"Is the modern version of competition at odds with BYU's mission?" posed Kevin Reynolds, a writer for the Salt Lake Tribune whose recent article suggests that Brigham Young University doesn't uphold its own standards in favor of NIL glory.
It's a rising narrative is spreading the hills of the Beehive State like wildfire among the school's adversaries. With the recent exponential success entering the athletic department, BYU, a private religious institution and member of the Big 12 Conference, has been placed under the spotlight. In view of the public, every ounce of success is being repurposed by their enemies to fuel a smear campaign.
The platform of this counter-attack? Brigham Young University's mission, which puts a foundation of faith behind its educational strategy, is in direct opposition to the current landscape of college athletics, where a program's potential is as deep as its pocketbook. With recent success in revenue-generating sports, basketball and football -- where elite athletes require elite compensation -- BYU has placed itself under the microscope. And with that added attention, the athletic program's affinity for financial dominance is drawing criticism.
But this argument is predicated upon an absurd double standard. A self-righteous belief that competing at the highest level should be a privilege available only to those whose entire identity revolves around success on the field of play. As BYU's institutional purpose doesn't mention anything about athletic success, the narrative spawned of a school that has lost its way and now exists as a force of evil in its sphere.
Holding BYU's greater purpose against it is not only hypocritical, it's blatantly ignorant.
A distinction has to be made between BYU, the university, and BYU, the athletic department. Two separate entities who share a likeness, but are completely untied financially. Any funds collected by the athletic department are obtained independent of any church funds that finance the university, and vice versa.
And beyond this, the notion that a university's higher purpose villainizes athletic financial support from wealthy and generous donors is one that no other university is forced to appeal. Especially when the sponsor religious organization, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is responsible for $1.45 billion in charitable humanitarian aid in the past year alone. There is no shortage of charitable giving -- or spiritual focus -- due to the school's surplus in athletic funds.
In fact, BYU's success in the national lens has increased missionary opportunity and awareness of the church as a whole.
Vanquish the Foe's Robby McCombs shared: "Disregarding the fact that Gilbert [an expert cited in an article] is misquoted — he said 'pay for play culture' — I have zero issue with BYU athletes being paid well. I’ve had several more people ask me about BYU athletics in the last year, and that often leads to discussions about my mission and the Church. It’s been awesome on and off the field."
Joe Wheat added his thoughts: "NIL is 100% consistent with church teachings, and no one can give me a reason why it’s not. Additionally, athletics is self-funded, so the church has literally no part of the spending going on."
Any suggestion that NIL is contrary to any of BYU's core beliefs is not only absurd, it's completely baseless. There is nothing anti-faith about donating personal funds to see an athletic program succeed. Anyone who says otherwise is holding a severe and strange grudge over BYU’s recent success.