Should College Athletes be Paid?

[The Colts Walker]

if you are jealous then you should have worked on your jump shot. I also was in debt after college. But i wasn't among the best athletes in the world either

I chose engineering over baseball, sports won't pay the bills for the vast majority of us. Why should I foot the bill for athletes who want an extra stipend in addition to their massive list of freebies?

[jvan1973]

I chose engineering over baseball, sports won't pay the bills for the vast majority of us. Why should I foot the bill for athletes who want an extra stipend in addition to their massive list of freebies?

you are not footing anything. Also, you can play ball and get your degree.

[Synthetic]

It's an illusion.    Most schools don't make millions from jersey sales and likenesses....  maybe it happens at the Notre Dames and Ohio States of the world...    but not most schools.     And it all goes back to my point about athletic departments losing money. 

 

It's not an illusion when it already costs you an arm and a leg just to go into a big name college cause the costs are through the roof to the point only someone from a privileged rich background can go in and out without going into debt from student loans.

[NewColtsFan]

It's not an illusion when it already costs you an arm and a leg just to go into a big name college cause the costs are through the roof to the point only someone from a privileged rich background can go in and out without going into debt from student loans.

 

I'm sorry......

 

But you completely lost me.    I have no idea -- none -- what point you're trying to make??

[ViriLudant]

So because they are treated very well they should be satisfied? Should Bill Gates have been satisfied after his first million and given the rest away? Should Peyton Manning be satisfied with 5m per instead of 18? Wen courage people to make as much money as they can.....unless you are a student athlete.

So what about all the actual scholars in colleges and universities?

Should they be paid?

They are, after all, doing research. A buddy if mine at MIT helped out on many projects and was never paid.

It truly is Pandora's box .

Pay student athletes, and then the students who actually care about being there (and yes, that does include some athletes) will demand to be paid for the research that they are doing.

Good luck with that.

[bestQBever]

1 major weakness with that scenario. Most people need the scholarship to attend college in the 1st place often come from impoverished backgrounds. There is no money to start over at a new school if your college career does not pan out. The scholarship itself is not enough & it will never be enough IMO. 

 

And what happens when a great RB with natural instincts can barely read, but is heavily recruited by a HC with deep alumni pockets blows out his knee, loses his scholarship, is forced to leave college in shame, & lives out the remainder of his life poor with no employment prospects? Does the HC hold any responsibility in that equation for giving that RB false hope not caring if he can read, write, or graduate in the 1st place? 

the only way to fix this is for colleges to not take away scholarships ( I know it's not gonna happen ). Plus, getting payed ( unless it's MILLIONS of dollars ) won't help that situation either. it'll just be a temporary fix it until you run out of the money and start living poor. 

[crazycolt1]

I don't care if comes out to $6.54 per person.

 

My purpose in sharing that was to dispel the myth that student athletes are left to go hungry and that the NCAA does not care about them enough to help them through some rough patches in life . . . something that is not given to other students.

 

I also find it odd that so many of you are up in arms about student athletes, yet when I posted something in another thread about the fact that NFL cheerleaders are often paid below minimum wage; no one seemed to care that the NFL makes big money off of them. 

I think all of us don't put any merit to an athlete going hungry. Now you bring up cheerleaders in this thread? Like I stated, I don't have the answer but when the NCAA makes billions of dollars off of the student athlete that is their main concern. Right now the NCAA is up in arms about athletes leaving college early to join a professional team and that includes both the NFL and even more the NBA. They are trying to put any and every excuse to keep them in school. Bottom line is their cash cows are leaving them.

[shecolt]

I think all of us don't put any merit to an athlete going hungry. Now you bring up cheerleaders in this thread? Like I stated, I don't have the answer but when the NCAA makes billions of dollars off of the student athlete that is their main concern. Right now the NCAA is up in arms about athletes leaving college early to join a professional team and that includes both the NFL and even more the NBA. They are trying to put any and every excuse to keep them in school. Bottom line is their cash cows are leaving them.

 

Yes, I brought up NFL cheerleaders in this thread much as another poster brought up Nike workers in China because I thought this thread was about the big guy profiting from the little guys.  My bad.

 

Yes, I'm sure the NCAA would love for student athletes to stay in college and not join a professional team.  So would the college they play for and those who are fans of that college. 

