Before TV came along....NCAA football might have been pure. But I think since the 1960s...it’s just the minor leagues of the NFL. Every single kid on a college team ought to be making a minimum of $12k a year, with the free tuition. Same deal for NCAA basketball.
It may not have been pure, but it was a heck of a lot better than it is today. At least back 30, 40 or so years ago, you knew when the games would kick off (afternoon around 1:30, night games around 7:30). None of this 11 AM or 9PM garbage.