Michigan Coach Harbaugh Makes NIL Revenue Sharing Suggestion

Wolverines' coach Jim Harbaugh continues to call out NCAA for lack of student-athlete financial support

The Michigan Wolverines and Washington Huskies are playing in the College Football Playoff National Championship on Monday in a battle of future Big Ten Conference opponents. The discussion of NIL has been a big one the past few weeks, especially with the transfer portal spinning out of control as players search for better opportunities. 

Prior to the biggest game of Harbaugh's Michigan career, and amid plenty of NFL head coaching rumors, he spoke on revenue sharing in college sports, per Pat Forde of Sports Illustrated: 

“It's one thing for somebody to say, well, they're getting NIL, but the billions that are being generated, they're not getting much of. They're getting the same amount as I got in the ’80s. You're getting a scholarship, room, board, books and tuition. So it's like, come on, man, let's do the right thing here.”

It's the truth, and a lot of the money is paid to the coaching staff and others. For example, Harbaugh's new contract that was offered by Michigan was worth $125 million over 10 years, an average of $12.5 million per year. 

Harbaugh elaborated a lot on this subject. 

“We're all robbing the same train here. Like coaches, administrators, media, television stations, conferences, NCAA. … I would say this, anyone who is profiting from the student-athletes right now, myself included … take 5 to 10% less. ... 5 to 10% less and maybe a 10 percent tax from the television station more, into one pot for the student-athletes...Maybe that's a start, a way. … that it (would) be right for all student-athletes to share in."

Revenue sharing and NIL has become a big talking point in the college sports world, and with conferences shifting at an all-time rate for that exact reason, it won't stop anytime soon.