The minute a collegiate track and field athlete finishes their final NCAA competition, they become a free agent. No pageantry of the NBA draft, no donning the cap of the team that just drafted you, no photo op with the commissioner. Just silent free agency. The concept of free agency in professional sports was developed to provide athletes a variety of options on the open market. The decision (not necessarily “The Decision”) is ultimately made by the athlete after taking a number of variables into account – salary, team success, quality of life in the city, etc. The system continues to work in pro team sports because many teams can simultaneously bid for the services of a player, providing the athlete with the freedom to choose the team that fits them best. Track and field’s version of free agency works similarly, but the realistic options athletes have to choose from have become fewer and fewer. more
