"Pay college athletes? They're already paid up to $125,000 per year" - Jeffrey Dorfman (Forbes)
"One thing that sets the fundamental tone is there's very few members and, virtually no university president, that thinks it's a good idea to convert student-athletes into paid employees. Literally into professionals" - Mark Emmert (NCAA President)
“It would create a massive unknown, you have to wonder if it would change the whole dynamic of what it means to be a student-athlete” - Tom Van Riper (CBS Sports Analyst)
"There are far too many logistical, economic and legal hurdles that would have to disappear before paying students could even become a reality" - Lesly Ryder (Huffington Post)
"Those awarded an athletic scholarship get an opportunity to play their favorite sport in state-of-the-art facilities in front of thousands of screaming fans while getting a free education, free meals, and free housing. Depending on the school, a full scholarship can be worth upwards of $200,000" - Dr. Boyce Watkins (ESPN Sports Analyst)
6. CONTRACT DISPUTES
HOW COULD THE NCAA DECIDE THE CONTRACTS FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL NCAA ATHLETE? WOULD THEIR BE A SIGNING BONUS FOR DIFFERENT ATHLETES? MULTI-YEAR DEALS? COULD A COLLEGE WITH HOLD AN ATHLETE FROM LEAVING THE UNIVERSITY IF HIS CONTRACT ISN'T UP? QUESTIONS JUST LIKE THESE WOULD BE AN EVERY DAY PROBLEM FOR UNIVERSITIES THAT WOULD TAKE THEIR ATTENTION AWAY FROM MORE PRESSING MATTERS.
ALSO ATHLETES WOULD START TO DEMAND MORE MONEY THROUGHOUT THE YEARS FROM THEIR UNIVERSITIES. DISPUTES WOULD ARISE BETWEEN THE TWO AND COULD POSSIBLY RESULT IN LOCKOUTS BY THE PLAYERS, VERY SIMILAR TO THE ONES FOUND IN PROFESSIONAL SPORTS.
HOW COULD THE NCAA DECIDE THE CONTRACTS FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL NCAA ATHLETE? WOULD THEIR BE A SIGNING BONUS FOR DIFFERENT ATHLETES? MULTI-YEAR DEALS? COULD A COLLEGE WITH HOLD AN ATHLETE FROM LEAVING THE UNIVERSITY IF HIS CONTRACT ISN'T UP? QUESTIONS JUST LIKE THESE WOULD BE AN EVERY DAY PROBLEM FOR UNIVERSITIES THAT WOULD TAKE THEIR ATTENTION AWAY FROM MORE PRESSING MATTERS.
ALSO ATHLETES WOULD START TO DEMAND MORE MONEY THROUGHOUT THE YEARS FROM THEIR UNIVERSITIES. DISPUTES WOULD ARISE BETWEEN THE TWO AND COULD POSSIBLY RESULT IN LOCKOUTS BY THE PLAYERS, VERY SIMILAR TO THE ONES FOUND IN PROFESSIONAL SPORTS.
5. RECRUITING WON'T EXIST
IF UNIVERSITIES HAD THE ABILITY TO PAY THEIR ATHLETES, THE IDEA OR CONCEPT OF RECRUITING WOULD BE GONE. WHAT THE SCHOOL HAS TO OFFER, TRADITIONS IN THE SCHOOL OR EVEN THE REPUTATION OF TH SCHOOL WOULD ALL BE PUSHED UNDER THE RUG IN REGARDS TO DRAWING ATHLETES TO THEIR SCHOOL. HIGH-SCHOOL STUDENTS SIMPLY WOULD ONLY TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION HOW MUCH THE SCHOOL IS WILLING TO GIVE THEM.
THIS WILL HURT OTHER SCHOOLS THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE THE SAME FUNDS TO MATCH OTHER UNIVERSITIES IN THEIR CONFERENCE RESULTING IN THE UNIVERSITY EITHER DEALING WITH GETTING NOT AS HIGH CALIBER RECRUITS AS OTHER SCHOOLS, OR ULTIMATELY DISBANDING THEIR PROGRAMS TO SAVE MONEY. THE NCAA PROGRAM WOULD SOON TURN INTO A FORM OF THE MLB WITH THE TEAMS THAT HAVE CONSECUTIVELY WINNING SEASONS ARE THE TEAMS WITH THE MOST MONEY.
IF UNIVERSITIES HAD THE ABILITY TO PAY THEIR ATHLETES, THE IDEA OR CONCEPT OF RECRUITING WOULD BE GONE. WHAT THE SCHOOL HAS TO OFFER, TRADITIONS IN THE SCHOOL OR EVEN THE REPUTATION OF TH SCHOOL WOULD ALL BE PUSHED UNDER THE RUG IN REGARDS TO DRAWING ATHLETES TO THEIR SCHOOL. HIGH-SCHOOL STUDENTS SIMPLY WOULD ONLY TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION HOW MUCH THE SCHOOL IS WILLING TO GIVE THEM.
