John Taylor, Professor of Economics at Stanford University and developer of the "Taylor Rule" for setting interest rates | Stanford University
John Taylor, Professor of Economics at Stanford University and developer of the "Taylor Rule" for setting interest rates | Stanford University
When Andrew Luck took on the role of general manager for Stanford's football program, he was concerned about head coach Troy Taylor's reaction. In his new position, Luck would act as the team's CEO and report directly to Stanford President Jonathan Levin. However, Taylor was relieved by this development, according to Luck's account at the 2025 SIEPR Economic Summit during a session discussing college sports.
“He was relieved,” Luck stated. “It’s too much.” The comment reflects the challenges in managing college sports programs today. Recent changes include players earning money from their "name, image and likeness" (NIL) and securing lucrative endorsement deals. Additionally, Division 1 schools may soon share revenues with players if a $2.8 billion court settlement against the NCAA is approved.
Panelists at the summit described these developments as chaotic. Participants included Tara VanDerveer, Gene Sykes, Roger Noll, and Nya Harrison. VanDerveer remarked, “It’s the Wild West,” referring to the current state of college athletics.
The discussion also covered potential impacts on Title IX funding for women's sports and challenges faced by schools like Stanford in competing for athletes. Stanford's move to the Atlantic Coast Conference has increased travel distances for students.
Nya Harrison noted that being a college athlete feels like more than a full-time job. She is involved in the $2.8 billion NCAA case known as the “House settlement” and views it as progress toward fair compensation for athletes but believes more needs to be done.
Gene Sykes identified football's significant role as a source of dysfunction in college sports despite its financial losses in most Division 1 programs. He suggested rethinking the business model and possibly separating football from other sports teams into different conferences.
Luck agreed with this notion, emphasizing that some sanity is needed within the system. He expressed curiosity about how football might further detach from traditional college sports models.
Roger Noll highlighted ongoing legal challenges against NCAA rules governing student athletics, noting that lawsuits have been consistent over nearly two decades.
“The House settlement is just the current way station,” said Noll regarding future antitrust suits challenging existing restrictions on players transferring schools.
This article was originally published by the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research.
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