paying college athletes

[sousaman2089]

Football players and basketball players deserve the same treatment as baseball players. MLB has been a major league since 1869, I think they figured out how to do things, so they have a head start granted, but I wish football and basketball would catch up.

European leagues seem to be an interesting alternative for basketball players, but Brandon Jennings and some other guy LightsOut mentioned to me have taken that route.

[TylerDurden]

MLB doesnt give anything back to the NCAA either... And big time college baseball is about the same quality as mid A ball to high A or even AA ball in conferences like the SEC and Big 12.

I like the MLB philosophy, you can sign out of high school but if you choose to go to college you have to wait 3 years.

College players should not be paid, if they need more spending money like they are whining about, take out a loan or get a part time job. Heck, summer workouts are so limited that athletes can get a summer job that they could earn enough money to last them a whole year for spending money. You are expected to workout yes and stay in shape, but you arent going to spend 12 hours a day working out....even if they were taking summer classes there is time in there to get a job.

No, it's not. It's not even close.

On topic, college athletes don't need to be paid.

[Canton BU fan]

[QUOTE=sousaman2089;232035]Football players and basketball players deserve the same treatment as baseball players. MLB has been a major league since 1969, I think they figured out how to do things, so they have a head start granted, but I wish football and basketball would catch up.



1869

[jrish12]

Football players and basketball players deserve the same treatment as baseball players. MLB has been a major league since 1869, I think they figured out how to do things, so they have a head start granted, but I wish football and basketball would catch up.

European leagues seem to be an interesting alternative for basketball players, but Brandon Jennings and some other guy LightsOut mentioned to me have taken that route.

Then the NBA and NFL should step up and develop a minor league system if you feel they should be treated the same. The NBDL has become somewhat of that, but its really more of a ground for guys trying to make a last gasp. Take the 1 year at college rule out (which is a freaking joke anyway) and say you can sign with a team after your senior year and have to make the roster or else you go to the minors, but if you go to school you have to stay 3 years. Baseball has had minor leagues pretty much since the beginning of the Major Leagues. Besides, how often do NFL rookies end up on the game day roster their fist year outside of a top 5 or 10 pick? I would bet big money its not many. Give them some seasoning in a minor league of some sort and there ya go, NFL owners could make a killing on it, instead of cutting guys you can send them to your minor league club, someone gets hurt, call them up.

Anyways, college athletes are already getting a good deal

[Future Walk-On]

No, it's not. It's not even close.

On topic, college athletes don't need to be paid.

i agree

[AZ BU Fan]

Everyone has hit the main points...From a Phx Az Sportswriter:

1. Couldn't just pay bb players....would have to pay all student athletes, or face inequality litigation, particularly for women athletes under Title IX

2. Most schools are losing money in their sports programs, even $200 per month per athlete would cost approx $1M per year per school

3. Wouldn't stop the cheating going on today... $200 per month to top athletes is not going to stop boosters/agents/promoters from continuing to try and pay/influence the kids, and the cheaters in school today would still cheat tomorrow...after they get their $2000 per year.

Another argument I heard before is paying the kids almost makes them employees of the university, subject to health care insurance, pension, social security payments etc. Also creates even more arguments that the so called student athlete should be paying taxes on their income, both derived benefits (cost of free room/board/tuition/books) and any direct compensation in cash.

[Da Coach]

Another argument I heard before is paying the kids almost makes them employees of the university, subject to health care insurance, pension, social security payments etc. Also creates even more arguments that the so called student athlete should be paying taxes on their income, both derived benefits (cost of free room/board/tuition/books) and any direct compensation in cash.

Interesting, but I don't think this would hold up as an issue. There are ways to grant stipends to students without making them employees. Scholarship and grant money is doled out to millions of college students, and it is not considered "salary" and the students are not employees.

[SFP]

I'm more in Sousaman's camp on this issue. There is a way to make this equitable and put a few dollars in the players pocket so they do not have to sell their rings and such to go out on a date or what not. A lot of these kids come from poor backgrounds where their family can't send even a few buck to get by. Do you really believe they have time during the season to get a part-time job? They are also required to stick around campus during the off season. Yes the overall compensation is pretty good but try working for just compensation and know paycheck. Having a few bills in your pocket goes a long way. Anyway $80 an hour is not much because in that calculation they are adding things we would never add to what we earn to our own hourly compensation such as health care and other overhead costs.

