Drayton McLane Jr. has seen the sports world from just about every angle. From the high-stakes boardrooms of Major League Baseball to the heart of college campuses, he’s been a key player in shaping how sports operate at both the professional and collegiate levels. But according to McLane, what’s happening in college athletics right now might be the most seismic shift he’s ever witnessed.
Now in his 80s, McLane-best known to many as a longtime Baylor University benefactor and the former owner of the Houston Astros-recently spoke with 365 Sports about the sweeping changes reshaping the college sports landscape. And he didn’t hold back when it came to the impact of name, image, and likeness (NIL) compensation and the growing push for revenue sharing.
“College athletics has certainly changed,” McLane said. “It used to be part-time for students who were getting an education. Now athletics dominates the experience for many of them.”
That shift-from student-athletes who played for pride and scholarships to athletes who are now part of a billion-dollar business-is at the core of McLane’s concern. NIL and revenue sharing have opened the door for players to finally receive a piece of the financial pie, but it’s also introduced a new level of complexity to the already challenging world of college sports administration.
McLane isn’t just speaking as an observer. He’s been deeply involved in the evolution of college athletics, particularly at Baylor, where his influence has helped shape the university’s athletic facilities and overall sports profile. So when he talks about the financial pressure this new era is creating-especially for smaller or private institutions-it’s coming from a place of firsthand experience.
The issue, as McLane sees it, is sustainability. Powerhouse programs with deep pockets and major media deals might be able to absorb the costs of NIL deals and potential revenue sharing models.
But for schools that don’t have that kind of financial muscle, the pressure to keep up could be overwhelming. It’s not just about competing on the field anymore-it’s about competing in a marketplace that’s rapidly becoming more professionalized.
McLane’s comments echo a broader conversation happening across college sports. Coaches, administrators, and university presidents are all trying to navigate a landscape that’s changing faster than the rulebooks can keep up with. What used to be a relatively straightforward model-recruit athletes, offer scholarships, compete for championships-has now become a high-stakes balancing act involving legal considerations, donor influence, and the evolving expectations of student-athletes.
In McLane’s view, this isn’t just a shift in policy-it’s a redefinition of what college sports are supposed to be. And while some see the changes as long overdue recognition of athletes’ value, others, like McLane, worry about what might be lost in the process.
At its core, his message is a familiar one: progress comes at a cost. And in the case of college athletics, that cost might be the traditional balance between academics and athletics that once defined the student-athlete experience.
Whether you agree with him or not, McLane’s perspective offers an important reminder. College sports are no longer just a proving ground for young athletes-they’re a business. And like any business undergoing disruption, not everyone will be able to keep pace.