College Athletes Getting Paid

[Tobra]

I hope this can remain an adult discussion.

I am curious what your thoughts are on this. NCAA says no, California says yes.

A bill that allows college athletes to profit from their name, image and likeness received final approval Monday in California.

UPI Article on this

[legion]

It will be the final nail in the coffin of the farce that is the "student athlete". A lot of universities and other people (coaches) get rich off their free labor. The vast majority of student athletes graduate with worthless degrees (that they are railroaded into so as not to interfere with their sport). Most never make it into the pros--especially those that suffer life-altering injuries.

[Sooner or later]

If the NCAA doesn't get off their butts they are going to get buried.

Cali passes bill and opens the floodgates
A US rep out of Ohio to propose a similar bill on the National level
Colo working on legislation to be introduced next year.
Florida has a bill filed House Bill 251
Illinois has a bill filed on Sept 30th
Kentucky has a bill drafted
Minnesota working on a bill to be presented in 2020
Nevada in early stages of writing a bill
New York has an even wilder idea of actually snatching 15% of sports revenue and passing it into student athletes
Pennsylvania in early exploratory information gathering
South Carolina has a bill to be presented in January

info from Sports Illustrated

[Sooner or later]

The NCAA is forming a working group to consider how its rules can be modified to allow college athletes to be compensated for use of their names, images and likenesses. The NCAA made it clear, however, that the group would not consider anything that could be construed as paying athletes.

NCAA president Mark Emmert and the board of governors announced Tuesday that Big East commissioner Val Ackerman and Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith will head the new federal and state legislation working group.

"This group will bring together diverse opinions from the membership -- from presidents and commissioners to student-athletes -- that will examine the NCAA's position on name, image and likeness benefits and potentially propose rule modifications tethered to education,'' Ackerman said in a statement.

"We believe the time is right for these discussions and look forward to a thorough assessment of the many complexities involved in this area.''

The NCAA said a final report from the working group is due to the board of governors in October

[Sooner or later]

Poor old Greg, the SEC commish, is a bargain and only makes 2 million a year.
Big 10 commish only 5.5 million
Pac 12 5.2 million
Well thought of Bob Bowlsby of the Big 12 4.1 million
ACC 3.5 million
NCAA prez 3.9 million. More than doubled since 2015.

Non profit organizations looking out for the student athletes

[Sooner or later]

It is going to happen. The NCAA can make changes that are reasonable and manageable or they will get something they damn sure don't want crammed down their throats by the various legislatures.


The players are the ones pushing for action. And they ain't going away.

[Sooner or later]

Tennis players on scholarship can play in pro tennis tournaments and earn up to $10,000 a year and not forfeit their eligibility.
Any scholarship player can perform in the Olympics and recieve $37,500 for an individual gold medal and not lose eligibility.
Kyler Murray pocketed a multi million dollar baseball signing bonus, gave up baseball eligibility, but still player football. Russell Wilson did the same.

Doesn't that seem strange?

[jcommin]

Originally Posted by legion

It will be the final nail in the coffin of the farce that is the "student athlete". A lot of universities and other people (coaches) get rich off their free labor. The vast majority of student athletes graduate with worthless degrees (that they are railroaded into so as not to interfere with their sport). Most never make it into the pros--especially those that suffer life-altering injuries.

Agree Leigon - let them have a chance to make money -

[flatbutt]

If they're only being compensated for use of their image then that's ok by me, but if they get paid to play then they should not receive a scholarship.

[mattdavis11]

How can you balance things out? Lets say you have a QB for Texas, OU, OSU, Alabama, Clemson, Oregon (pick a school), and could you fairly say that the offensive lineman that protects them should get the same, or is it a sliding scale? What about non prominent schools? Do they get less?

Don't fool yourselves, they are getting paid. I know, I've heard of the envelope drops, personally have seen the cash. Also, Alumni that own car dealerships, donors, athletes that water grass for cash, they make money now and have been for eons. It's the lesser known that want a slice of the EA Sports (and others) pie.

How do you make it equitable for all?

[racer]

Isn't a scholarship already a form of "payment" for playing? just another line in the sand. Guess there is big money in video game sales / tshirts and other merchandising that is at issue for the "student athlete"?

[cabmandone]

If it happens there should no longer be athletic scholarships. And what I can see happening is that the elite football programs will only get stronger if this happens. You'll have 8-10 unbelievably strong teams and then a bunch of "who are they again" teams.

[cmccuist]

I’m wondering how many are actually going to profit legally from this. If you’re Tua Tagovailoa, or Trevor Lawrence or Jake Fromm, you stand to make a lot of money.