[jrish12]

I'm more in Sousaman's camp on this issue. There is a way to make this equitable and put a few dollars in the players pocket so they do not have to sell their rings and such to go out on a date or what not. A lot of these kids come from poor backgrounds where their family can't send even a few buck to get by. Do you really believe they have time during the season to get a part-time job? They are also required to stick around campus during the off season. Yes the overall compensation is pretty good but try working for just compensation and know paycheck. Having a few bills in your pocket goes a long way. Anyway $80 an hour is not much because in that calculation they are adding things we would never add to what we earn to our own hourly compensation such as health care and other overhead costs.

So how then would you handle paying every single athlete that is on the campus? Football boosters could pony up some money for the players, but they would probably say this has to be used for football or you lose my money. There are only 2 schools in the country whose womens sports bring in any sort of financial assistance to the athletic budget, UConn and Tennessee. With athletic departments already in the red, who is going to pony up to pay EVERY SINGLE ATHLETE, because remember you cant just pay the mens basketball players and the football players.

For example, 60 players can dress for football games, not counting practice squad, injuries, etc. Figure you give them $500/semester. Thats an extra $60,000/year tied up for the game day football team alone! Add in the baseball team, mens and womens basketball programs, swimming, golf, and on and on down the line and it adds up rather quickly.

And not during the season they cant get a job, but they sure as hell can get one in the summer. NCAA regulations only let them workout what 10 hours a week if that? You can workout and stay in shape for your sport and still work a part time job.

These athletes are not above society, the sooner people can get over their man crushes on 18-22 year old kids the better off the sports world will be.

Also on your comment about having a few bills in your pocket goes a long way: they are leaving school DEBT FREE, most with a degree. Which means any job that they get they get to keep all of it and not have to pay back student loans like the rest of us. That degree also means that they will make more over their lifetime had they not earned that degree.

[SFP]

Simple! Only those sports that really make money for the school basketball and football) and the players can split a % of the profit. Let's face reality that not all sports should be treated equally. If you design it correctly then Title IX will not be a problem.

[AZ BU Fan]

Simple! Only those sports that really make money for the school basketball and football) and the players can split a % of the profit. Let's face reality that not all sports should be treated equally. If you design it correctly then Title IX will not be a problem.

Perfect! Let's go a step farther and eliminate the middleman (college) and just develop additional minor league basketball and football programs (similar to Rookie-A-AA) in baseball, and eliminate the sham of going to college as a scholar-athlete amateur....The big time players who are poor can go directly into the "minor leagues" get drafted, get paid, signing bonus etc.

The kids who just want to play and go to school remain in the collegiate system.....like NCAA baseball, track and field, tennis etc.

Unfortunately the 'collegiate athletic-entertainment-gambling' complex has become too firmly entrenched...

[tornado]

let me be the first to predict -- if we begin paying college (amateur) athletes, and giving them a cut of the revenue..
then it will only be a matter of time until junior colleges, then prep schools, then even high schools and junior high schools will be either pressured or sued into doing the same..

[sousaman2089]

Unfortunately the 'collegiate athletic-entertainment-gambling' complex has become too firmly entrenched...

Exactly.

[SFP]

Let them enter the NBA whenever they are capable and eliminate the one and done. This way they can at least play in the development league. Football could start a minor league system and that would be interesting. Right now the young poor guy who plays hoops or football has no alternative but either work or go to school to continue their dream.

[real fan]

let me be the first to predict -- if we begin paying college (amateur) athletes, and giving them a cut of the revenue..
then it will only be a matter of time until junior colleges, then prep schools, then even high schools and junior high schools will be either pressured or sued into doing the same..

It"s not going to happen as so many schools are losing money, sports has finally reached the point of not being able to just charge more money to get in as so many corporations have cut back on their expenses, the Dodgers are not the only pro team in trouble, all you have to do is look at the empty seats at so many of the pro baseball teams games and you understand how fed up the fans are with the prices on tickets and concessions, if colleges were to pay their athletes most of them would have to drop all their non revenue sports which would mean Bradley could only afford basketball and Illinois would only have football and basketball, just not going to happen.