I used to be a proponent

[gravedigger]

Of a stipend for college athletes. Then i asked the question to roy kramer and he made the argument that an education was pay. I thought that was a solid argument. I still believe that to be true, just not enough pay.

After reading andrew luck's dad's comments i say pay them. All of them. This notion that an 18 year old is eligible to die for his country and vote but isnt worthy of the income he produces or to simply buy a beer is lunacy.

Ncaa and luck, get ready. The end is nigh. Reap the whirlwind.

[ckDOG]

Of a stipend for college athletes. Then i asked the question to roy kramer and he made the argument that an education was pay. I thought that was a solid argument. I still believe that to be true, just not enough pay.

After reading andrew luck's dad's comments i say pay them. All of them. This notion that an 18 year old is eligible to die for his country and vote but isnt worthy of the income he produces or to simply buy a beer is lunacy.

Ncaa and luck, get ready. The end is nigh. Reap the whirlwind.

Devils advocate: how can you argue the 18 year old generates income? There's a multimillion dollar infrastructure established at the university he plays at and the networks that broadcast the games. Is the teenager generating income because of his talent or because of the people already in a position to watch his talent? Do I know who joe blow talent is unless he plays for my preferred team? I'm a fan. I will pay to watch player A or player B. There are exceptions. The vast majority of players will come, go, and be forgotten (I.e. Could've been any other player).

[Leroy Jenkins]

Sure. Pay them. But, it absolutely must be the same among all schools, the ceiling must be set at what the lowest competing school can pay; its amateur athletics. The other issue is what do you pay the non-revenue producing sports? How much does a women's golf team member get?

[BeardoMSU]

Devils advocate: how can you argue the 18 year old generates income?

There is a thread right now on how Dak was used in a recorded phone call to encourage people to buy Belk Bowl tickets. Players, especially big name players, like a Dak Prescott, generate tons of money. Every time you see a #14, 17, or 15 jersey walking around the Junction....its not because thats those people's lucky number, lol.

[BeardoMSU]

Sure. Pay them. But, it absolutely must be the same among all schools, the ceiling must be set at what the lowest competing school can pay; its amateur athletics. The other issue is what do you pay the non-revenue producing sports? How much does a women's golf team member get?

Yes. It will have to be normalized for all schools/conferences.

[sleepy dawg]

Players are basically indentured servants.

[Stormrider26]

Players are basically indentured servants.

Why? Because they made a choice to receive a free education in exchange for playing football?

[ckDOG]

There is a thread right now on how Dak was used in a recorded phone call to encourage people to buy Belk Bowl tickets. Players, especially big name players, like a Dak Prescott, generate tons of money. Every time you see a #14, 17, or 15 jersey walking around the Junction....its not because thats those people's lucky number, lol.

I willing to accept rare exceptions, but how many people do you honestly think are going to buy belk bowl tickets bc dak called them up? I went to the croom liberty bowl when our qb sucked. Wesley carrol or whoever didn't need to give me a call.

The merchandise side is where I have issues. I'd really like for players to be compensated for their likeness or be able to sell merchandise on their own. Merchandise is based more on the individual than the team so there should be some comp there. But again, there's probably not a lot of significant money it it for more than a player or two on each team. Give Dak a couple bucks for a 15 jersey sold and he might get another scholarship worth of dollars out of the deal. Enough cash to bitch about but not enough to be life changing by any stretch.

[Leroy Jenkins]

Players are basically indentured servants.

Oh yes, the players have it sooo bad. These guys are "indentured servants", just llike the student who incurs a 4-6 year military obligation after graduation because he had his school paid for. Its the same concept. Yes they are indentured servants and they chose to be, they can quit anytime (well, the FB players anyway). People make their own choices.

For every "servant" on an SEC roster there are 10 gazillion HS players who would trade places with them in an instant.

[dawgoneyall]

Gonna pay the close to 300 student athletes per college?

[Jack Lambert]

I think the solution is the NFL. Have them change their rules. If a kid is good enough to get paid let him go pro.