THIS WILL HURT OTHER SCHOOLS THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE THE SAME FUNDS TO MATCH OTHER UNIVERSITIES IN THEIR CONFERENCE RESULTING IN THE UNIVERSITY EITHER DEALING WITH GETTING NOT AS HIGH CALIBER RECRUITS AS OTHER SCHOOLS, OR ULTIMATELY DISBANDING THEIR PROGRAMS TO SAVE MONEY. THE NCAA PROGRAM WOULD SOON TURN INTO A FORM OF THE MLB WITH THE TEAMS THAT HAVE CONSECUTIVELY WINNING SEASONS ARE THE TEAMS WITH THE MOST MONEY.
4. WHO ALL EXACTLY WILL THEY PAY?
IF THE NCAA IS WILLING TO PAY DIVISION 1 ATHLETES, ARE THEY WILLING TO PAY DIVISION 2 OR EVEN DIVISION 3? WILL BOTH MALE AND FEMALE ATHLETES BE PAID EVEN THOUGH FEMALE ATHLETES DONT BRING IN THE SAME REVENUE IN? HOW WOULD THE UNIVERSITY DECIDE WHICH SPORTS TO INCLUDE?
THESE ARE ALL QUESTIONS THAT THE NCAA WOULD HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION ON AND EVEN AFTER THAT THEY WOULD STILL BE DEALING WITH THE REPLY FROM DIFFERENT PARTIES IN REGARDS TO FAIRNESS WITH THEIR DECISION.
IF THE NCAA IS WILLING TO PAY DIVISION 1 ATHLETES, ARE THEY WILLING TO PAY DIVISION 2 OR EVEN DIVISION 3? WILL BOTH MALE AND FEMALE ATHLETES BE PAID EVEN THOUGH FEMALE ATHLETES DONT BRING IN THE SAME REVENUE IN? HOW WOULD THE UNIVERSITY DECIDE WHICH SPORTS TO INCLUDE?
THESE ARE ALL QUESTIONS THAT THE NCAA WOULD HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION ON AND EVEN AFTER THAT THEY WOULD STILL BE DEALING WITH THE REPLY FROM DIFFERENT PARTIES IN REGARDS TO FAIRNESS WITH THEIR DECISION.
3. ATHLETES WON'T BE FINANCIALLY SMART WITH A SALARY
GIVING THESE ATHLETES A SALARY IS PUTTING A LOT OF PRESSURE INTO THEIR HANDS. THE AVERAGE AGE OF A FRESHMAN COLLEGE ATHLETE IS 19, AND IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE SOMEONE AT THAT AGE IS RESPONSIBLE TO HANDLE LARGE SUMS OF MONEY. INFLUENCES IN BOTH COLLEGE AND WHAT THEY SEE PROFESSIONALS DOING WILL PUT THEM IN THE MIND SET THAT IT'S ACCEPTABLE TO DO AND NOW THEY WILL FINALLY HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY FOR THOSE INFLUENCES OR TEMPTATIONS.
JUST LIKE AN INJURY COULD END A COLLEGE ATHLETE'S CAREER, SO COULD THE RESULT OF A DUMB DECISION. JAIL TIME, THE POSSIBILITY OF DIFFERENT INJURIES, AND EVEN DEATH CAN ALL BE A RESULT FROM BAD DECISIONS. AND WITH MONEY IN THEIR POCKETS, DUMB DECISIONS WOULD START TO OCCUR MORE OFTEN.
GIVING THESE ATHLETES A SALARY IS PUTTING A LOT OF PRESSURE INTO THEIR HANDS. THE AVERAGE AGE OF A FRESHMAN COLLEGE ATHLETE IS 19, AND IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE SOMEONE AT THAT AGE IS RESPONSIBLE TO HANDLE LARGE SUMS OF MONEY. INFLUENCES IN BOTH COLLEGE AND WHAT THEY SEE PROFESSIONALS DOING WILL PUT THEM IN THE MIND SET THAT IT'S ACCEPTABLE TO DO AND NOW THEY WILL FINALLY HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY FOR THOSE INFLUENCES OR TEMPTATIONS.
JUST LIKE AN INJURY COULD END A COLLEGE ATHLETE'S CAREER, SO COULD THE RESULT OF A DUMB DECISION. JAIL TIME, THE POSSIBILITY OF DIFFERENT INJURIES, AND EVEN DEATH CAN ALL BE A RESULT FROM BAD DECISIONS. AND WITH MONEY IN THEIR POCKETS, DUMB DECISIONS WOULD START TO OCCUR MORE OFTEN.
