Scott Van Pelt Not Happy With Plan For Future Of College Sports

ESPN host Scott Van Pelt is a massive college sports fan.

The Washington, D.C. area native is a University of Maryland graduate. He's an avid Terrapins men's basketball and football fan. SVP will often be seen sitting courtside at Maryland basketball games.

Few people in sports media, if any, are as connected to their alma maters as Van Pelt is to his. It's safe to say that he is very invested in the future of college sports.

But he's not happy with how things are going.

While SVP is in favor of "student-athletes" getting paid, he thinks there needs to be more structure. And he's right.

Right now, we have unlimited free agency and unlimited transfers. It's just not good for the longterm health of the sport.

SVP sounds off on future of college sports

Van Pelt clapped back at college basketball insider Seth Davis online.

"There has to be a spending limit for all these colleges!!" one fan wrote.

Davis responded: "Why? Do we set spending limits on any other industry? Let them spend what they want to spend."

Van Pelt clapped back.

"Unlimited free agency and zero salary cap is a great plan? What professional sport operates this way?" he wrote.

As some pointed out, most international soccer leagues operate that way. But there are longterm contracts and transfer fees. When one highly sought-out player leaves for another club, the club he's leaving gets paid.

"Cool, so transfer fees then. Right? Add them," he wrote.

He added: "What transfer fee did Wisconsin get when Blackwell went to Duke?"

Critics remain, of course.

"What professional sport refuses to recognize the athletes as employees and refuses to recognize the payments as being in consideration for playing the sport," sports lawyer Darren Heitner shared.

One thing is clear, though: More structure is needed.

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This story was originally published April 22, 2026 at 1:11 PM.