[starkvegasdawg]

I think the solution is the NFL. Have them change their rules. If a kid is good enough to get paid let him go pro.

Not sure that is the answer either. I seriously doubt there are many 17 and 18 year olds out there who could physically match up in the NFL. We've all seen the physical changes that happen to college athletes while in school. Go back and look at high school pictures of Clowney and then compare it to when he entered the draft. Had he gone pro out of high school he would have been decimated on the field.

I am fine with the system how it is now. The vast majority of the kids playing on the college level would have never set foot on a campus if it weren't for their scholarship offer. The fact that they are getting a free college education plus the free food is compensation enough. If you want to take the business analogy then you can. College football is just like every business in existence. The people doing all of the work that really keeps them in business make the less. It's just how it is. The players are the same as the people on an assembly line in the plant. The head coach is the CEO. The players do most of the work but it is the CEO that makes the most money.

Also, if you are one of the marquis players that puts butts in the seats every Saturday then you are more than likely not hurting for anything. They're getting well compensated...it just doesn't go on the W2.

[somebodyshotmypaw]

Y'all do understand that these kids have options don't you? There is no military draft. Everyone who enters the military does so voluntarily. They are not forced to. Same with athletic scholarships. If they are so bad, then why doesn't a kid say to a coach "no thanks, I will just attend college on my own dime because it is a better deal". I turned down a football scholarship to a D-II school. I also turned down some academic scholarships to choose the best route for me, which was an academic scholarship to MSU. A school makes an offer, the kid accepts it or declines it. What is so hard about that? When an employer cannot fill a position, then they often have to up the offered pay to get it filled. If schools are unable to find 25 people a year to fill the slots, then they will be forced to up the ante. But right now, they have no problem filling their 25 slots a year. Absolutely none. Actually, MSU has only 25 slots a year, and there are thousands of kids lined up to take those 25 slots. So the deal must be pretty good.

[BulldogDX55]

Oh yes, the players have it sooo bad. If these guys are "indentured servants", what would you call the student who incurs a 4-6 year military obligation after graduation because he had his school paid for? People make their own choices.

For every "servant" on an SEC roster there are 10 gazillion HS players who would trade places with them in an instant.

Do you even know what indentured servitude is? This actually is a solid parallel. Back in the colonial days, someone would agree to work for a company for X number of years if they would pay his and his families way over to the Americas. In this case, the student agrees to work as a football player for a school for X number of years so that they would pay his way through school. Both could technically quit at any time, and both would be punished for it (jail for one, back to their crappy impoverished life for the other). The comparison is most apt for the really poor kids who couldn't get into college any other way, as they are agreeing to a physically demanding life in order to leave their crappy previous one.

Indentured servitude is illegal, as should be not paying student athletes. The hard part is figuring out something fair and feasible. It would have to be a small base stipend, so that small schools and non revenue sports wouldn't bankrupt, with bonuses for conference championships and other post season play, so that those who really earn the money for their school get something out of it.

[shannondawg]

I think the Pell grants take care of a lot of this..Do you think the Bama players would like a small stipend rather than being taken care of by their special friend or friends?

[Really Clark?]

Will not happen until the vast majority of the schools actually make a profit and you adjust or repel Title 9. In 2013, I believe, studies reported that only 20 D1 schools (those with football programs) made a profit. The remaining 108 programs show a loss averaging over $14MIL per year. Teams are now turning down bowl games because of the expenses. And football is already getting extra stipends above other programs at a lot of Power 5 schools. If you give every athlete just $500 a month you are looking at schools paying an addition $1.8MIL per year. The average football player total compensation is already $70-80,000 depending on the school (scholarship, stipend, meals, etc). And no indentured servant had the opportunity of an education that increased their lifetime earnings by more than 10x what they could have earned with out a degree or the opportunity for the highly talented to make millions in the professional sports ranks at the age of 21-23. They agreed to the deal back then for freedom and opportunity for their families. Not at all comparable.

