Lily McCabe
Former NC State linebacker Bill Cowher walks onto the field to be inducted into the Ring of Honor during the game versus Louisville at Carter-Finley Stadium on Friday, Sept. 29, 2023. NC State lost to Louisville 13-10. Cowher is the only former NC State player in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Collegiate athletics are not played on an even plane. To be the best, you need to have the most.
From the alleged Nick Saban ‘Alabama Jones’ under-handed deals, to the sham classes at UNC-Chapel Hill and now the multi-million dollar contracts given to top players, programs will do whatever it takes to get ahead. Money talks. Winning follows.
The Big Ten, currently in the process of finalizing a $2 billion deal to bring private equity into the conference, emphasizes this principle further. As NCAA sports shift into a new era, it’s time for the Wolfpack to innovate and outmaneuver its foes.
The path forward? Look no further than the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF), which has shown great eagerness to invest in global athletics — most recently with the $55 billion purchase of EA, the popular sports gaming company. Another massive move made by the PIF: the creation of the LIV golf tour in 2021, into which it has poured nearly $5 billion. Furthermore, it has also invested in professional tennis, women’s golf, motorsports and even secured the bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
So where does the Wolfpack fit? First, you must ask: Why is the PIF throwing so much money into these ventures? Creating a golf league at a $1.4 billion loss with few signs of growth and pushing to host the World Cup at a time when it is seen as a detriment to the host nation, all seem like head-scratching financial decisions. The leading theory? The Saudi investors want to increase their influence in the West.
NC State is a great candidate for this expansion — a school with a passionate and growing fanbase and high-tier facilities. With an athletics department that has shown its competence, the money will certainly be given to the right people.
Although men’s basketball coach Will Wade has not yet coached his first game with the Pack, his track record suggests his process brings positive results. The Pack made a big investment, and its rewards are ready to be reaped. When it’s time to reflect on the decision to take a big swing, the Pack will already be rounding the bases.
One possible roadblock preventing such a deal: public opinion. Professional golfers who chose to join LIV faced tons of backlash from fans and media, being accused of taking ‘Saudi blood money’. These prejudiced beliefs should be ignored and should not hinder NC State’s decision-making process.
It is time to swing for the fences. With rumors of football head coach Dave Doeren’s retirement after the conclusion of the season, big changes are to come in Raleigh. As long as the money is given to the right people who don’t seek to squander it, its utility is boundless.
With a big enough check, the sky is the limit for who the Pack could attract. NFL Hall of Famer Bill Cowher, former NC State assistant Curt Cignetti, even recently-fired Penn State head coach James Franklin — all possible with the amount of money the PIF could provide.
Athletic director Boo Corrigan has proven he can get a deal done. Give him the resources to make a huge splash.