 

However, I'm also pretty sure that in a good majority of cases of the exceptional athlete; the NCAA, the recruiting college, and the student athlete know full well when that scholarship is offered and accepted that the student athlete does not plan to stay in college.

 

They are merely using college as a stepping stone into the pros and the college is happy to recruit them as they make the team better.

 

I also think that if anyone is getting a free ride out of all this that it is the NFL who is basically using the NCAA as a developmental league.

[Nadine]

 

 

I also think that if anyone is getting a free ride out of all this that it is the NFL who is basically using the NCAA as a developmental league.

 

That's the heart of it.

They should just disconnect football from college...........pay for their own farm teams.

colleges and universities should focus on education

[amfootball]

I think all of us don't put any merit to an athlete going hungry. Now you bring up cheerleaders in this thread? Like I stated, I don't have the answer but when the NCAA makes billions of dollars off of the student athlete that is their main concern. Right now the NCAA is up in arms about athletes leaving college early to join a professional team and that includes both the NFL and even more the NBA. They are trying to put any and every excuse to keep them in school. Bottom line is their cash cows are leaving them.

The colleges don't have a say in how long the athletes stay. It is the pro leagues that are making the rules. That is why as I stated in my previous posts you have to get rid of the athlete scholarships and start the minor leagues. The NFL and NBA are getting a farm system for FREE in the guise of education. That is the main problem here and why we have athletes clamoring to get paid. They SHOULD get paid from the pro sports teams that want them not from educational institutions. This is what creates the Pandora box. As soon as you start paying SOME students for their abilities, you have to pay them all. There are many students that contribute just as much academically with research and such that don't get paid either.

[crazycolt1]

Yes, I brought up NFL cheerleaders in this thread much as another poster brought up Nike workers in China because I thought this thread was about the big guy profiting from the little guys.  My bad.

 

Yes, I'm sure the NCAA would love for student athletes to stay in college and not join a professional team.  So would the college they play for and those who are fans of that college. 

 

However, I'm also pretty sure that in a good majority of cases of the exceptional athlete; the NCAA, the recruiting college, and the student athlete know full well when that scholarship is offered and accepted that the student athlete does not plan to stay in college.

 

They are merely using college as a stepping stone into the pros and the college is happy to recruit them as they make the team better.

 

I also think that if anyone is getting a free ride out of all this that it is the NFL who is basically using the NCAA as a developmental league.

While I agree with you let's not overlook the fact that the colleges are making the billions of dollars off of having the athletic scholarships in the first place. This problem starts even before collage with high schools wanting the best athletes to make money from their sports venues. With that in mind the bottom line is money and for every one student making a living off of sports there are over 90% of those athletes that never reach the level of making a living off of sports but the colleges and the NCAA make their money never the less. The sad part is with the colleges who offer the athletic scholarships and make the money, there are thousands of athletes who make the money for the NCAA. These colleges full well know that only a small percentage of these students will go on and become professional players. Maybe that would change if the student would be forced to take real classes rather than cake walk classes designed just to keep them eligible for sports. Once the athlete is gone and the money is made from them the NCAA couldn't care less.

[crazycolt1]

The colleges don't have a say in how long the athletes stay. It is the pro leagues that are making the rules. That is why as I stated in my previous posts you have to get rid of the athlete scholarships and start the minor leagues. The NFL and NBA are getting a farm system for FREE in the guise of education. That is the main problem here and why we have athletes clamoring to get paid. They SHOULD get paid from the pro sports teams that want them not from educational institutions. This is what creates the Pandora box. As soon as you start paying SOME students for their abilities, you have to pay them all. There are many students that contribute just as much academically with research and such that don't get paid either.

I agree with every word you say. Pointing the finger at he NFL and the NBA for the obvious is small potatoes compared to the huge profits the NCAA is making from this system. You speak of the free farm system for the NFL and the NBA but the NCAA is even making more money from those athletes than the NFL or the NBA. The pro teams only use less than 10% of colleges athletes while the NCAA makes money from 100% of these student athletes. At least the NFL and the NBA are obligated to take care of injuries while the NCAA is not. That falls on the parents who may or may not be able to afford coverage for their kids after the age of 18. Food for thought?

