College athletics-what to do?

[Hammer]

A few peeves that turn me off to college sports are-

1- When players and coaches cheat by taking money, its the university left holding the bag. I hate that the playes coming in are the one affected while those who did the crime are gone (like Pete Carrol and Reggie Bush).

2- How is what Cam Newtons dad did different from what Bush's parents did? Seems hypocritical to me.

3- What is the solution to the fact that these institutions of higher learning are making boatloads of cash off the sweat of football and basketball players and these players live like paupers? I understand the free education is huge value but if you cant live day to day, what good is it? Should these players be able to take loans?

[griswold]

A few peeves that turn me off to college sports are-

1- When players and coaches cheat by taking money, its the university left holding the bag. I hate that the playes coming in are the one affected while those who did the crime are gone (like Pete Carrol and Reggie Bush).

2- How is what Cam Newtons dad did different from what Bush's parents did? Seems hypocritical to me.

3- What is the solution to the fact that these institutions of higher learning are making boatloads of cash off the sweat of football and basketball players and these players live like paupers? I understand the free education is huge value but if you cant live day to day, what good is it? Should these players be able to take loans?

I couldn't agree more.

I read that the University of Texas football program had revenues of $93 million and a PROFIT of $68 million!!!

Like you said, it's one thing that the kids get free education....but geez, couldn't they received some kind of "profit-sharing" system so that they don't have to "cheat" the system.

[davidgrey]

Its a no win situation. The problem at most universities are that the revenues from football and basketball have to cover all other sports by and large. Only the best of the best really make money and some are forced to get money from the general fund to survive. So if you open the door to pay for play, it makes the rich get richer (Who can afford it) and the little guys really get hammered.

A college education is worth huge money and I would have loved to not spend 10 years of my life making huge payments to get out from under that debt and getting buy cheaply during my college years. Plus they get plenty of perks and typically live better than most college students. I would like to see some restrictions lifted to allow players to maybe market themselves to get a little cash, but again, it only probably helps the top schools who would have the demand for it.

I just wish the NCAA did not play favorites like it seems they do. Cam Newton should not have been eligible if they hammered USC like they did for Bush. Maybe there was never any money changing hands, but you got to do something I would think. There is inconsistency in the ruling.

I remember back in the 90s my bearcats had the NCAA come through and they found all sorts of little stuff. The one that really stood out was we had an Olympian named Becky Ruehl. Her small town had a parade and she got to ride in a car as part of the parade as an olympian. That was deemed an impermissable benefit and she was suspended for a short time because of it (Rueben Patterson borrowing his cousins car who was a Bengal and not affiliated with the University at all was also a big deal). There were tons of little things like that found that caused lots of athletes to miss a little time. Most of them you just shake your head at.

[Hammer]

I agree that there seems to be a lot of 'throwing the baby out with the bathwater' when it comes to disipline by the NCAA.

[joncarlos]

3- What is the solution to the fact that these institutions of higher learning are making boatloads of cash off the sweat of football and basketball players and these players live like paupers? I understand the free education is huge value but if you cant live day to day, what good is it? Should these players be able to take loans?

I was under the impression that the schools paid room and board, as well. Athletics (whether money-making football or money-losing tennis) require a huge time commitment that keeps these kids from getting "another" job. The schools should pay room and board and a *reasonable* stipend for things like books, gas, etc.

I understand that it's necessary for the schools to fund their other programs with basketball and football and that's fine. That's actually a really good thing. And it even goes a step further (I think)... when Texas makes a BCS bowl, doesn't that generate some revenue for all of the Big 12 schools, even Baylor? If not, then that should absolutely be the case.

[davidgrey]

I was under the impression that the schools paid room and board, as well. Athletics (whether money-making football or money-losing tennis) require a huge time commitment that keeps these kids from getting "another" job. The schools should pay room and board and a *reasonable* stipend for things like books, gas, etc.

I understand that it's necessary for the schools to fund their other programs with basketball and football and that's fine. That's actually a really good thing. And it even goes a step further (I think)... when Texas makes a BCS bowl, doesn't that generate some revenue for all of the Big 12 schools, even Baylor? If not, then that should absolutely be the case.

Players do get room and board and I also believe money for books as well. They are definitely not hurting. I believe they also get some sort of stipend (At least I'm pretty sure they at least get something for road games).

Conferences share money for BCS games (And all bowl games) and I think most conferences the participant in the bowl gets a double share from that bowl. But I believe the school that goes to a BCS game is happy the break even and at times lose money because of the huge expense involved in the BCS game.

[heyelander]

I think the missing piece is Minor League football and basketball. "Paying" some players with something they may not want; an education, is the issue. There should be a paying alternative. Colleges are making out here, but so are the pro teams that get free player development.

[chancellor]

Heh...resurrecting this old thread after the NCAA was slapped down in a unanimous SCOTUS decision, with Kavanaugh clearly opening the door for additional lawsuits from college athletes getting the opportunity to be paid.

[GwynnInTheHall]

Heh...resurrecting this old thread after the NCAA was slapped down in a unanimous SCOTUS decision, with Kavanaugh clearly opening the door for additional lawsuits from college athletes getting the opportunity to be paid.

It's about time.

[chancellor]

On this we agree. And Kavanaugh's opinion basically said, "hey, come kick open the door even further". AD's and college presidents must be soiling themselves today.

[madducks]

I guess this is the negative side of college athletes marketing themselves: Olivia Dunne is a good looking college gymnast at LSU who also happens to make millions of dollars from TikTok videos showing her wearing gymnast apparel and swimsuits. Now, hundreds of her mostly teenage boy fans are attending the gymnast competitions and becoming unruly and vulgar. LSU now has to increase security around the gymnasts at these events. I'm guessing that they also need to crack down on the underage drinking/drunkiness at these events.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/13/us/lo...nne/index.html

After the meet, ESPN analyst Sam Peszek shared video on social media showing dozens of screaming male fans waiting outside the arena for Dunne to emerge. Peszek described the scene as “so scary and disturbing and cringey.”

LSU gymnastics coach Jay Clark said he found the pitch of the scene outside the arena “inappropriate.”

“When we go on the road, we will have security detail with us now, and we will be working to create a perimeter around where we load and disembark on the bus,” Clark announced.

The 20-year-old Dunne has amassed 6.7 million followers on TikTok and is the top-earning female collegiate athlete in name, image and likeness, or NIL, sponsorships, according to Sports Illustrated.

Clark said he feels the scene in Utah was “an unintended consequence and byproduct of the society that we’re in now.”

“It’s not about Olivia or NIL or social media, it’s just I guess sort of the sense of entitlement that some people feel they can behave a certain way and that what we saw go on out there was a behavior that I didn’t think was appropriate,” Clark said. “That’s not normal autograph seeking behavior, you know, engagement with an athlete with fans and that kind of stuff. There was a mob sense to that scene that was very disconcerting to me and that’s what I hope is not going to become the norm.”