[HSVDawg]

The merchandise side is where I have issues. I'd really like for players to be compensated for their likeness or be able to sell merchandise on their own. Merchandise is based more on the individual than the team so there should be some comp there. But again, there's probably not a lot of significant money it it for more than a player or two on each team. Give Dak a couple bucks for a 15 jersey sold and he might get another scholarship worth of dollars out of the deal. Enough cash to bitch about but not enough to be life changing by any stretch.

The problem is there is currently no way to regulate this. The NCAA currently bans player names from being on any jerseys that are sold. So, if some rule allowed Dak to be compensated for all sales of the #15 jersey, then you have Co-Eric Riley and Terrell Grindle coming along saying "Where's my money?". A lot would have to change in regards to current NCAA regulations for this to ever work.

And the truth is, even with all the money that comes in from football, you still have many schools (including big names like Auburn and UT) who have football programs that operate at a deficit. This is due to various required expenditures such as buyouts for previous coaches, facilities upgrades /maintenance, current coaches salaries, recruiting budget, etc. In spite of what many people believe there aren't just millions of dollars laying around at each school that is available to give to the players.

[jumbo]

If you aren't going to pay them, then at least let them be able to make $$ of their likeness.

[Liverpooldawg]

S
Of a stipend for college athletes. Then i asked the question to roy kramer and he made the argument that an education was pay. I thought that was a solid argument. I still believe that to be true, just not enough pay.

After reading andrew luck's dad's comments i say pay them. All of them. This notion that an 18 year old is eligible to die for his country and vote but isnt worthy of the income he produces or to simply buy a beer is lunacy.

Ncaa and luck, get ready. The end is nigh. Reap the whirlwind.

As the parent of a college student, I totally agree with Roy Kramer. They are getting paid and paid well.

[Really Clark?]

If you aren't going to pay them, then at least let them be able to make $$ of their likeness.

Who? The .5% that actually could make money on their likeness will be making money when they go pro. And yes the performance on the field by the athlete does make them a commodity but what school they are playing for is also a major component of this. Dak playing at a bigger school has a bigger chance of profiting of his likeness even with the same performance. So the school does make a difference.

How do you compensate the other 99.5% of student athletes within the current structure? That's the issue. And lawmakers will not let the few completely overshadow amateur athletics. Some sort of small compensation, yes they are willing to let that go and have so far. Although, those with connections to smaller programs they may eventually push for equality in that regard across the college football landscape. They already have shown willingness to give the smaller schools a bigger opportunity during the BCS bowl days. What's next? Requiring budget parody accross D1. Schools cannot exceed $75MIL in revenue and force them to give their excesses to smaller schools. Some sort of luxury tax. Of course that won't work as donors and schools would cap themselves so there would be no extra going to smaller schools.

The idea of just an individual profiting from their own likeness is fine. I understand that and agree to a point. The problem is regulating this for a competitive balance across the board. Legally you basically can recruit a kid and show them if you come to our school you will be guaranteed to make at least 20% more than anywhere else in the nation because we are an elite school with a huge fanbase. The gap between the power schools and next level grows even more and it's completely above board.

[AlmostPositive]

Pay them if the bleating gets loud enough, fire them for drug lapses or stupid penalties or simply underperforming... sit back and wait for Title IX nightmares. Sounds like a good plan to make everything fair just in time for plaintiff's attorneys and nanny state nags to deep six the whole sport over the issue of brain injuries.

[sandwolf]

The merchandise side is where I have issues. I'd really like for players to be compensated for their likeness or be able to sell merchandise on their own. Merchandise is based more on the individual than the team so there should be some comp there. But again, there's probably not a lot of significant money it it for more than a player or two on each team. Give Dak a couple bucks for a 15 jersey sold and he might get another scholarship worth of dollars out of the deal. Enough cash to bitch about but not enough to be life changing by any stretch.

This is the one thing you cannot do. If you give a player money based on jersey sales, you are giving them a direct financial incentive to choose an Alabama, Texas, Ohio State, etc. over an MSU or an Ole Miss.

