<p>I see that the mega talent agency IMG has expanded or remodeled a fancy high school football stadium, part of an 'Football Academy" that it operates in Florida. Sheesh! I've known of IMG since they first began to market and manage tennis stars eons ago, but I had no idea that they had sunk their teeth into high school football.</p>
<p>I guess it makes sense from a business standpoint. Promising football young'uns are even more likely to make the big bucks on the pro circuit than tennis prodigies whom are too young to shave. The news story said that presently IMG has at least two big time recruits at their Academy whom have already committed to stellar college football programs.</p>
<p>I imagine that the legal eagles at IMG will be smart enough not to run afoul of NCAA regulations, but still, that IMG is involved in high school football, and very likely in college football at some level, is another lump in the stomach that gives me indigestion about integrity and character in college sports today.</p>
<p>IMG appears to be a football camp experience in which the high school athletes pay a fee to be trained by professional football players. This does not violate NCAA rules.</p>
<p>Somehow the thought of summer camp in 95/95 heat and humidity for football doesn’t sound appealing to me. College football already morphed into games played for the convenience of a TV audience instead of the old Saturday afternoon schedules.</p>
<p>Somehow the thought of summer camp in 95/95 heat and</p>
<p>They may have indoor practice fields. Many colleges in hot humid climates have those, so it wouldn’t surprise me if IMG had the same. Less risky than worrying about a child-death from over-heating or dehydration.</p>
<p>Not sure whether this model works for football. I would think you’d have to offer “scholarships” to the most promising football players, and charge everyone else to be around them in front of recruiters. Plus you already have some high school programs performing this function for free (although they don’t get to be the agents</p>