[amfootball]

I agree with every word you say. Pointing the finger at he NFL and the NBA for the obvious is small potatoes compared to the huge profits the NCAA is making from this system. You speak of the free farm system for the NFL and the NBA but the NCAA is even making more money from those athletes than the NFL or the NBA. The pro teams only use less than 10% of colleges athletes while the NCAA makes money from 100% of these student athletes. At least the NFL and the NBA are obligated to take care of injuries while the NCAA is not. That falls on the parents who may or may not be able to afford coverage for their kids after the age of 18. Food for thought?

Sure, I agree. It is a huge cash cow for the big time colleges with none of the responsibility like you say. Profiting from college athletes is wrong on so many levels that this idea that the athletes should be paid is really a side story. It is a the product of a thought system spurned from the biggest ruse in sports. Athletics cloaked  in education. And the NCAA will use as its cloak  the fact that they are given people a chance at education who otherwise would never get into college. Like somehow people who are athletically inclined deserve a chance at an education because they play a certain sport well as opposed to the scores of other who simply can't afford to go but are academically qualified to attend. 

 

BU's academic standard was to take the top 20 percent of high school graduates. If you were not in the top 20 percent with very good SATs scores then you were not even considered UNLESS of course you were a top athlete. As I said an earlier post, how come as a full ride academic scholar, I was not awarded a place on the BU basketball team? That would make more sense, wouldn't it? I am attending an educational institution on the merits of my academics so really the sports side should be for me. But that would never happen yet we are supposed to look the other way when athletes who are not qualified to attend these academic institutions get to come for free just to play ball. At its core, it is rotten. And every issue tied with college athletics IMO is rotten.

[shecolt]

While I agree with you let's not overlook the fact that the colleges are making the billions of dollars off of having the athletic scholarships in the first place. This problem starts even before collage with high schools wanting the best athletes to make money from their sports venues. With that in mind the bottom line is money and for every one student making a living off of sports there are over 90% of those athletes that never reach the level of making a living off of sports but the colleges and the NCAA make their money never the less. The sad part is with the colleges who offer the athletic scholarships and make the money, there are thousands of athletes who make the money for the NCAA. These colleges full well know that only a small percentage of these students will go on and become professional players. Maybe that would change if the student would be forced to take real classes rather than cake walk classes designed just to keep them eligible for sports. Once the athlete is gone and the money is made from them the NCAA couldn't care less.

 

The problem starts even earlier than high school.

 

I once tutored at a private elementary school where I worked very hard to help students who were struggling with math and English.  Some who couldn't even do basic addition and subtraction and thought that "the" was the subject of a sentence.

 

I quit tutoring at that school when the principal told those same students (and their parents) that their low grades would not affect their sport's eligibility because math and English were much too difficult for them. 

 

Not a single one of those students that I tutored went on to play sports in high school.  Two of them even dropped out and later earned their GED.

 

The same applies to high schools and especially to private high schools who recruit students merely based on their athletic ability.

 

In the case of the NCAA, you seem to be painting them as the only "bad guy" in all this.  No one is forcing these athletes to accept a scholarship.  No one is forcing them to take "cake walk" classes. 

 

For many of these student athletes, there would be no opportunity to further their education other than to go the route that so many others have to go which is to riddle themselves with debt that it will take years upon years to repay.

 

So while the NCAA is making big bucks, they are also giving many young men and women an opportunity that many would be thrilled to have.

 

As I once said in another such thread, I worked in the athletic department of a DI school for several years and saw the flood of mail containing video of Jack or Jill playing his/her sport.  These students were hoping, begging, praying for one of those athletic scholarships.

 

There are books purchased every year by these students and their parents with the hopes that it will offer some tips on how to obtain an athletic scholarship.  There is one on Amazon right now where they are promising those who wish to purchase that there are more copies coming soon.

 

As far as insurance, some colleges do help student athletes.  Others do not.  As I said in an earlier post, I would be in full agreement that the NCAA should be obligated to take care of any sport's related injuries not only while in school; but also to pay for any further treatment needed after the student has left school.

 

Until someone can convince me otherwise, I still maintain that the real "bad guy" in all this is the NFL (and to a lesser extent, the NBA) for using the NCAA as a free developmental league and thereby pretty much forcing athletes to attend college for three years to develop their skills. 