[defiantdog]

I wish I had my entire tuition and room / board paid for when I went to college.

[Tbonewannabe]

If you aren't going to pay them, then at least let them be able to make $$ of their likeness.

This will allow the teams buying players under the table to just do it legally. Tunsil could do a dealership appearance for $150,000 or whatever it cost to buy him.

[dawgoneyall]

They can do something else.

[TUSK]

Wait a minute... I'm a bit confused... Y'all tellin that y'all DONT pay your players?

Y'all don't football very well*****

[Political Hack]

Oh yes, the players have it sooo bad. If these guys are "indentured servants", what would you call the student who incurs a 4-6 year military obligation after graduation because he had his school paid for? People make their own choices.

For every "servant" on an SEC roster there are 10 gazillion HS players who would trade places with them in an instant.

Being chosen doesn't mean you're not deserving to reap the benefits of your hard work. There's not a single student on campus that out works the football team. They deserve to be compensated considering their head coach is making over $4.5 million a year off, in part, their hard work.

[Political Hack]

Wait a minute... I'm a bit confused... Y'all tellin that y'all DONT pay your players?

Y'all don't football very well*****

Well played.

[PassInterference]

Devils advocate: how can you argue the 18 year old generates income? There's a multimillion dollar infrastructure established at the university he plays at and the networks that broadcast the games. Is the teenager generating income because of his talent or because of the people already in a position to watch his talent? Do I know who joe blow talent is unless he plays for my preferred team? I'm a fan. I will pay to watch player A or player B. There are exceptions. The vast majority of players will come, go, and be forgotten (I.e. Could've been any other player).



You're right. The NFL is probably just throwing money away. Billions of it.

[Liverpooldawg]

Being chosen doesn't mean you're not deserving to reap the benefits of your hard work. There's not a single student on campus that out works the football team. They deserve to be compensated considering their head coach is making over $4.5 million a year off, in part, their hard work.

They are already getting paid and paid well by not having to pay for their education, plus they have access to academic help that ordinary students don't. If they don't like the wages then nobody is forcing them into atletics.

[ckDOG]

This is the one thing you cannot do. If you give a player money based on jersey sales, you are giving them a direct financial incentive to choose an Alabama, Texas, Ohio State, etc. over an MSU or an Ole Miss.

Exaggerated worry. http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/80530/manziel-jerseys-hardly-making-am-rich

[ckDOG]

You're right. The NFL is probably just throwing money away. Billions of it.

Do you have a point? What's comparable about NFL to NCAA?

[Bucky Dog]

Sure. Pay them. But, it absolutely must be the same among all schools, the ceiling must be set at what the lowest competing school can pay; its amateur athletics. The other issue is what do you pay the non-revenue producing sports? How much does a women's golf team member get?
This is the problem. We all know football produces most all of the dollars at every school. Pay football players, the. Basketball wants a cut, and baseball, and inevitably, women's gold, soccer, etc. I think it would just open up a can of worms. That said, I really think it would be fine to give each football player $500 per month. They already have a full education and all the food they want. They do need money for clothes, gas for car, and other things.

[Really Clark?]

This is the problem. We all know football produces most all of the dollars at every school. Pay football players, the. Basketball wants a cut, and baseball, and inevitably, women's gold, soccer, etc. I think it would just open up a can of worms. That said, I really think it would be fine to give each football player $500 per month. They already have a full education and all the food they want. They do need money for clothes, gas for car, and other things.

They already get more than that between the Pell Grant and COA. It was calculated in 2010 that the average amount spent and given to SEC athletes was around $164,000 per year compared to $13,390 for the average regular student. Sorry I just can't justify giving them more above those amounts and compare a full time student who also works is not anywhere close to the same dollar figures. Yes they work extremely hard to play and go to school full time. It's not easy. But they already get money now in the Power 5 schools. And I don't mind that as long as things are kept in balance and it DOES NOT trigger law markers getting involved with Title IX, etc. Most schools would not be able to handle that.