The NFL functions as a monopoly, with teams limited on how much they can spend on players, and control of where the players go. Each year, they draft the top 400+ players.
Most revenue is split between the teams. That's why lousy teams like the Browns and Lions don't go out of business. They're guaranteed a profit, no matter what they put on the field, and with the rare exception of a star who is released or runs out his contract, other entities can't sweeten the pot, cause players are bound exclusively to one team.
In colleges, it's a whole different animal. Think Nike offering an endorsement deal if you sign with Oregon, or UnderArmour doing it with Maryland. Think one college having a $10 million a year booster offering endorsement contracts, with no limits on amounts. Most colleges will get priced out of being competitive.
FWIW, approximately 8% of athletic departments make money. For the rest of them, they're losing money trying to keep up with the "big boys."
What you're suggesting won't go like the NFL, it will be something different. I don't know exactly what it will look like, but whatever it is won't be what we're expecting.
Monopoly status and all that has nothing to do with it. Brady makes more on endorsements than NFL salary, and will even under his new Bucs contract.
Most colleges are already “priced out” of competitiveness just by their own history. There’s a handful of “factory” schools in each sport, they have the rep, which lets them get coaches with rep, and gives them a big recruiting advantage. Every once in a while a really good coach bubbles up somewhere without the rep and builds one there. But frequently those guys then get poached by a “factory” school who just have more money (both their own and alumni) to throw around. So the only thing that really changes for schools with the possibility of deep pocketed local boosters is which schools become factories. Maybe Nike can make the Ducks matter for the long term. Or maybe not. Doesn’t matter.
Actually it’ll be exactly what I’m expecting. There are powerhouses now. There will be powerhouses then. Some old powerhouses will fade. Some new ones will come up. But the NCAA will still be divided by haves and have nots. Except now at least even the students at the have not schools will be eligible to make money. They won’t make as much. But at least if Bob’s Burger Barn wants to throw some cash at a player he won’t be at risk of punishment from the NCAA.