Back in the day, before sports salaries got completely out of hand, many and perhaps even most sports writers took the side of the fans in most labor issues. But now all that has changed. All of them are now pro player in any labor dispute. They all knee jerk that way no matter the issue. It's an automated, robotic response. No one is allowed to think critically anymore. Siding with labor is woke and you will get run out of the business pretty quick if you challenge woke orthodoxy. It makes me sad.
Remember that sports journalists are journalists first and then they talk sports. They are all pretty much lefties just like the rest of the media. And they do all walk in lockstep on the issues as you point out. Can somebody point me to one sports journalist that thinks that college athletes should NOT be paid?