Do you really think student athletes should be paid?

[Subzero717]

Being paid in a devalued college degree sure sucks. Maybe we should give out free t-shirts to top football stars that say "I made billions of dollars for the NCAA and all I got was this lousy business administration degree."

Half these guys shouldn't have to go to college. They don't want to be there in some cases. Those guys should be able to make some money at the profession of their choice like every other eighteen-year-old has a chance to do.

And they can. No one is stopping them from playing major league baseball, pro hockey, pro basketball abroad like Brandon Jennings. Football is the one sport that you are unable to go from high school to nfl but high school kids are majority of the time aren't developed enough to play college let alone the nfl.

 

[Crabhawk]

I also think some sort of general fund should be set up so kids can stay on scholarship even if they are forced to quit sports due to injury, and that scholly should no longer count against the max.

Completely agree on that point. Don't punish the kid long term for getting hurt playing for the school. I think a fund should also be created to provide scholarships to athletes who may not perform to the level required for an athletic scholarship, but who are outstanding students - reward athletes for their hard work on and off the field.

Half these guys shouldn't have to go to college. They don't want to be there in some cases. Those guys should be able to make some money at the profession of their choice like every other eighteen-year-old has a chance to do.

I agree that no one should be forced to go to college if they don't want to go, but I think the solution is incentivizing pro sports to stop using college sports as their only farm system. And "half" is a ridiculous statistic. It's more like a bit over 2%.

The idea that every 18 year old should be able to make money at "a profession of their choice" is nice in theory, but in practice 18 year olds don't get to go start making money at whatever they want to do. If you want to be an electrician you have to study for it, get an apprenticeship (where you technically make money, but a relative pittance), be a journeyman, etc. CPA? You have to get your accounting degree then pass the CPA exam. Unless you really like working retail, fast food, or other unskilled labor, you really don't get to be 18 and make money at your profession. The point is, liking something and being good at it is one thing, but everyone (or almost everyone) has to "earn it". I am all for giving athletes a chance to make money in farm or minor league systems, but I don't think that system should be at colleges.

 

[Smelly McUgly]

If the NFL would have an 18-22 year old D-league with a cap of 500K for highest contracts, they could help these guys learn how to deal with a little money and transition them into the league esaier. But of course, the owners don't want to pay for something that might ultimately help the league.

It's too bad that more college football players don't go into baseball or hockey or basketball overseas, though. I would love for the NFL to wonder why they can't get top athletes anymore. Of course, when you grow up in a football-dominant culture like many players do, the odds are that you will never have the opportunity or money to put on hockey skates, much less earn a paycheck playing hockey.

 

[Smelly McUgly]

The idea that every 18 year old should be able to make money at "a profession of their choice" is nice in theory, but in practice 18 year olds don't get to go start making money at whatever they want to do. If you want to be an electrician you have to study for it, get an apprenticeship (where you technically make money, but a relative pittance), be a journeyman, etc. CPA? You have to get your accounting degree then pass the CPA exam. Unless you really like working retail, fast food, or other unskilled labor, you really don't get to be 18 and make money at your profession. The point is, liking something and being good at it is one thing, but everyone (or almost everyone) has to "earn it". I am all for giving athletes a chance to make money in farm or minor league systems, but I don't think that system should be at colleges.

I'm sure that in a poll, only 2% of players said that they didn't want to be there, but given the chance to start earning a large paycheck out of the gate, I wonder what most football and basketball players would choose? Clearly, the NBA having to change their rules for allowing high school players into the draft was in part driven by the fact that more and more players were passing up college to go make money (the other part is the protestations of the vets in the NBAPA that were getting squeezed out by younger and younger players).

Re: your other point, I get where you are coming from, but let's face it: People with extraordinary talents don't have to go through the crap typical blokes like us do. The nice thing about capitalism is that if you are talented enough, you get to skip all that stuff and go make yourself some money.

Anyway, to offer a solution, basketball should at the very least do what baseball does: You can enter the league out of high school, but if you choose to go to college, you can't declare for the draft until after your junior year. That would do wonders for the health of both sports. The vast majority of guys that will never see an NBA court can get a free education; the players that will make it to the NBA one day. but need seasoning can go to college; and the Andrew Wigginses of the world that are ready immediately can go straight to the League.

 

[Crabhawk]

I'm sure that in a poll, only 2% of players said that they didn't want to be there, but given the chance to start earning a large paycheck out of the gate, I wonder what most football and basketball players would choose? Clearly, the NBA having to change their rules for allowing high school players into the draft was in part driven by the fact that more and more players were passing up college to go make money (the other part is the protestations of the vets in the NBAPA that were getting squeezed out by younger and younger players).

Re: your other point, I get where you are coming from, but let's face it: People with extraordinary talents don't have to go through the crap typical blokes like us do. The nice thing about capitalism is that if you are talented enough, you get to skip all that stuff and go make yourself some money.

