CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Dr. Bobby Chhabra, chair of the University of Virginia’s Department of Orthopedics, joined Morning News for a discussion on the changing landscape of college athletics, weighing in on the effects of Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deals, locker room dynamics, and the shift toward professionalized management in NCAA programs. “We’re just seeing the truth coming out now,” said Chhabra, responding to Maryland Head Coach Mike Locksley’s admission that NIL disputes fractured his team’s locker room. 

Chhabra emphasized the rising need for professional sports infrastructure within college athletics, including the hiring of general managers to manage NIL, roster finances, and recruitment. “You’re hiring people because it is now professional sports, you need people with knowledge and you need general managers… they need to be able to manage money,” he said, citing moves by schools like Stanford and LSU to bring in seasoned executives. 

The discussion also touched on the ACC’s new policy requiring injury reports to be released publicly 48 hours before conference games. While Chhabra has not yet been directly involved, he noted the effort is “to limit the influence of the gambling industry on college sports.” With high financial stakes now tied to college athletes, Chhabra acknowledged the difficulty of sustaining these investments and maintaining unity in programs flooded with money: “That’s going to be the question. How do you sustain it?” 

Listen to the full conversation here: