Financial experts argue that Allar’s move was inevitable. The NIL era has blurred the line between amateurism and professional sports. “College football has become a billion-dollar business,” said economist Dr. Martin O’Neal. “Players like Allar are just taking their rightful share. But culturally, that shift feels like a loss — because we romanticized college football as pure.” His statement reflects what many fans feel: the nostalgia for a time when players were heroes, not entrepreneurs.