[oldunclemark]

While I agree with you let's not overlook the fact that the colleges are making the billions of dollars off of having the athletic scholarships in the first place. This problem starts even before collage with high schools wanting the best athletes to make money from their sports venues. With that in mind the bottom line is money and for every one student making a living off of sports there are over 90% of those athletes that never reach the level of making a living off of sports but the colleges and the NCAA make their money never the less. The sad part is with the colleges who offer the athletic scholarships and make the money, there are thousands of athletes who make the money for the NCAA. These colleges full well know that only a small percentage of these students will go on and become professional players. Maybe that would change if the student would be forced to take real classes rather than cake walk classes designed just to keep them eligible for sports. Once the athlete is gone and the money is made from them the NCAA couldn't care less.

Colleges are not making millions of dollars.off athletics....That's the flaw in this line of reasoning. 

Most D-1 athletic departments do not make money before donations. and there are a dozen non-revenue sports that still offer scholarships.

..Colleges know that a small % of athletes go pro and that's why they offer them a free education..which many choose to take advantage of...

To say that the NCAA offers scholarship athletes a free college education that others go into debt to get..

....but to insist they don't care a bit about them doesn't make a lot of sense...Colleges want you to stay 4 years and graduate. Kids jump school on their own.

 

If you pay football players...you not only encourage them to make their education a second priority, .you deny scholarships to athletes in nonrevenue sports like baseball, softball, tennis etc...That's where the football/basketball money goes.

Is that what you want to do?

[crazycolt1]

Colleges are not making millions of dollars.off athletics....That's the flaw in this line of reasoning. 

Most D-1 athletic departments do not make money before donations. and there are a dozen non-revenue sports that still offer scholarships.

..Colleges know that a small % of athletes go pro and that's why they offer them a free education..which many choose to take advantage of...

To say that the NCAA offers scholarship athletes a free college education that others go into debt to get..

....but to insist they don't care a bit about them doesn't make a lot of sense...Colleges want you to stay 4 years and graduate. Kids jump school on their own.

 

If you pay football players...you not only encourage them to make their education a second priority, .you deny scholarships to athletes in nonrevenue sports like baseball, softball, tennis etc...That's where the football/basketball money goes.

Is that what you want to do?

Would it be possible that colleges want the athletic student to stay 4 years because of their ability to draw money to their sport? If you think that the NCAA is not getting rich on the backs of student athletes , I don't buy that. You seem to be overlooking the TV and cable deals that are also paying these colleges and the NCAA. The amount of non profit sports in college is slowly going away year to year. You seem to have this idea that I want college players to be paid. Wrong, not one comment did I make that I even suggested that. In the bigger picture giving athletic scholarships to a few students is nothing more than investing in your income.

[crazycolt1]

After what Jadeveon Clowney pulled, I don't think they should ever be payed. They already get full rides to some of the most prestigious colleges in the country, and now they want to be paid? That's a slap in the face of all college students and future students.

Most of these guys leave school early anyways. Why would you pay someone for 2 years of production? Especially when they're leaving for the NFL, where they can make millions. The worst part is where the money will come from. I doubt the NCAA, would pay them, which means tuition increases everywhere.

You seem to overlook the big money business that the NCAA is in. The percentage of student athletes that enter pro sports is very minimal. Less than 10% are even considered. I am not for paying an athlete any money at all over the cost of school but the NCAA is benefitting hugely from these athletic scholarships and offer classes that are designed just for athletes to pass. Some are even out right cheating in keeping their athletes eligible to play. This is even starting long before college. The NCAA is big business and the athlete is the meal ticket. Just a few go on to make the millions you speak of but the NCAA is making big bucks off of all the student athletes not just the ones who are good enough to go on to the pros. You ask where the money will come from? How about the fact that the regular students who pay anywhere from $60,000. to $100,000. for a 4 year term?

[ViriLudant]

That's the heart of it.

They should just disconnect football from college...........pay for their own farm teams.

colleges and universities should focus on education

I agree completely .

[Defjamz26]

You seem to overlook the big money business that the NCAA is in. The percentage of student athletes that enter pro sports is very minimal. Less than 10% are even considered. I am not for paying an athlete any money at all over the cost of school but the NCAA is benefitting hugely from these athletic scholarships and offer classes that are designed just for athletes to pass. Some are even out right cheating in keeping their athletes eligible to play. This is even starting long before college. The NCAA is big business and the athlete is the meal ticket. Just a few go on to make the millions you speak of but the NCAA is making big bucks off of all the student athletes not just the ones who are good enough to go on to the pros. You ask where the money will come from? How about the fact that the regular students who pay anywhere from $60,000. to $100,000. for a 4 year term?

 

It's an equally beneficial relationship though. Sure the NCAA makes millions, but these athletes get free rides in return. Not only that, they get the benefit of getting to go Universities that people who have better grades and accolades coming out of high school have. And if you want to talk money, think of how much the University and the NCAA has to come out of pocket for their athletics. Transportation to and from games, equipment, paying for trainers and staff, medical care,etc...

[crazycolt1]

It's an equally beneficial relationship though. Sure the NCAA makes millions, but these athletes get free rides in return. Not only that, they get the benefit of getting to go Universities that people who have better grades and accolades coming out of high school have. And if you want to talk money, think of how much the University and the NCAA has to come out of pocket for their athletics. Transportation to and from games, equipment, paying for trainers and staff, medical care,etc...

The reason the student athlete gets the free ride is the fact that high dollar money is made by their presence. The colleges and the NCAA are not doing it out of the kindness of their heart or because they feel bad for the players. How many regular students get the same treatment? The only reason anyone gets a free ride is if money can be made off of them. What about the higher numbers of athletic students who fall through the cracks who have been catered to? Just 2 or 3 weeks ago a famous college got caught illegally keeping players eligible by doctoring test scores. That issue has been long standing problem for too many colleges to mention. If the NCAA is not making so much money why are their books closed to the public?

[GoColts8818]

No

[ViriLudant]

The reason the student athlete gets the free ride is the fact that high dollar money is made by their presence. The colleges and the NCAA are not doing it out of the kindness of their heart or because they feel bad for the players. How many regular students get the same treatment? The only reason anyone gets a free ride is if money can be made off of them. What about the higher numbers of athletic students who fall through the cracks who have been catered to? Just 2 or 3 weeks ago a famous college got caught illegally keeping players eligible by doctoring test scores. That issue has been long standing problem for too many colleges to mention. If the NCAA is not making so much money why are their books closed to the public?

I got a free ride due to my grades ; had nothing to do with athletics, despite the fact that I played two collegiate sports.

[BOTT]

I am not saying they should not make as much as they can.  If they want to make more go play professionally.  Again it is not the colleges that are stopping the athletes from turning pro, it is the professional leagues.  The complaints should be directed toward the NFL and NBA league offices not the NCAA or the college deans.

Yes, but the colleges know they are free minor league system for the pros, but they don't care since they are raking in the $$$. It's just hilarious that they are willing to pay coaches millions and act aghast at the thought of paying athletes. The whole system has been unseemly to me for quite some time.

[Cynjin]

The reason the student athlete gets the free ride is the fact that high dollar money is made by their presence. The colleges and the NCAA are not doing it out of the kindness of their heart or because they feel bad for the players. How many regular students get the same treatment? The only reason anyone gets a free ride is if money can be made off of them. What about the higher numbers of athletic students who fall through the cracks who have been catered to? Just 2 or 3 weeks ago a famous college got caught illegally keeping players eligible by doctoring test scores. That issue has been long standing problem for too many colleges to mention. If the NCAA is not making so much money why are their books closed to the public?

 

I know of several students that got a full scholarship due to their grades.  As far as athletes go, there are many that get a free ride even though the sport they play actually costs, not makes, the college money.

[BOTT]

So what about all the actual scholars in colleges and universities?

Should they be paid?

They are, after all, doing research. A buddy if mine at MIT helped out on many projects and was never paid.

It truly is Pandora's box .

Pay student athletes, and then the students who actually care about being there (and yes, that does include some athletes) will demand to be paid for the research that they are doing.

Good luck with that.

I have said for awhile that higher education and big time college athletics don't mix. The schools should just get out of it altogether.

[Patagonia Chris]

Just give the kids the right to use their own likenesses. What's wrong with a kid like Andrew Wiggins or Johnny Manziel getting endorsed from Nike or Adidas while still in college? There is only a select few that are marketable enough to be millionaires and those are the few who drive up the dollars for their programs. Also, give the kids a small amount of money (a couple grand each) for being on the video games. The only problem is if they do something like this other people would get involved and try to make money for themselves as well.

[southwest1]

SW1....you raise good points, coaches and ADs most definitely bear some responsibility, because the real crime is that too many athletes leave college at the end of 4 years, or sooner, no better equipped for life than when they showed up.

