I agree with you. Pretty much torn regarding my opinion on the whole thing. I can understand players feeling cheated when other entities are making money off of them and they get nothing. Hell, I think having someone buy you a hamburger is illegal according to the NCAA.

On the other hand, those student athletes receive a free education, great college experience and they walk out of college with hopefully a degree (if they are smart about it) and NO college debt.

I got a master's from Michigan State and only paid a couple grand. In fact, they paid me to go there. Granted, nobody was making anything off of me with pictures, appearances, etc but it was still a good gig.

I suppose it all depends on your perspective.

The problem I see is the disparity that it will create within a team because the people that are going to get endorsements will be the ones that companies think will make it to the next level and the people sitting on the bench playing minimal time won't see a dime.

Good point - in that respect it’d be no different than the pros in structure/principle ie the great players make the biggest salaries etc
It was probably inevitable, pay of one sort or another for the higher-tier NCAA athletes, it’s true they generate A Lot of $$$, none of which they see

[quote

On the other hand, those student athletes receive a free education, great college experience and they walk out of college with hopefully a degree (if they are smart about it) and NO college debt.

This ^

First off, let it be known that I'm a big fan of college athletics, going to a football game today, and also go to the home basketball games of the college I graduated from.

In addition to free education athletes usually get free room and board. Some schools are already providing additional stipends. I have a nephew that was on football scholarship at a P5 school, and he was getting additional couple grand a year. It's a job, and athletes are paid well for their services. Compare that to non-athletes who are not on academic scholarship.

Depending upon the type of school, the athletes can get what amounts to $250,000.00 or more over four years if at, for example a private school.

On the the other hand, I paid 4 full years of everything for my daughter who was an exceptionally gifted and high academic achiever who did receive a 1/4 academic scholarship, but that is not always the case for gifted students.

I don't understand what the NCAA does with all the money it is making.

How can coaches make $4mm+ per year and schools and conferences untold amounts and not reward the kids?

My son played D3 football, with no scholarship. It was much more of a commitment than any full time job. Remember only a small portion of the players ever become professionals. They even had to provide their own cleats and buy a wind suit with the school logo.

Also, now can the NCAA be tax exempt? Fox and the Big 10 share ownership of the Big 10 Network. Fox pays tax on the income. The conference doesn't. Same with ESPN and the other conference networks.

While I'm at it, how can the NFL be tax exempt?

The intent of the CA law as I understand it is for "student-athletes" to be as free as their classmates to monetize themselves. The problem is as everyone has pointed out is that the student-athletes are already essentially under contract to be part of a team that is part of a larger network that gives them visibility in addition to a free education. Their classmates aren't.

Student musicians are free to sign w/a label or sell their music on sites but they're not under contract to the school's "label" & getting a free education. Lots of kids can be "influencers" on social media if they have a large enough following - mostly for free clothing, cosmetics, vacations instead of money, but they aren't under contract to market only school merchandise in return for a free education. Student authors can sign w/a publisher for royalties because they're not already under contract w/the school to get a free education. (There are a surprising number of Young Adult best selling authors who are college students). Inventive students can create & sell technology & products (with some rare exceptions) because they're not otherwise under contract getting a free education.

If they want equality, student athletes are going to have to give up free tuition, room & board to pursue individual $$$$.

The intent of the CA law as I understand it is for "student-athletes" to be as free as their classmates to monetize themselves. The problem is as everyone has pointed out is that the student-athletes are already essentially under contract to be part of a team that is part of a larger network that gives them visibility in addition to a free education. Their classmates aren't.

Student musicians are free to sign w/a label or sell their music on sites but they're not under contract to the school's "label" & getting a free education. Lots of kids can be "influencers" on social media if they have a large enough following - mostly for free clothing, cosmetics, vacations instead of money, but they aren't under contract to market only school merchandise in return for a free education. Student authors can sign w/a publisher for royalties because they're not already under contract w/the school to get a free education. (There are a surprising number of Young Adult best selling authors who are college students). Inventive students can create & sell technology & products (with some rare exceptions) because they're not otherwise under contract getting a free education.

If they want equality, student athletes are going to have to give up free tuition, room & board to pursue individual $$$$.

