Fans know modern college football is a business, but they also feel the growing distance

NIL and the transfer portal have dramatically shifted how college football fandom works in the 21 century

For most of its history, being a college football fan meant investing in the long game.
The die-hard fans, the ones on whom the sport built its tremendous growth, began following their team’s players before they ever even showed up on campus. They su… [5683 chars]

Source: CBS Sports | Published: 2026-01-21T20:41:00Z

Credit: CBS Sports