Anyway, to offer a solution, basketball should at the very least do what baseball does: You can enter the league out of high school, but if you choose to go to college, you can't declare for the draft until after your junior year. That would do wonders for the health of both sports. The vast majority of guys that will never see an NBA court can get a free education; the players that will make it to the NBA one day. but need seasoning can go to college; and the Andrew Wigginses of the world that are ready immediately can go straight to the League.

Only half joking, but I think when you put it that way, it probably applies to most college students. I would venture that most go, not for the sake of education for education's sake, but because it presents an opportunity to increase their odds at success. Success might be defined financially or ideologically or just ego. In that way athletes really aren't that different from other students, it's just the pay off that is.

I like where you're going with the developmental leagues. The NFL could even model its salary cap on the MLS and pay out much less, therefore making it more appealing to owners. Low cap plus two DPs who make more. $40-50k/yr for an 18 year old is a lot and it equates well to what they would get in education and related expenses in college. The developmental possibilities for the team and the fans would be crazy, too. But, yeah, I share your cynicism on the NFL being willing to do that on their own.

I don't even know what to say on the NBA. Their business model seems so...weird. Some clubs do well financially, others just fail. And there seems to be some fan engagement problems. It blows my mind because basketball is clearly a popular sport. Side note, though, I like that when a kid is drafted out of high school for baseball, college tuition at a later date can be worked into the contract. I'd be fan of the NBA doing something similar - draft kids to the D league, but give them the safety net of college if they can't cut it.

 

[Domseahawks]

I believe there should be a cap on the players salary, it also shouldn't be a ridiculous amount of money either, just enough for them to be able to have a little extra expenditure, keeps everyone happy, still focus on education and also not complaining about not being paid all the time. See it as a slightly large type of pocket money.. haha

 

[Subzero717]

I believe there should be a cap on the players salary, it also shouldn't be a ridiculous amount of money either, just enough for them to be able to have a little extra expenditure, keeps everyone happy, still focus on education and also not complaining about not being paid all the time. See it as a slightly large type of pocket money.. haha

Where does the money come from? Who determines how mych you get? Is it based on position you play? What sport you play? How good your team is? Its easy to look at Bama and the money football generates. What about Grambling where they have to ride buses 1200 miles to a game and have dirty uniforms. Wherw is that money supposed to come from?

 

[drrew]

I don't know about "paid" but they shouldn't have to eat Ramen noodles and water every night.

At the UW, students on athletic scholarships (for any sport) receive roughly $1250 per month for room and board. If they don't live in a dorm, they get that in cash. If you can't live, and live well, on $1250 a month as a college student, then something is wrong. Keep in mind that they can eat every meal at the training table if they so choose. While they do pay for those meals, it's a nominal amount and the food is exponentially better than what is served to anyone else on campus.

In addition, there is a stipend of several hundred dollars per quarter to cover clothing and incidentals. This is provided in the form of credit at the University book store, and is in addition to the funds provided to pay for books.

No student athlete is getting rich, but they're not struggling either.

The problem with paying student athletes a salary on top of what is already provided is that most programs lose money. In the Pac 12, UCLA, Cal, Arizona State, Oregon State, Colorado, Washington State and Utah all spend more than they generate in revenue. Even Oregon and Washington which are cash flow positive receive additional state subsidies in the $2.5-$3m range.

How do you add additional expenses when the math of big time college athletics doesn't work?

 

[Subzero717]

I don't know about "paid" but they shouldn't have to eat Ramen noodles and water every night.

At the UW, students on athletic scholarships (for any sport) receive roughly $1250 per month for room and board. If they don't live in a dorm, they get that in cash. If you can't live, and live well, on $1250 a month as a college student, then something is wrong. Keep in mind that they can eat every meal at the training table if they so choose. While they do pay for those meals, it's a nominal amount and the food is exponentially better than what is served to anyone else on campus.

In addition, there is a stipend of several hundred dollars per quarter to cover clothing and incidentals. This is provided in the form of credit at the University book store, and is in addition to the funds provided to pay for books.

No student athlete is getting rich, but they're not struggling either.

The problem with paying student athletes a salary on top of what is already provided is that most programs lose money. In the Pac 12, UCLA, Cal, Arizona State, Oregon State, Colorado, Washington State and Utah all spend more than they generate in revenue. Even Oregon and Washington which are cash flow positive receive additional state subsidies in the $2.5-$3m range.

How do you add additional expenses when the math of big time college athletics doesn't work?

While I agree with most of what your saying and we are on the same side of the argument but, when you tell me that WSU and the others spend more than they generate I'd like to see the math. The Pac-12 just signed a huge TV contract thus giving schools like Az and WSU the ability to go out and sign Rich Rod and Leach.

 

[drrew]

USA Today pulls together a database from all public schools (privates like Stanford and USC don't have to report).
These are 2012 numbers: http://blog.thenewstribune.com/uwsports ... usa-today/

WSU: $42m revenue, $48m expenses, plus another $9m in state subsidies
Arizona: $78m revenue, $77m expenses, plus $7m in state subsidies