Tony Barnhart on NIL Lawsuits, SEC Power Shifts & the Future of College Football

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It's run by Dave Dooley. He's the founder. He's been there. From the beginning, [00:00:54] and Dave is a big sports fan and he's kind of built his business kinda like you would build a a, an all-star team. [00:01:00] He's got a, a Georgia advisory group, riddled with all stars, like a full-time CPA, investment [00:01:06] advisors, money managers, insurance experts, estate planning professionals.

ave their clients covered in [: 00:01:12

Implicitly, once you get to meet him, [00:01:36] you'll quickly understand why his firm has been so successful at helping people make the most of what they have. You don't stay in [00:01:42] business this long in a city like Alpharetta, Georgia, unless you are a very respected person, and Dave is certainly [00:01:48] that. He and his team sincerely care more about their clients than they do even about themselves.

't just take my word for it. [: 00:01:54

It's Mr. College Football coming up to in my mind. Tony [00:02:24] Barnhart, when you come on and you, uh, are, are serving in that role as Mr. College [00:02:30] Football. For all intents and purposes, you've kicked off college football season all by yourself. [00:02:36] Well, Jim, I I I appreciate that. It is, it's been a fun week. Obviously.

We had the SEC media days in [: 00:02:42

Um, Tony, [00:03:06] obviously every, every SEC media days, there's news that comes out. Some of it is just, uh, people [00:03:12] saying controversial things on purpose so that they get a lot of coverage from Mr. College football and others, um, [00:03:18] others, you know, especially in, in the. Um, news rich environment in [00:03:24] which we're in, in college football now with house settlements and NIL changes and governing bodies, swapping [00:03:30] roles and things of that nature.

nty of things for you all to [: 00:03:36

'cause. There are things that are very, that are very important things that have not been re issues that have not been resolved. [00:03:54] And Greg, thank you. The commissioner talked about 'em all week. Uh, specifically, you know, how, how's it gonna, [00:04:00] how's NIL gonna work in the, in the new world order where all their deal, all the NIL deals are double checked and [00:04:06] triple check by an outside agency.

transfer portal? The coaches [: 00:04:12

Uh, they won't, people are, love this stuff. Let's start [00:04:36] with the, and, and we will get to football. Um, because like you, I don't wanna sit here and just lay in the weeds [00:04:42] of, of college football for our entire time together and everybody walk away dissatisfied or bored, [00:04:48] um, because a lot of people don't wanna, uh, pick through all that.

But, um, what, when in terms [: 00:04:54

I will simply say I am. Skeptical of that, even though I, I consider Greg to be a [00:05:30] friend. Uh, I spent some time, uh, took a good chunk of time a few weeks ago with Coach [00:05:36] Saban in, uh, in, uh, Tuscaloosa. And, uh, he was, I'll say he was [00:05:42] in a great frame of mind 'cause he knows he made the right decision. To get out when he did.

So [: 00:05:48

He was the one that got out first before all this garbage started. That's right. Um, [00:06:12] I'm sure there are plenty others that are looking, uh, having chats with their wives about, you know, well, Nick did it. Maybe, what [00:06:18] should I do? Right. Well, first, first you gotta get a, you gotta get a $9 million contract [00:06:24] and then get out, right.

care of you for a long time. [: 00:06:30

Uh, you know, his TV commercials are hilarious. Uh, he seems so relaxed and out of character from what we [00:06:54] used to see on the sidelines, so I I, I would be absolutely shocked if he came back to [00:07:00] coaching a, a big time program again, like Alabama. Well, the great thing about being on game day, he told me is like, [00:07:06] you know, he's always been a preparation guy his whole life.

ing ready for the next game. [: 00:07:12

He, he is thorough and knows exactly what he's doing, so he is getting those itch, itch, scratched. [00:07:36] He's made a lot of money and Alabama's paying him 500,000 a year as an ambassador [00:07:42] is what it's what they could call it. That's the job that we need, Jim. We need to be ambassadors. So yeah, you, you, [00:07:48] this whole thing about you being Mr.

ou the ambassador of college [: 00:07:54

People think we're going to the [00:08:12] 16 teams in 2026. But if the SEC and the Big 10 can't agree on [00:08:18] it, how to pick those 16 teams, then it's not gonna get done. And Greg [00:08:24] Sankey has sort of laid the groundwork saying, guys, this is not a done deal by any stretch of the imagination. [00:08:30] Yeah, that's gonna be interesting to see how it plays out.

ll the different conferences [: 00:08:36

No, no, [00:08:54] no question. And, but, you know, the thing about it is I always, always come down to this. People say, [00:09:00] well, what's the answer? I said, money, you, you tell me what the question is. The answer's money. And, [00:09:06] and if they don't get this done for 2026, they're probably gonna leave about 70, $80 [00:09:12] million on the table.