 

There does however need to be some accountability on the part of the student-athlete.  Things are made quite a bit easier for them to cruise thru class requirements at some football-centric schools and many players are only too happy to take advantage of that. Then comes draft day and no phone call from an NFL GM....and things go downhill from there.

 

But amfootball brought up a very good point too.....because for decades extremely wealthy owners of NFL teams have gotten the REAL free ride in all of this in having a cost-free feeder system of college football to draft from.

 

NFL owners need to be part of whatever solution there is to all this is.

 

A couple hundred bucks a month pay in the college player's pocket is not the only problem here, nor is it the biggest problem.

I like your response here PAC56 & I do agree that some student athletes do take advantage & game the system to their benefit. I won't deny that. However, head coaches & athletic directors do tend to believe that their jobs revolve around making money & putting a winning product on the field as opposed to encouraging them to graduate with marketable skills. I like what chad72 said on either this topic or a similar one & find a way to cap an HC's salary among all coaches & tie in their longterm tenure to both wins & a high graduation rate among the students under his jurisdiction for instance. I would never penalize a head coach for having a star athlete leave college to enter the NFL early, but as a university chancellor I would closely monitor a coach's truancy rate in classes & how many of his students simply drop out completely.

 

I would even pay the UW-Madison campus grounds crew not to clean the bird droppings off that egotistical fool's statute. God, I detest that man to my core....He's such a colossal jerk who is an attention junkie. It makes me sick.

 

 

As a graduate student who graduated from 2 different Master's degree programs, I saw more than a few worthless coaches who basically were bullet proof from any scrutiny as long as they continued winning football games by any means necessary. I don't hold college coaches in high regard except Bo Ryan who is the exception that defies the rule. Barry Alvarez, both as a UW-Madison football coach & an athletic director, is a piece of elephant dung & you can quote SW1 directly on that one personally. 

[Cynjin]

Yes, but the colleges know they are free minor league system for the pros, but they don't care since they are raking in the $$$. It's just hilarious that they are willing to pay coaches millions and act aghast at the thought of paying athletes. The whole system has been unseemly to me for quite some time.

 

The colleges don't care and neither do the professional leagues.  The NFL and NBA do not have to pay for a minor league system this way.  I said earlier that the colleges should not give athletic scholarships, only academic.  If the NFL and NBA want the other players that do not want to go to college then they will have to set up a minor league system like baseball has.  As far as the coaches pay goes, are they over paid?  Probably in my opinion, but I am not a big fan of colleges paying professors that spend more time doing research and writing papers for professional journals than they do actually teaching a class.  They leave the teaching up to the TAs.

[southwest1]

I got a free ride due to my grades ; had nothing to do with athletics, despite the fact that I played two collegiate sports.

That doesn't surprise me VL. You seem like a very intelligent, well read individual who almost always has something valid to add to a number of discussions on a variety of topics. 

[southwest1]

The colleges don't care and neither do the professional leagues.  The NFL and NBA do not have to pay for a minor league system this way.  I said earlier that the colleges should not give athletic scholarships, only academic.  If the NFL and NBA want the other players that do not want to go to college then they will have to set up a minor league system like baseball has.  As far as the coaches pay goes, are they over paid?  Probably in my opinion, but I am not a big fan of colleges paying professors that spend more time doing research and writing papers for professional journals than they do actually teaching a class.  They leave the teaching up to the TAs.

I'm just the opposite because I went to 3 different schools: 1 teaching institution & 2 research universities. TA's should not be teaching classes ever. If professors want money from patents, go work for a major corporation outright & skip the middle man entirely. Plus, you are only paying a professor for their reputation in the field anyway, which never really benefits the student body directly at all.

 

Okay, I missed the word "NOT" the 1st go round cynjlin. My apologies. We are now in agreement with what I bolded. Sorry my mistake.  

[ColtsBlueFL]

I'm still undecided, weighing things out.  But Forbes has weighed in now...

 

http://www.forbes.com/sites/prishe/2011/08/21/value-of-college-football-scholarship-exceeds-2-million-for-college-footballs-top-25/

[southwest1]

I'm still undecided, weighing things out.  But Forbes has weighed in now...

 

http://www.forbes.com/sites/prishe/2011/08/21/value-of-college-football-scholarship-exceeds-2-million-for-college-footballs-top-25/

Interesting article CBFL. 

