You'll never stop shoe companies from wanting to place high profile kids at the schools the shoe companies endorse. When Adidas pays Louisville $20 mils a year for the right to sell Adidas Louisville gear, then it is in Adidas best interest to make sure Louisville has a great team and thus Adidas can sell more Louisville apparel and make money on their investment. If Adidas has to pay a little extra off the books to make sure Louisville has great players on their team (which is exactly what this probe was about), then they'll do it
I don't see how changing college rules will change that entire dynamic unless you forbid colleges from licensing their own apparel to these big shoe companies.
The facts are that the basketball teams at these colleges (and football too at some places) move merchandise for Nike/Adidas/UnderArmour. These companies need those teams that they are paying huge fees too, to be great teams. And they'll make sure the players needed to be great, get there.
I don't see how changing college rules will change that entire dynamic unless you forbid colleges from licensing their own apparel to these big shoe companies.
The facts are that the basketball teams at these colleges (and football too at some places) move merchandise for Nike/Adidas/UnderArmour. These companies need those teams that they are paying huge fees too, to be great teams. And they'll make sure the players needed to be great, get there.