ey writing on that deadline, [: 00:09:18

They said, guys, you're in agreement now. But if you, if you want to have a [00:09:36] 16 team format for 2026, you gotta decide by December one. If you don't decide by December one, [00:09:42] we're sticking with 12 for at least one more year. Interesting. Well, that is a big piece of news coming out [00:09:48] of the, the media days. No doubt.

f the, if there's a big pile [: 00:09:54

Why? Because every school's gotta come up with. 20 and a half million dollars to [00:10:12] distribute to the players, the athletes, every year. I mean, that's, that's not a one year deal. That's every, every year [00:10:18] you gotta raise $20 million to pay the players. And, uh, you can't, you can't afford to leave [00:10:24] 30, 40, $50 million on the table.

s College Sports Commission, [: 00:10:30

I mean, some, everybody's gotta have a boss, right? Yeah. So who's the, who's [00:10:54] their boss? Jim, that's a great, that's a great question. The fact of the matter is the College sports Commission, [00:11:00] they're looking at all these NIL contracts and they're saying, oh yeah, this, this passes muster. This is, [00:11:06] uh, this is, this is market value.

le, a hundred dollars bills, [: 00:11:12

'cause you, you have vastly [00:11:30] underrated my client and I think we, we, we, we deserve to at least negotiate for more. So I. [00:11:36] It's a, it's a good idea to look at all these NIL deals and say, does it pass muster? Does, you know, [00:11:42] is it, um, is it market values and this, it's good, but you're making [00:11:48] judgements that impact the athlete and the athlete's got a law has already lawyered up and the lawyer says.

[: 00:11:54

It's gonna be an avalanche of lawsuits. Right. I mean, that, [00:12:18] that's seems to be inevitable. Unless they can find some way to head that off. But there are gonna be a lot of people who think that, Hey, [00:12:24] the guy across the street there just got $5 more than I did, and so we gotta go to court and, and recoup that.

Yep. [: 00:12:30

If they can't get an antitrust help, the next step is you've gotta find a [00:12:54] way to collectively bargain these things. In other words. This is what you're, because you want the, the, [00:13:00] the college sports commission to say, well, this is what you're worth because you as players collectively bargain [00:13:06] that this was gonna be the number that's the NFL.

L collectively bargains what [: 00:13:12

Um, NIL is still hanging around. Um, do you, do you see. [00:13:42] The, the possibility that the, uh, locker rooms will be happier and more cohesive because [00:13:48] everybody's getting paid or a lot less happy because some people are getting paid less [00:13:54] than they thought they should have been paid. Well, the, the, the, it's really the latter, but he, here's the [00:14:00] irony.

ith, with NIL, with transfer [: 00:14:06

If, if, if somebody gets a big contract and, and, [00:14:30] and the feeling in the locker room is that guy's not worth it. Yeah. But I, I think the reality is, is that most [00:14:36] guys are gonna get. Probably get what they probably deserve to get, but it, uh, uh, I always [00:14:42] wonder when, when a guy gets a, a big, fancy car and stroll in there.

Sometimes, [: 00:14:48

I mean, you know, [00:15:12] Carson Beck last year, you know, I, I, I think it's safe to say that, um, [00:15:18] he was not. As, as warmly liked last year as maybe in previous years. There could be [00:15:24] something to the, you know, the big car and the, the high profile girlfriend and all of that. That, um, [00:15:30] you know, I mean that quarterback position in particular is supposed to be that of a leader of all the people on that team and an [00:15:36] in an inspiration for all of those folks.

l or not, that's the theory. [: 00:15:42

Uh, the those two guys are in two different universes. And, and that, that's, that is [00:16:12] one thing for sure is that, uh, the players love gunner stock. And, uh, I've told [00:16:18] people they worry about the quarterback Geor position at Georgia. I said, don't. Those guys, the guys in that locker room [00:16:24] are not gonna let him fail.

He's, he is, uh, part of the [: 00:16:30

I am so glad you asked Jim. 'cause right here, hot off my printer. [00:16:54] Were the, were the votes at the end of the we. The media votes. I must, I must confess all, all, [00:17:00] full disclosure, I did not, I was not able to vote on these myself. But this is what the media did. Who's [00:17:06] the SEC champion you asked? That would be Texas who got, uh, 96 points.[00:17:12]

lahoma. Vanderbilt. Florida. [: 00:17:18

Texas, Georgia. Alabama, LSU, South Carolina, Florida Ole Miss, [00:17:42] Texas a and m. Tennessee, Oklahoma, Auburn, Missouri, Vanderbilt, [00:17:48] Arkansas, Kentucky, and poor Mississippi State. So a lot, a lot of votes here for [00:17:54] Texas and Georgia, which is who I have playing in the SEC Championship game. Think about this, [00:18:00] it is possible, likely, eh, it is possible that Texas and [00:18:06] Georgia could play three times this year.

