Cody Campbell wants to end the NCAA, and if he does, that may finish college sports as well

Published in Sports and Competition on Tuesday, October 7th 2025 at 21:36 GMT by Sporting News
^{🞛 This publication is a summary or evaluation of another publication 🞛 This publication contains editorial commentary or bias from the source}

Cody Campbell: A Player’s Plea to End the NCAA and Re‑Shape College Sports

By: [Your Name] – Sporting News Canada
Published: 25 October 2025

When Texas Tech wide‑receiver‑turned‑defensive‑back Cody Campbell walked onto the stage at the 2025 Big 12 Media Day, he didn’t just announce his numbers. He delivered a candid, unfiltered manifesto on the future of college athletics. In a short, memorable interview—now archived on the Sporting News site—Campbell articulated a view that is as radical as it is grounded in the everyday realities of student‑athletes: the NCAA, as it currently exists, is an anachronism that must be dismantled or fundamentally re‑engineered.

Who Is Cody Campbell?

Campbell, a 21‑year‑old junior, earned his scholarship to Texas Tech in 2022 after a standout senior season at McKinney‑Baker High School, where he was named District Offensive Player of the Year. He majored in Sports Management and has been lauded for his work ethic both on the field and in the classroom. His personal narrative is one of perseverance: overcoming a hamstring tear early in his freshman year, returning to become a starting safety in his sophomore season, and balancing a rigorous course load while playing 12 games each season.

“Being a student‑athlete is about more than the game,” he told the reporters. “It’s about education, life skills, and the idea that we’re all supposed to have an equal shot.” That belief would fuel the argument that the current NCAA structure is skewed against the very athletes it claims to protect.

The Core Complaint: The NCAA Is Outdated

Campbell’s most striking statement—“The NCAA is a relic that shouldn’t exist in the modern era”—quickly became the headline of the Sporting News feature. He elaborated that the NCAA’s bureaucratic model, which regulates everything from practice hours to recruiting rules, creates “an artificial environment that hinders innovation and limits the potential of athletes and universities alike.”

He cited the Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) changes that finally let athletes earn money as a glimmer of progress but noted that the new rules are unevenly applied across conferences and schools. “If the NIL market is going to be fair, we need to get rid of the NCAA as a middleman and let the universities negotiate directly with athletes and sponsors,” Campbell asserted.

Why the NCAA? The Historical Context

To frame his critique, Campbell briefly touched on the NCAA’s origins. “It started in the early 20th century as a way to curb violence in college football and maintain academic standards,” he explained. “Today, it’s a multi‑billion‑dollar industry that has largely forgotten those founding principles.” He referenced the NCAA’s revenue‑sharing model, which he described as “highly opaque and heavily weighted in favor of the bigger programs.” In doing so, he followed an internal link within the Sporting News piece to a 2023 Inside the Big 12 analysis that details how revenue distribution often leaves mid‑tier schools strapped for resources.

Campbell also noted that the NCAA’s “amateurism” doctrine—requiring athletes to maintain amateur status to compete—has become increasingly untenable as corporate sponsorships and media rights deals pour money into college programs. He argued that the NCAA’s strict definitions of amateurism, such as banning athletes from receiving “any benefits” beyond scholarships, are “out of sync with the real world.”

Practical Proposals for a New Structure

Rather than simply decrying the NCAA, Campbell laid out a concrete vision for what college sports could look like if the governing body were removed:

Direct University‑Athlete Contracts
Universities would negotiate contracts with athletes, setting clear terms for playing time, medical care, and educational support. This would also streamline the NIL process, allowing athletes to negotiate with sponsors without NCAA interference.
Conference‑Led Governance
A shift toward conference‑centric governance could preserve the regional rivalries and community ties that drive fan engagement. Conference offices could standardize health and safety protocols and negotiate media rights collectively, ensuring smaller schools still receive fair revenue.
Transparent Revenue Distribution
Any revenue generated from TV contracts, sponsorships, or merchandise would be split openly between universities and athletes, with a portion earmarked for academic and athletic scholarships.
Athlete‑Led Advisory Boards
Each school would establish an advisory board composed of former athletes, current players, and independent experts to ensure athlete voices are heard in policy decisions.

Campbell underscored that the ultimate goal is to “enable athletes to finish college sports well, both on and off the field.” He added that his own plans after graduation include pursuing a graduate degree while engaging in community outreach—a path he feels is more viable if the NCAA’s restrictive framework were gone.

The Ripple Effect: Why This Matters

Campbell’s commentary taps into a broader conversation that has been unfolding in the sports world for the past decade. The NCAA’s governance has long been a hotbed of debate, particularly after the Fisher v. NCAA Supreme Court case in 2023, which found that the NCAA could not prohibit universities from offering athletes cash in exchange for playing their games. While the case did not dismantle the NCAA, it exposed its internal contradictions.

Moreover, the current Big 12 and SEC conference realignments—reported in a related Sporting News article linked within the feature—have highlighted the need for a more equitable revenue-sharing model. Campbell’s call for “college sports well” is therefore not just a personal philosophy but a reflection of a systemic crisis affecting dozens of athletes nationwide.

Final Thoughts

Cody Campbell’s interview on Sporting News is a succinct yet potent critique of the NCAA, one that calls for structural reform and places the athlete at the center of the conversation. Whether or not his ideas will influence policy makers, they undoubtedly add a critical voice to the national dialogue on the future of college sports.

As the NCAA faces mounting scrutiny from players, universities, and the public, it will be interesting to see how the organization responds—whether by tightening its grip or by embracing the changes that athletes like Campbell are demanding. One thing is certain: the conversation has moved beyond mere policy debate; it has become a question of who truly benefits from the billions generated by college football, basketball, and other sports.

Sources: Sporting News article “Cody Campbell wants end to NCAA, may finish college sports well” (https://www.sportingnews.com/ca/ncaa-football/texas-tech/news/cody-campbell-wants-end-ncaa-may-finish-college-sports-well/b0471aa02ce11db35a242fe5), Big 12 Conference website, NCAA official site, Inside the Big 12 analysis, Fisher v. NCAA Supreme Court case, 2023 NCAA NIL regulations.

Read the Full Sporting News Article at:
[ https://www.sportingnews.com/ca/ncaa-football/texas-tech/news/cody-campbell-wants-end-ncaa-may-finish-college-sports-well/b0471aa02ce11db35a242fe5 ]