If you’re the back up long snapper, who’s going to buy your T-shirt? That guy’s family is the only one interested in his name, image and likeness.

And if you play a non-revenue sport, you’d make more with a bake sale.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by Sooner or later

The NCAA is forming a working group to consider how its rules can be modified to allow college athletes to be compensated for use of their names, images and likenesses. The NCAA made it clear, however, that the group would not consider anything that could be construed as paying athletes.

I'm OK with that. They should NOT be getting a salary.

[reachme]

background: I was unremarkable D1 athlete, 3 kids are D1 college athletes today. Most athletes are not invited to the olympics or eligible for the tennis loophole and the vast majority of college coaches are not getting rich doing this.

For most it means is that for a summer job the coaches who trained them for years want them to come back and coach for summer camp but they can't. Players can't even receive a Dunkin Donuts gift card. Tell a music major who needs practice that they cannot be in a band and perform or pre-med they can't work around healthcare.

They have to continue paying for training over the summer out of their pocket but it's hard to get a job when you have to travel for elite summer training and are tired after. This BTW is coaching their college coach recommends and approves of but cannot pay for. Can't work over christmas break either for same reasons.

And most don't get worthless degrees (even non athletes get those) but they do have to "balance". They can choose difficult courses but not too many because their GPA must remain high enough to remain NCAA eligible to keep scholarship but also high enough to remain in their major. You can do time intensive majors like pre-med, engineering or nursing but requires understanding labs/groups willing to meet only in the evenings.
You also cant be in a picture of any crazyness on campus, the unruly parties, shenanigans with the deans daughter etc. But what that really means is you need to get real camera shy, know which parties will GET crazy, or where not to be even when away from school. This is why coaches encourage sports dorms and sports friend groups all to keep a clean face for the school.

What they give up is money but far more than that. Sure they love to compete but there should be a better way to align goals between school and players.

[legion]

Originally Posted by mattdavis11

How can you balance things out? Lets say you have a QB for Texas, OU, OSU, Alabama, Clemson, Oregon (pick a school), and could you fairly say that the offensive lineman that protects them should get the same, or is it a sliding scale? What about non prominent schools? Do they get less?

Don't fool yourselves, they are getting paid. I know, I've heard of the envelope drops, personally have seen the cash. Also, Alumni that own car dealerships, donors, athletes that water grass for cash, they make money now and have been for eons. It's the lesser known that want a slice of the EA Sports (and others) pie.

How do you make it equitable for all?

I'm not sure how you make it equitable for all. The system in place now is pretty bad.

Back in the late 90's I had a friend of a college friend that got a full ride to a well known independent university in northwest Indiana. His major and classes were picked for him by the athletic department. He got injured in practice before the season started and sat out the season. He still knew to check his locker, year round, as there would be clothes, money, and other goodies. Starting players did much better. He ended up losing academic eligibility and his scholarship his second year so he never really played for the team. Part of me wonders if that wasn't orchestrated behind the scenes. (As in, a starter was going to pass all of his classes and an injured second stringer was just sucking up scholarship money.)

[legion]

Originally Posted by cabmando

If it happens there should no longer be athletic scholarships. And what I can see happening is that the elite football programs will only get stronger if this happens. You'll have 8-10 unbelievably strong teams and then a bunch of "who are they again" teams.

This will probably happen. I have no idea how to make college sports fair to everyone. Right now, it's only fair to athletes that go on to the pros or to athletes in second-tier sports that actually get useful degrees. All of the other athletes are getting exploited for free labor in exchange for worthless degrees (if they make it that far).

Look up the highest-paid public employee in each state. Almost without exception, it is the football coach for the largest university in the state.

[widgeon13]

The big schools will get all the promo's $$$#$ and small school tuition will go up to attract the marginal players due to more generous scholarships.

What sports will qualify for the money?

Will the money be taxed?

[Seahawk]

I guess these are the current rules: https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/10-ways-college-athletes-can-get-paid-and-remain-eligible-for-their-sport/

A lot of good insight here. I hope not to repeat too many of the salient points already mentioned.

The "system" as currently constructed is a lot different than many folks are aware of: and it is certainly not "fair and equitable".

Scholarships are year to year: play well or go home (and don't get hurt)...and that is often a very capricious decision. As others have mentioned, there is a sea of money moving around big schools that is certainly not delivered with equity in mind.

I want to see the details of each State law, but the NCAA is a victim of their financial success - as well as the marketing of their stars.

This is an interesting, perhaps imperfect first step but the current systems is as goofy as two goofy things.

[widebody911]

College athletics are a farce. If you want to have a minor league, fine - but stop pretending it's about education.