Harbaugh takes Michigan team on trip to Italy

[LockeDawg]

I LOVE this and wish more programs could afford to do it for student athletes. I still don't see how the NCAA allows an "anonymous donor" to foot the bill for +100 football players to take a week long all expense paid international trip for 8 days with air travel/lodging/meals, etc and it isn't considered an impermissible benefit? I can't imagine the total tab including getting everyone passports, security detail, etc. to one of the top tourist destinations in the world.....and they get an audience with the Pope too?

[ckDOG]

I LOVE this and wish more programs could afford to do it for student athletes. I still don't see how the NCAA allows an "anonymous donor" to foot the bill for +100 football players to take a week long all expense paid international trip for 8 days with air travel/lodging/meals, etc and it isn't considered an impermissible benefit? I can't imagine the total tab including getting everyone passports, security detail, etc. to one of the top tourist destinations in the world.....and they get an audience with the Pope too?

Agree. This actually should trigger a sizable tax event for each player and staff benefitting. You'd have a hard time convincing me this is all tied to education you receive from scholarship funds. The normal college student would not receive this trip from his or her tuition paid to Michigan. This is not a part of doing business for college football staff either so you can't really argue those are necessary expenses incurred to do their jobs.