Cardiff/Dave: I don’t have the numbers, but I’m pretty the revenue generated by the “Bigs” (Pac-10, Big-12, ACC, etc) is in high tens of millions annually, especially when you add in TV revenue and bowl appearance fees. As I understand, a large part of the revenue from football also subsidizes other athletics, including the Title IX revenue sharing with women’s sports as well.

Not arguing against offering collegiate athletes compensation, but I think those revenue dollars get spent fairly quickly, especially when you’re paying head coaches $4MM a year.

The cynic in me also believes there is plenty of “compensation” going around from alum organizations and “friends” of the program, too. Perhaps not as egregious as it was during the 1960s – mid 1980s, but its still there.