I pretty much agree with you (surprise.) There are scholarships for music, math, engineering, lots of science and tech scholarships too. I think the only restrictions on the students are that they cannot sell or patent things that are done as part of a "joint effort" by the department and military or a business.
My niece was a vet student at UGA and contracted bird flu while working with infected birds during a joint venture to develop a vaccine. She fought it off and effectively became the vaccine. She now gets a royalty on each dose developed from her anti-bodies.

student athletes receive a free education, great college experience and they walk out of college with hopefully a degree (if they are smart about it) and NO college debt

Where on Earth is there a better gift than this? I guess if you are a self-centered, ignorant putz, who can't see the Forest for the trees, you get what you deserve.

On the other hand, those student athletes receive a free education, great college experience and they walk out of college with hopefully a degree (if they are smart about it) and NO college debt.

This whole issue really only applies to top D1 schools that make a fortune on nationally televised games. For these schools, I don't see this being the case at all. Kids are choosing their schools often at age 16 or 17. The leaders at Universities are the ones who are supposed to be trusted to do what's best for their students, along with their parents, who are also leaders. If these leaders are putting kids in a situation where they are expected to succeed at a full curriculum of courses, on top of a rigorous practice and game schedule, then they cannot say they are geniunely trying to do what's best for the student while they count their millions of dollars each Saturday.

If a university offers a full ride sports scholarship to a student who is nowhere near academically qualified to be accepted otherwise, then are they genuinely trying to help the student, or are they primarily concerned with the revenue he/she will generate? Taking a kid from a poor, low-rated, struggling high-school district, and telling him to "go get a good education" at a school like Stanford, UNC, or Duke, isn't an academic fit, and the universities know this.

So, it is the academic institutions fault for offering up an opportunity to advance your education?

Get a tutor.

No empathy here.

So, it is the academic institutions fault for offering up an opportunity to advance your education?

Get a tutor.

No empathy here.

No kidding. I’d pay a million bucks for you get a full ride at Harvard, and see how well you advance your career by getting a tutor. That’s comedy gold right there.

That’s comedy gold right there

Your having a million dollars?...Sure is.

 

If a university offers a full ride sports scholarship to a student who is nowhere near academically qualified to be accepted otherwise, then are they genuinely trying to help the student, or are they primarily concerned with the revenue he/she will generate?

I'm in over my head here, but hasn't this always been the case? Student athletes are supposed to maintain a certain GPA but they get leniency, right? Isn't the ultimate goal for the student to make money as a pro? If they remain healthy (& good enough) to make it to the pros for golden contracts, then does it matter if they have a solid education?

I remember the late Moses Malone being the 1st high school basketball player to go straight to the pros where he had a 20 yr career. At the time, he was criticized for not following the usual path (he'd signed to play for Maryland). He didn't need a college degree. He made his money doing what he was good at w/o pretending he was a student athlete.

Good points, knowing that he’s going on to a pro career, D-I universities are as concerned about the revenue a high profile student athlete will generate, as about his education - it is why he’s there
Along of course, with how they’re playing & the team is doing, & in that sense it’s little different from the pros - just as they’re traded, student athletes transfer frequently
It’s a thorny ?, they’re still heavily compensated w/perks like new cars, fancy places to live etc that students w/scholarships in other fields don’t get

Good points, knowing that he’s going on to a pro career

How is this "Known"?...There are what?...500 roster spots in the NBA? 1500 in the NFL? And there as many as 250,000+ competing in these two College sports alone? Would the argument then be that these schools are supplying these kids with an opportunity to succeed in life when/if their dreams are not fulfilled?

I repeat, can't see the forest for the trees

There are always high profile college athletes who it’s known, will be a high draft pick, even before his senior year - most players drafted in the 1st 3-4 rounds go on to pro careers

Generally there’s a handful of nationally known student athletes about whom it’s known that college is just a formality - true, not all will go to the big time - am sure some jocks realize this & take advantage of the educational end of it

[Edited on 11/5/2019 by Stephen]

true, not all will go to the big time

With the "conservative" numbers I've posted above .008 will make it to the Pros. Pretty good incentive to find a Tutor and make the most of the gift of a free education.

The NCAA has had this coming for years.

The likeness/name-in-perpetuity license gravy train was bound to end at some point.

People can wax poetic and get all nostalgic about free educations and the "student-athlete" (a NCAA-contrived term, BTW), but there's not one university that charges $150 a seat to watch today's experiments in Chemistry 101.

While the percentages for different sports is higher for some and lower for others, the NCAA estimates that less the 2% of all college athletes on scholarships go to their professional leagues.