th. [: 00:18:12

I was gonna say one of those games would be back in Atlanta where they played last year, so Well, [00:18:36] since you didn't get a chance to vote there, you can, you can, uh, create your own Tony Barnhardt fans first podcast. [00:18:42] Uh, you know, uh, voting yourself and tell us which teams that the rest of the [00:18:48] media chose do you feel are underrated.

ich ones are. Um, overrated. [: 00:18:54

I think Alabama's gonna bounce back in [00:19:18] a big way. LSU. It's my dark horse. They've got an NFL quarterback and Garrett nuMe. [00:19:24] Uh, I talked to Brian Kelly. He said, this is his best roster. I went, this is your best roster. Wow. [00:19:30] Like ever, he said, yeah. And he had an undefeated team at Notre Dame. Uh, they, they have hit the [00:19:36] transfer apart.

two years ago, a little bit [: 00:19:42

They, they may be ranked too low. Oklahoma, Brett Venables has gotta [00:20:00] bounce, bounce back with. That's about where I'd have them. Uh, they've got the Gators. 1, 2, 3, [00:20:06] 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Now Gators are better than that. The Gators are gonna have a good year [00:20:12] with DJ lag way. So it's, uh, Tennessee. I'm really surprised that they are.

If they only got [: 00:20:18

College football and they know it. Um, what about, uh, in terms of. [00:20:48] Conference matchups, it's a little bit more difficult because we, you weren't at the Big 10, you know, [00:20:54] uh, media days just like you were. Uh, the SEC, that's why the SEC always feels like it's the kickoff, the college [00:21:00] football season, because that's the one, even people that aren't.

SEC, they wanna see what is [: 00:21:06

Georgia, I'm wearing my Georgia shirt 'cause we're talking college football today. But, [00:21:30] um, you know, they, they don't care anything about that. They want to hear about, you know, what their conference, their school, [00:21:36] how, how they may be impacted by the lay of the land in college football here in 2025. Well, it's, [00:21:42] it's generally conceded that Penn State's got the best team in the Big 10 this year.

Drew Owler returns [: 00:21:48

How good. We'll see. [00:22:06] Ohio State of course, opens at home. Uh, uh, against, [00:22:12] uh, they open that home in a big game against Texas that that's gonna be worth watching. So, yeah. But I, like, again, [00:22:18] I, I like Penn State in the Big 10, big 12. It's probably gonna be Kansas State it, [00:22:24] BYU was in the discussion until they lost their quarterback not too long ago.

it's gonna be Kansas State. [: 00:22:30

And, uh, Cade k Clubnick has a [00:22:54] quarterback from Texas has been in the program. This is his fifth year, and they are expecting real big things [00:23:00] outta him. They play LSU by the way, in the opener at Clemson. That's gonna [00:23:06] be, that's, I told my LSU friends today, you better look out for Clemson. 'cause they, they, they win national [00:23:12] championships in 2016 and 2018.

er one. Well, you're, you're [: 00:23:18

But what are your thoughts [00:23:42] on the. The, what I'll call the, the hometown, uh, Georgia Bulldogs. What do you, how do they, [00:23:48] uh, what do, what are your expectations for them? Well, I find it interesting that the fans are, are really [00:23:54] hung up on Gunner Stockton and whether or not he can, you know, he, he's not. He's not a Carson Beck.

He doesn't have that [: 00:24:00

In the fourth quarter. I'm more worried about the fact for Georgia that they had 36 drop [00:24:30] passes last year that led the nation. How'd you like that distinction? Now they've addressed that in the [00:24:36] transfer portal by bringing in better receivers. So I'm, I'm kind of figuring if you bring in better [00:24:42] receivers, you probably catch the ball a little bit better.

t as, they're not as good as [: 00:24:48

You're [00:25:06] gonna have a lot of guys in there that, uh, you already mentioned they have a lot of talent, and we saw some of them last year. But [00:25:12] there's gonna be, uh, you know, with a a, a young group, uh, freshmen and sophomores, you're gonna get some growing pains. [00:25:18] Well, Kirby Smart told us when he, when he met with the media, uh, on Tuesday, he said [00:25:24] 54% of our roster are first year players or second year players.

at's a really, uh, over half [: 00:25:30

The a CC has their own, uh, teams to beat up on, et cetera, but there's [00:26:12] not a lot to beat up on in the SEC these days. Well, let's take Georgia the last year they played, [00:26:18] uh, Texas, Alabama, Ole Miss, and Kentucky on the Road. Four, four. Those [00:26:24] four this year, all four of those schools, they all come to Athens, November.

