Most people are aware that college football and basketball players are a major part of the professional farm system for those sports. To allow athletes to participate on a college team without being enrolled full-time academically would create multiple unforeseen problems, in my opinion.
I realize there are some semi-pro football teams, but I think it would be better to develop a farm system to enable high school graduates who cannot qualify academically or simply want to enhance their athletic abilities by participating in a professional program that would hone their skills and provide a modest income. This would also be open to college seniors who were not selected in the annual draft. Creating a farm system could be partially financed by team owners and even the players professional association. I believe many fans would be willing to invest in stocks for this operation.
On the positive side, a lot of jobs would be created, such as managers, coaches, trainers, etc. The aspiring athletes would receive professional training that could be far better than being on a 100-plus member team with actual playing time amounting to mere minutes in many cases. Lastly, by the end of the first year some individuals will know that becoming a professional athlete is merely a dream and they can go on to higher education or some kind of professional training.
This could be a viable opportunity.
Bill Huppert, Perry Hall