What if athletes had to be credentialed?

There are a lot of well-paid athletes who never graduated from college. Some came through the NCAA but left before acquiring a piece of paper. Others have followed alternative pathways such as juniors leagues. What if we decided to reverse course? What if professional sports became a credentialed profession?

I periodically hear stories of athletes who came from disadvantaged backgrounds. In all honesty, I haven't been hearing these stories quite as much lately. Regardless, professional athletes seem to have one of the best pathways to economic mobility.

Credentialism has been disastrous for economic mobility. People from disadvantaged backgrounds are not going to win in a credentialist arms race. We have seen this in other fields as economic mobility has worsened.

I see no reason to believe that sports would be any different. If natural ability is displaced in favor of the best credentials, the people who can afford those credentials would receive the best benefits. Even with scholarships acting as subsidies, families who are well off can choose expensive institutions. They can also continue to obtain additional credentials such as advanced degrees.

Obviously, this is all hypothetical. I am unaware of any attempts by professional sports leagues to require college degrees. Regardless, we might want to start pushing in the opposite direction. The NCAA should not exist. Colleges should not have that much control over the sports world. Let's ensure we maintain a pathway to success that is completely disconnected from credential-offering institutions. Better yet, let's completely end the NCAA's existence. We would be better off without them.