[: 00:26:30

And, um, you really take care of your players and, um, you know, it's more of a family type [00:27:06] atmosphere. But, you know, I, I. I never saw or heard, you know, Kirby rolling his eyes or groaning [00:27:12] about a Lamborghini in the, in the, uh, you know, student athlete parking lot. But I can't imagine [00:27:18] that that was, uh, a joy for him to, to watch and to manage.

s on Kirby long-term? Is he, [: 00:27:24

We're gonna be, it's about family, it's about relationships. [00:27:54] And uh, so I think in that regard, look, kids wanna come to Georgia because you [00:28:00] get, you get a chance to play at the highest level of football you have. Uh, look, look at [00:28:06] Georgia's track record on. Draft day. Okay. All the elements are there. And so, [00:28:12] uh, I think there's a lot, uh, wise.

just a lot of different ways [: 00:28:18

If you don't have players. You can't, you [00:28:36] can't coach coaches. Coaching is very important when talent is equal, but if talent's not equal, [00:28:42] I'm go. I go with talent. Yeah, understood. Um, and you probably, I'm sure you [00:28:48] noticed the, uh, flood of really high profile recruits who jumped on the Georgia bandwagon [00:28:54] not too long before the SEC media days came about.

like, uh, whatever he's, um, [: 00:29:00

And, you know, [00:29:18] people say, can, can Kirby Smart sustain this? I mean, consider he's what this is ninth year, I believe. That's [00:29:24] right. He's lost 19 games in nine years. Oh man. So. Can [00:29:30] you sustain it? You absolutely can sustain, can sustain it as long as you recruit at a very high [00:29:36] level. And my experience is if your head coach is your lead recruiter and he's good at it, [00:29:42] it sets the tone for everybody.

ick Saban and guys like that [: 00:29:48

There's, there's trips coming [00:30:06] up. I'm working on a, a book that I'm gonna finish up after the season and. We'll be doing some work with University of [00:30:12] Georgia Press on that. So. Nice. She's, she's got Jim, she's got big plans for me, so [00:30:18] I'm sure she does. There are two grandchildren that I have not spoiled nearly enough.

Gotcha. [: 00:30:24

[00:30:42] Tony, thank you so much for coming on with us. I know busy, busy week in Atlanta with the media days and, and, uh, [00:30:48] I'm sure you're, uh, sleep deprived a bit, but, uh, you came on anyway. You're a real trooper and you [00:30:54] got everybody with their mouths watering just like mine at the, the, uh, prospect of college football being right around the [00:31:00] corner, which is exactly where it is.

can't wait for the games to [: 00:31:06

Jacob Godfrey has an opinion on Major League Baseball and doesn't care too much for what the owners are [00:31:30] doing, and uh, I was hoping to see some changes there. Jacob, take it away. Hey. Get [00:31:36] off my lawn. Hello, Mr. Powell. I'm grateful to be on your show. I'm calling from Boston because [00:31:42] I've noticed that across the league we've been getting a bigger divide between the top and bottom tiers of owners in the league [00:31:48] today with every team like the Dodgers and Yankees who go out and sign big free agents like Soto, [00:31:54] like Tani Max Freed, we've been getting teams like the Rocky Zoo, seemingly do nothing year [00:32:00] after year.

ried that there won't be any [: 00:32:06

You know, [00:32:30] doing what's right for the fans who pay all the bills for all of those aforementioned entities. [00:32:36] And unfortunately, they never get on the same page. They do the same thing they just did to you. They just kick people off their lawn and [00:32:42] keep on going. And I don't know when or if that's ever gonna change.

kely to be solved to the fan [: 00:32:48

I don't see that happening anytime soon, unfortunately. But thanks so much for your submission. We invite [00:33:12] everyone who's got an opinion and uh, has, you know, some time to send us one. Tell us what you think [00:33:18] about this or any other topic. If it's inspirational. If it looks like it's very well thought out, we'll use it on our [00:33:24] program.

rt, uh, throwing some prizes [: 00:33:30

We [00:33:42] also appreciated the, uh, exploits of Jose Baez, our producer today, who did some double time [00:33:48] to make sure we got this program in, in timely fashion. And, uh, for those folks, I wanna thank them [00:33:54] for joining us as well as the entire producer podcast crew, and especially for, uh, Tammy Gau and, [00:34:00] or, sorry, I'll get that right.

And for Jose Baez. Um. I [: 00:34:06

Stay tuned, stay passionate, and keep celebrating the sports you love. [00:34:36] Visit us@fansfirstpodcast.com to explore more. Sign up for our [00:34:42] newsletter to receive exclusive updates and follow the podcast on social media to join our growing [00:34:48] community of sports enthusiasts. Your voice matters to us, so don't hesitate to share your thoughts [00:34:54] and connect with fellow fans.

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