Meet the Billionaire Trying to Save College Football From Itself

In a sport often plagued by scandals and corruption, one billionaire is taking a stand to reform college football from within. Cody Campbell, a wealthy oilman and longtime supporter of Texas Tech University, has spent millions of dollars paying students to play football for the school. However, as he looks around at the current state of college athletics, he’s growing increasingly concerned that individuals like himself are contributing to the very problems that threaten the integrity of the game.

Campbell’s involvement with Texas Tech football began years ago, when he started providing financial support to the program. His contributions quickly grew, and he soon became one of the most prominent boosters in the school’s athletic department. His generosity wasn’t limited to just writing checks; Campbell also got involved in the nitty-gritty of the program, often providing input on player recruitment and team strategy.

But as college football has evolved, so too have the methods used to lure top talent to programs like Texas Tech. The rise of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals, which allow players to profit from their own brand, has opened the floodgates for wealthy donors like Campbell to pay students to play. While the intention behind these deals may be to support the athletes, Campbell worries that they’re having an unintended consequence: undermining the very fabric of college sports.

The current system, Campbell believes, creates an uneven playing field where schools with the deepest pockets can outspend their competitors and poach the best players. This not only leads to an imbalance in competition but also encourages a transactional approach to athletics, where students are treated more like commodities than students. “It’s like we’re buying players,” Campbell said in a recent interview. “That’s not what college sports are supposed to be about.”

Despite his concerns, Campbell isn’t looking to pull back from his support of Texas Tech football. Instead, he’s advocating for reforms that would create a more level playing field and prioritize the well-being of the students. He believes that the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) needs to take a harder line on regulating NIL deals and ensuring that schools aren’t using them to recruit players.

Campbell’s commitment to reforming college football is driven by a desire to preserve the sport he loves. As someone who has spent years and millions of dollars supporting Texas Tech, he wants to ensure that the game remains true to its core values. “I love college football,” he said. “I want to see it thrive, but it needs to be done in a way that’s fair and sustainable.”

As the debate over the future of college athletics continues to unfold, Campbell’s voice is an important one. His willingness to speak out and challenge the status quo could help spark meaningful change in an industry that desperately needs it. Whether his efforts will be enough to save college football from itself remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: Cody Campbell is no longer just a booster – he’s a crusader for reform.