We knew this was coming, as we were warned about it last summer: Oklahoma State players are going “to wear QR codes linked to NIL fund on helmets” this season. This means anyone watching on TV will be able to just donate their money to the Cowboys’ athletic department NIL fund. This literally becomes a “pay-for-play” model, although not quite yet a direct one yet for the individual player(s). That will be next, of course.

Some lowlights from this financial model, as noted in an article about it online:

  • Oklahoma State is also placing QR codes on player bag tags, throughout Boone Pickens Stadium and on the program’s equipment truck.
  • The Cowboys plan to raise the team’s NIL value through postgame photos on social media highlighting the decals, which will be located on the back of the helmets.
  • Each QR code will feature the player’s name and number in its design.

Therefore, fans in attendance will be able to give away their money, too, especially after they’ve been drinking and their team is beating some small school in the first month by four touchdowns in the second quarter—that could be you, South Dakota State, on August 31. But we digress, even if a fan can’t go to the game or watch on TV, when they follow the team on social media, they will have access to the QR codes, too.

Again, we emphasize that all the money collected goes to the school’s collective NIL fund, but we don’t doubt individual payments will be coming next/soon: when a favorite player scores a TD, the alums can line his pockets for it. Won’t that create some more division on the roster? Not to mention inspire more kids to transfer schools to get more playing time. Say goodbye to recruiting rankings, because they won’t matter.

This is all fine and dandy, but it’s going to be an ongoing disaster. Mark our words … again. It’s just too bad fans won’t be able to get a refund on their “donations” when the team or the individual player screws up big time, you know?