 

"So when adding the short-term cost savings to the long-term earnings enhancement, the value of a college football scholarship at the Top 25 schools is potentially as high as $2.2 million for those student-athletes that complete their degrees." 

 

What happens though if a student graduates with a specialized degree & still can't find work in their discipline? Therefore, they are not able to benefit from any "long-term earnings enhancement" are they in a difficult economy according to the author Patrick Rishe? All the while being overqualified for any other jobs they apply for to pay student loans & still put food on their table etc. etc. 

 

In my hypothetical universe, I am assuming that some students in the same field of study only get awarded partial scholarships & must apply for Federal loans to make up for the difference tuition cost wise BTW. If they make too money to qualify for a Federal loan, their parents go into further debt by mortgaging their home or using another high value item like a car or boat as collateral leaving a family in a deeper financial hole to pay for their child's education in many cases. The rich get richer & the poor/middle class get poorer IMO. 

[Andy]

Just my two cents...

 

I don't think they should be paid, BUT they definitely should have less strict rules in terms of accepting money and should be allowed to make some money on autograph sessions and what not.

 

For those interested, there is a very good system in Quebec for hockey, in a league called the QMJHL. These are top juniors, but they get paid for their work and in some cases, can make several dozens of thousands of dollars each year. It's a good starting point and it rewards them for their performance. 

 

The NCAA is too strict and they need to allowing more things to happen. They can't keep penalizing people for small offenses. Some of these athletes from poor homes are struggling to get their daily necessities.

 

They need to start rewarding the players who perform.

[southwest1]

It's not an illusion when it already costs you an arm and a leg just to go into a big name college cause the costs are through the roof to the point only someone from a privileged rich background can go in and out without going into debt from student loans.

 

 

I'm sorry......

 

But you completely lost me.    I have no idea -- none -- what point you're trying to make??

I'm really surprised that you NCF are confused by Bogie's valid point. It's the difference between an affluent family writing a check to pay for college completely vs those not born into wealth who can't make any mistakes because they are saddled under a mountain of debt that no relative can ever rescue them from with 1 signed check or bank transfer. Seems pretty straight forward to me. The non rich student is now a slave to economic oppression, debt, & a lack of upward mobility, & a future especially if they can't find work with their new degree. 

[NewColtsFan]

I'm really surprised that you NCF are confused by Bogie's valid point. It's the difference between an affluent family writing a check to pay for college completely vs those not born into wealth who can't make any mistakes because they are saddled under a mountain of debt that no relative can ever rescue them from with 1 signed check or bank transfer. Seems pretty straight forward to me. The non rich student is now a slave to economic oppression, debt, & a lack of upward mobility, & a future especially if they can't find work with their new degree. 

 

I don't know how to break this to you, SW1....

 

But I have no idea what you're talking about either.

 

What does any of this have to do with whether or not kids should be getting paid for Jersey sales or anything else that we're talking about.    I don't see the connection to what Bogie had to say or what you had to say?

 

Sorry,  you both lost me.    I don't know what point either of you are trying to make.....

[Nadine]

I'm still undecided, weighing things out.  But Forbes has weighed in now...

 

http://www.forbes.com/sites/prishe/2011/08/21/value-of-college-football-scholarship-exceeds-2-million-for-college-footballs-top-25/

 

Just number spinning imo

Tuition and fees at colleges and universities is out of control.  The academic bubble is going to burst one day and I'm actually looking forward to it.

 

True that many althletes would not have been able to access college without a sholarship........more true that many many many more young people actually cannot access college because of the astronomical cost of attendance.

 

Colleges and universities should be concerned with that...........but they seem more concerned about athletics.

 

When my daughters and I were shopping around for schools.........I did see a number of 'c' students win full rides with scholarships in 'rowing' or 'golf'..........while my A students were not.

 

While universites should be concerned with making colleges more accessible to those who cannot afford it, it should not be tied to athletic ability.

 

Colleges and universities need to focus on the business of education........that's all

[Jay Kirk]

There have been many great points made in this thread ,and some great ideas as well.Southwest I agree with your healthcare assessment 100 percent.Nadine I hear you loud and clear on your last post.Many more have very valid points.My concern on paying players is doesn't that make the big schools even more strong and cut out the mids and smaller schools from having any chance of competing ?Does it not open the door for even more corruption in college athletics ?Who would we trust to put a set of rules and payscale to make it fair for all schools not just the majors and a set payscale and actually enforce it without predjudice or corruption ?These are all valid questions and Nadine your right all kids should have the right to education not just because of athletic ability.Please forgive my spelling ,just wanted to throw these questions out there for all to ponder.

