open to all ideas. While the current system can work

by funding many other things, the idea of student athletes is getting further and further away. And the juxtaposition of the financial troubles of so many schools in terms of basic academics to the significant money flowing into sports is jarring. UConn pays Hurley $3.5M (and he's a bargain!) and yet UConn has to cut $70M from its 2024-2025 budget in academics. Something is not working here. (And I say this as someone who views many universities as bloated as heck).

Maybe the schools should own an interest in a pro sports franchise (contributing their brand names and history as intellectual capital) and offer free education to players - assuming they want it or maybe after their done with sports career - and use that money to fund the real mission of the university (appropriately right-sized relative to today's cost structure). Almost like a sub-IPO of a for profit entity by a non-profit. Give alums preferred access to buying in on the IPO with a lock-up! Maybe the school also gets an annual license fee for use of brands, etc.