Real Estate’s College Sports Moment: Why It Matters for Agents and Homeowners
In the world of college sports, a seismic shift recently redefined fairness. For decades, the NCAA profited from athletes’ work while restricting their ability to benefit from their own names, images, and likenesses. It took years of legal battles—and a landmark $2.8 billion settlement—for the courts to recognize what many already knew: those creating the value deserved recognition and control.
It’s a story that feels all too familiar in real estate today.
Just like athletes once carried the weight of an industry without reward, real estate agents—the very people building client trust, creating stunning marketing, and telling the stories of homes—are too often sidelined by systems designed to profit from their work.
The Parallels We Can’t Ignore
In his recent article, Compass CEO Robert Reffkin highlights how organizations like Zillow, NAR, and MLSs have positioned themselves as gatekeepers. Agents invest in professional photography, videography, staging, and marketing—but then:
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MLSs require agents to surrender their content rights.
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Agents can be fined for marketing their own work outside MLS restrictions.
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Platforms watermark agent photos with their own logos, while forbidding agents from doing the same.
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Listings are sold to third-party portals that monetize leads—while hiding the listing agent’s contact details.
It’s a model that strips away choice and recognition from those who contribute the most value.
As Leonard Steinberg, Compass’s Chief Evangelist, put it:
“Agents are the cheapest creators of content in the world. In fact, we have to pay the MLS and Zillow to take our content from us.”
Why This Matters to Homeowners
At first glance, this may sound like an internal industry battle. But make no mistake—this directly impacts homeowners and buyers. When agents are forced into one-size-fits-all systems, clients lose the ability to decide how and where their homes are marketed.
Fair recognition and marketing freedom don’t just protect agents—they empower homeowners to have a more customized, strategic, and transparent selling experience.
A Call for Change
Compass is taking a stand. Like the reforms in college sports that finally acknowledged athletes’ rights, our industry can—and should—evolve.
The goal isn’t to dismantle real estate’s structure. It’s to reward the professionals who make the system work and to give homeowners more freedom in how their homes are represented. A fairer, more transparent industry isn’t just better for agents. It’s stronger, more trusted, and ultimately more beneficial for clients.
For the full perspective from Compass CEO Robert Reffkin, read the article here: Real Estate’s College Sports Moment
Real estate’s college sports moment is here. And I believe it’s time for change.
For me, it always comes back to this: advocating for my clients and sellers every step of the way. Because when agents are recognized fairly, homeowners gain more freedom, transparency, and a better selling experience.
— Cindy Kelly