[Nadine]

There have been many great points made in this thread ,and some great ideas as well.Southwest I agree with your healthcare assessment 100 percent.Nadine I hear you loud and clear on your last post.Many more have very valid points.My concern on paying players is doesn't that make the big schools even more strong and cut out the mids and smaller schools from having any chance of competing ?Does it not open the door for even more corruption in college athletics ?Who would we trust to put a set of rules and payscale to make it fair for all schools not just the majors and a set payscale and actually enforce it without predjudice or corruption ?These are all valid questions and Nadine your right all kids should have the right to education not just because of athletic ability.Please forgive my spelling ,just wanted to throw these questions out there for all to ponder.

Agree that there is too much motivation to grow athletics and the focus on brand identity related to athletics is dangerous (just look at what happened at Penn State)

Althletics operates independently in most Universities that I'm aware of and doesn't contribute to the University in any way that supports education.They are independent, self sustaining units.  But what they do give the university is 'swag'.............I cannot believe how many students would choose a university because of it's highly visible backetball/football program...........without any real understanding of the actual real quality of undergraduate education.

 

imo, far too many big universities also look on undergraduates as 'cash flow' more than anything else..........because faculty focus is generally on research and graduate students because that's where their own prestige and job security lies. 

 

They also focus on out of state and foreign students...........because they have to pay more (cash flow)

 

And they herd them into massive lecture halls.

 

nice quality

 

Administrator/faculty salaries...........coach salaries..........and tuition have all skyrocketed in recent years. But what of the quality of the education they are offering?

 

What of the quality of their graduates and the impact they'll have on the world?

 

As I said,you should not get me started on this!   

[shecolt]

I'm still undecided, weighing things out.  But Forbes has weighed in now...

 

http://www.forbes.com/sites/prishe/2011/08/21/value-of-college-football-scholarship-exceeds-2-million-for-college-footballs-top-25/

 

It looks like that was written in 2011 which really doesn't matter as I would expect that the author feels the same way in 2014.

 

There are a lot of big $ numbers floating around in that article, but a college education is only going to reap such rewards if the student is fortunate enough to find a good job in their chosen vocation.

 

Sadly, I know many college grads who have not. Such as a young man who graduated from the Purdue School of Flight who is now employed as a baggage handler at an airport.  Or, another young man who graduated from Ball State with a degree in education who after four years is still searching for a full-time job. 

 

Those are just two of many examples I could give of students who did not have the luxury of a scholarship and now are burdened with enormous debt while trying to find employment in the area of their college degree. 

 

My son graduated from high school with a young man who was a fifth-year senior.  He didn't care about school and trying to earn good grades.  He took all the easiest classes he could find and spent those five years in and out of trouble.  The high school coddled him because he was the "star" on many sport's teams.

 

Yet, he received a full scholarship because the guy can run really fast.  Whereas, my son (who graduated in the top 10%) will be paying off his student loans for years to come along with the parent loans that my husband and I have to repay.

 

So, I can't feel sorry for student athletes who are given something that many can only dream of all because they were blessed with the ability to jump higher, throw further, run faster, etc.  As another member said, cry me a river. 

 

I agree with those who say that athletics should be taken out of college; but I would even take it a step further and remove it from high school, junior high, and elementary schools because that is where the problem begins. 

[Valpo2004]

Blind post.  I think athletes are getting paid in getting a free education and professional coaching.  

 

Having participated in a college sport myself that wasn't NCAA sanctioned and the university didn't cover it, I know all too well the costs of professional coaching to get better at the sport you love.  We had to pay for that out of our own pockets.  The universities cover that expense for them.  

 

That having been said the current NCAA quite frankly screw the athletes over.

 

Athletes don't need more money, they need the NCAA to get off their backs and stop regulating every minute of their life from the time they sign then LOI to the time they finish playing college sports.  About 90% of their complaints that I feel are legit can be fixed by some changes in NCAA rules.  The remaining 10% are things the university could invest in, such as long term care or injuries sustained in the sport.