Comments on: Fix The NCAA? There Are No Simple Answers (But We Do Have A Suggestion)

By: BonzaiB

BonzaiB — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 16:01:14 +0000

@AllTideUp I do believe the problem is the concept of the college athelete was in the beginning, a student who really wanted to attend a particular university tried out for the team, and represented the school. Not the “school” in the way we think of our diploma factories today, but in terms of the values the institution stood for. Harvard and Yale used to be mecas for those who believed in the principles of discilpline, education, service to society, piety and faith. Now they are just about “show me the money.” This concept died a long time ago, but institutions thrive on myths, which are often much more important than reality. Its easier to make your way in the world by referencing the myth rather than the reality.

Now athletes look for the school that are the best fit for them athletically, with little to no thought of what is the institution that best matches their overall world view. There are a few exceptions, but most state schools realize that the competition for students has as much to do with their sports program (or more) than their academic program. So, the athlete is a means to an end for the schools, and the schools are simply training grounds that enable the best to go on in athletics and provide the rest an opportunity to get a degree from somewhere.

By: DanHogan

DanHogan — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 00:03:03 +0000

@scottlester What do you think about players being paid stipends that are based on the stipends that are typically paid to academic scholarship holders? Those stipends are intended to cover the misc costs that students tend to take on as being a student but aren’t covered by typical room/board/books. I think the number thrown around last summer was 2K per year.

By: AllTideUp

AllTideUp — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 21:10:03 +0000

@BonzaiB
The current system isn’t perfect and could probably be improved, but I think it’s more right than wrong.

By: AllTideUp

AllTideUp — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 21:08:19 +0000

@torris187
That’s just it. It’s not a business. People complain about the millions being made at the expense of college athletes yet these schools don’t really rake in millions in profits. Most of the money is spent in-house on non-revenue sports, reinvested into the revenue generating programs in the long run, or contributed to the school itself for academic purposes. No one’s pocketing any money outside of a few coaches and administrators that may have large salaries. And If that is something worth being upset over then that is really a very different issue.

Beyond that, it must not be a raw deal as college-aged players continue to volunteer to participate in the system. There are plenty of programs that don’t rake in millions every year though at the FCS and Division II levels. Despite that, college athletes continue to choose the highest profile programs they can get into…often these programs are the best academically as well. Most students have to pay tens of thousands of dollars out of pocket in order to attend these schools and get an education. The issue over whether or not that is a fair price is separate, but the point remains that these college athletes have the opportunity to acquire a quality education if they wish and apply themselves. The opportunity to prepare yourself at a big stage and maybe make millions in the NFL is another plus. You don’t see college athletes complaining about that opportunity and don’t colleges exist to prepare people for a professional career in some field? If you want to be prepared for pro-football then training at the college level only makes sense.

By: scottlester

scottlester — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 16:19:04 +0000

Every time I read about paying a college athlete, I think “Give me break.” While I will admit the life of a college athlete can be hard, I can’t imagine that it is any harder than the kid working two or three jobs to pay for classes or the student who works crap jobs for a school as part of a work study program. The fact is that a scholarship athlete gets room, board and tuition paid for, that is payment. Once the athlete graduates (if they choose to take advantage of the opportunity given them through the scholarship they recieved) they can many times utilize the recognition and connections that comes from playing for a university sports program into non-sports opportunities after school. That seems like fair payment to me. The problem is not payment, it is that more attention is given to the athletes that fail to take advantage of the opportunity given them than the ones who take full advantage of the fantastic opportunity college sports afford them.

By: BonzaiB

BonzaiB — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 19:35:36 +0000

@AllTideUp Very good points. I have read this three times, trying to figure out how to make a paid system in college work, and it just is much more complicated than I thought before I read this the first time…..

By: torris187

torris187 — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 16:37:26 +0000

Here is a great link where a sports economist talks about competive balance in college sports. The basic jist of the paper is that even with limiting player compensation, the NCAA has miserably failed at keepign a competitive balance in college athletics.

http://www.suu.edu/faculty/berri/PeachNCAA2007.pdf

By: torris187

torris187 — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 15:41:41 +0000

@AllTideUp Right now colleges DO play players, however it is just that thier compensation sucks and isn’t in the form of money. A player’s maximum compesnation right now is a 1 year contract to a university, with full room and board, tution, tutoring fees and a monthly stipend. All that adds up to about 25k per player, which is right around the poverty line.

Also, note that players don’t even get a 4 year contract to a university, but a 1 year contract with an OPTION to renew by the school, also the contract prohibits the player from seeking other alternatives once the contract is accepted in year 1 (players can’t just transfer willy nilly).

That sounds like a horrible business model to me.

By: bbstirrd

bbstirrd — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 14:18:18 +0000

I agree there are inherent problems with allowing college players to get paid by outside entities. But no system is perfect. In my opinion, the problems you listed are no worse than the current problems plaguing college athletics. Consider the current exponential growth in player transfers from school to school. The biggest news in college athletics over the last few years hasn’t been national championships, it has been scandal after scandal at top tier athletic departments. Pete Carroll at USC, Jim Tressell at OSU, Bruce Pearl at UT, the Miami U football program, and on and on… In the big picture, those “scandals” don’t amount to a hill of beans (not counting the PSU scandal, which was legit). Who is next? It could be anyone, because let’s not pretend it’s only “those other” schools bending the rules. I think the solution you offer, about college athletics detaching from the university structure, may be the best one out there. But I’m afraid we may be several steps away from that ever happening.

By: AllTideUp

AllTideUp — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 03:07:59 +0000

I agree with all the points about the problems that will occur from paying players. I’m surprised more people don’t think about the inherent troubles in doing so. I’ll even throw in another one that I think is possible. What happens when certain players want to be paid more than others? The starting QB plays more, puts more on the line, and accomplishes more than a 3rd string Center so who’s to say the QB or others shouldn’t put up a fuss if all players are getting the same amount in a true pay-for-play type system? How do you handle that? The financial aspect as well as the morale issue it might create in the locker room? How about the legal ramifications of denying fair compensation to employees which is what college athletes will essentially become? How soon before the entire recruiting process is scrapped and replaced with some sort of prospect draft that makes everything more equal between schools?

There is a huge difference between amateur athletics and a professional system. I don’t think most people consider that before making up their mind on this issue.