College sports isn't broken—it's just been put up for sale. And if Duke basketball can sell its brand to Amazon, the real question is how much someone will pay when Ohio State football decides it's done sharing.
If you needed proof that college athletics has fully embraced the free market, Duke provided it late last week. The Blue Devils announced a new streaming deal with Amazon, and in doing so, removed any lingering doubt about who's really running the show. It's not university presidents, conference commissioners, or athletic directors. It's the highest bidder.
Coaches, players, programs—all available to the highest offer. That's the new reality.
Think about what just happened in the ACC. Not long ago, the conference was scrambling to keep its two biggest football brands—Florida State and Clemson—from jumping ship. Both were actively suing the league and looking for an exit. The ACC managed to patch things up by restructuring how media rights funds are distributed, rewarding high achievers and trimming payouts for the rest. But that was all about football, the sport that drives the bus.
This is different. This is Duke basketball—one of the true bluebloods of college sports, a program that can write its own ticket with a streaming giant. The three-game deal with Amazon, which the ACC and its television partner ESPN allowed with some creative quid pro quo (including future neutral-site games under the ESPN umbrella), isn't the problem in itself.
The problem is that Duke basketball is now playing the same game as every coach and player in college sports: cashing in on the free market while leveraging one program against another.
Take Miami quarterback Darian Mensah. Just a few months ago, he knew he was the last elite quarterback left on the board. He knew Miami needed a star at the most important position on the field. So he entered the transfer portal at the 11th hour—and Miami paid his buyout from Duke, making him the highest-paid player in college football. One Power conference coach told USA TODAY Sports that Miami paid "in excess" of $12 million to complete that deal.
Duke selling its brand to Amazon? That's just the beginning. The real question is what happens when Ohio State football decides it's done sharing.