Sports are such a huge part of our lives. Whether college or pro sports, they bring people together, inspire us, and give athletes a chance to show off their hard work and talent. But let’s be real—some things could be way better. From giving more chances to athletes to making things fair and rethinking how money works in college sports, here’s how we could make sports better for everyone.
1. Give Athletes More Chances
Right now, it feels like so many talented athletes don’t get a fair shot because there just aren’t enough opportunities. Not everyone blooms simultaneously—some people need more time to grow, strengthen, or recover from setbacks.
Colleges could create extra teams, like JV or development squads, so athletes who aren’t ready to start at the top still have a place to improve and prove themselves. For pros, there could be more minor leagues or semi-pro systems like in the MLB to help players who need a bit more time to break through.
This isn’t just about helping athletes—it would make sports more competitive and exciting because we’d see even more amazing talent rise to the top.
2. Make It Fair for Everyone
Fairness is such a big deal in sports, but let’s be honest—it’s not always there. In college sports, bigger schools with tons of money and resources dominate, while smaller schools can barely keep up. Big-market teams often have more money in pro sports to attract the best players.
In college, we could fix this by sharing money more evenly. For example, TV deals and merch sales could be split so smaller schools get more support. That way, athletes at all schools have better resources and opportunities.
For pro sports, salary caps and revenue sharing could be adjusted to make sure every team, even small-market ones, has a fair shot at success. Sports should be about skill, effort, and teamwork—not just who has the biggest budget.
In sports with tanking problems, like the NFL, the teams could be split into three tiers. Divide the 32 teams into three tiers with varying lottery odds, reducing the incentive to tank. The bottom 11 teams are Tier One, the middle 11 Tier Two, and the best 10 are Tier Three. With this method, tanking is somewhat taken out of the equation, as the worst team in the league and the 11th worst have the same odds of getting the 1st overall pick in the draft.
3. A Better Plan Than NIL
NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) has been a huge change for college athletes, letting them make money from their brand. It’s cool in theory, but it’s also creating problems. Schools with big alumni networks and lots of money can offer way more, which makes things unfair for smaller schools.
Instead of getting rid of NIL, we could make it better by creating a universal system. For example, all athletes could get a baseline payment for playing, with extra money tied to things like good grades or team success. This would keep things balanced and still reward athletes for their hard work.
It’s important to let college athletes benefit from their talents without turning the system into a bidding war.
4. Get Fans More Involved
Fans are the heart and soul of sports, but sometimes it feels like they don’t have much say in what happens. Imagine if fans had more ways to be involved—it would make sports way more exciting!
Teams could set up fan advisory boards where fans get to share ideas about ticket prices, game-day experiences, and even jersey designs. They could also use apps or polls to let fans vote on fun stuff, like halftime shows or special events.
In pro sports, teams could even let fans own a small share of the team like they do with some soccer clubs in Europe. It would make fans feel like they’re really part of the team and not just watching from the sidelines.
Sports are supposed to be about talent, hard work, and bringing people together. But we can do so much more to make them fairer, give athletes more chances, and include fans in the action.
If we fix these problems, sports will be even more inspiring and fun for everyone—whether you’re on the field, in the stands, or cheering from home. Let’s make sports better for the future.