2. STUDENT (ATHLETE)
BY STARTING TO PAY COLLEGE ATHLETES, YOU ARE GIVING THEM AN EXCUSE TO DISREGARD THEIR SCHOOL WORK BECAUSE THEY ARE USE TO ALREADY GETTING PAID FOR THEIR TALENTS AND DON'T SEE THE NEED TO RELY ON ANYTHING ELSE. MOST TO ALL COLLEGE ATHLETES DON'T END UP MOVING ONTO THE PROS.
IN FACT, ONLY 1.7% OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL ATHLETES GO PRO, ONLY 1.2% OF COLLEGE BASKETBALL ATHLETES GO PRO, AND THE PERCENTAGES DECREASE AS THE SPORTS GO ON. BY SAYING THAT, THESE ATHLETES NEED TO FOCUS ON THEIR SCHOOL WORK AND GETTING A DEGREE BECUSE THEY'LL NEED SOMETHING TO FALL BACK ON WHEN THEIR 'TALENTS' AREN'T GOOD ENOUGH.
BY STARTING TO PAY COLLEGE ATHLETES, YOU ARE GIVING THEM AN EXCUSE TO DISREGARD THEIR SCHOOL WORK BECAUSE THEY ARE USE TO ALREADY GETTING PAID FOR THEIR TALENTS AND DON'T SEE THE NEED TO RELY ON ANYTHING ELSE. MOST TO ALL COLLEGE ATHLETES DON'T END UP MOVING ONTO THE PROS.
IN FACT, ONLY 1.7% OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL ATHLETES GO PRO, ONLY 1.2% OF COLLEGE BASKETBALL ATHLETES GO PRO, AND THE PERCENTAGES DECREASE AS THE SPORTS GO ON. BY SAYING THAT, THESE ATHLETES NEED TO FOCUS ON THEIR SCHOOL WORK AND GETTING A DEGREE BECUSE THEY'LL NEED SOMETHING TO FALL BACK ON WHEN THEIR 'TALENTS' AREN'T GOOD ENOUGH.
1. THEY'RE ALREADY PAID
MAJOR COLLEGES PROVIDE THE BEST SERVICES TO THEIR 'STUDENT ATHLETES.' AS ATHLETES THEY ARE NOT HELD TO THE SAME STANDARDS AS OTHER STUDENTS.
THE BIGGEST UNIVERSITIES GIVE THE ATHLETES THE BEST GYMS TO WORKOUT IN, FREE HEALTH INSURANCE FOR INJURIES, TRANSPORTATION, FOOD, DORMS AND MOST IMPORTANTLY FREE TUITION. ECEN IN SCHOOL THEY'RE HELD TO DIFFERENT STANDARDS. IN MOST UNIVERSITIES COLLEGE ATHLETES ARE THE FIRST STUDENTS TO ENROLL FOR UPCOMING SEMESTERS, TEND TO BE IN EASIER CLASSES, AND ALSO PROFESSORS AND TEACHERS WILL GIVE THEM MORE BREAKS THROUGH THE SEMESTERS DUE TO THEIR POSITION IN THE SCHOOL.
A USA TODAY ANALYST CONFIGURED A BASKETBALL SCHOLARSHIP FOR 4 YEARS TO BE WORTH $120K AT CERTAIN UNIVERSITIES. NOW REMIND ME WHY DO THEY NEED MORE MONEY?
MAJOR COLLEGES PROVIDE THE BEST SERVICES TO THEIR 'STUDENT ATHLETES.' AS ATHLETES THEY ARE NOT HELD TO THE SAME STANDARDS AS OTHER STUDENTS.
THE BIGGEST UNIVERSITIES GIVE THE ATHLETES THE BEST GYMS TO WORKOUT IN, FREE HEALTH INSURANCE FOR INJURIES, TRANSPORTATION, FOOD, DORMS AND MOST IMPORTANTLY FREE TUITION. ECEN IN SCHOOL THEY'RE HELD TO DIFFERENT STANDARDS. IN MOST UNIVERSITIES COLLEGE ATHLETES ARE THE FIRST STUDENTS TO ENROLL FOR UPCOMING SEMESTERS, TEND TO BE IN EASIER CLASSES, AND ALSO PROFESSORS AND TEACHERS WILL GIVE THEM MORE BREAKS THROUGH THE SEMESTERS DUE TO THEIR POSITION IN THE SCHOOL.
A USA TODAY ANALYST CONFIGURED A BASKETBALL SCHOLARSHIP FOR 4 YEARS TO BE WORTH $120K AT CERTAIN UNIVERSITIES. NOW REMIND ME WHY DO THEY NEED MORE MONEY?
Lou Holtz on Why College Athletes Shouldn't be Paid
Proving the Revenue Myth Wrong!
VIEWERS AND LISTENERS ARE STARTING TO FALL UNDER THE WRONG IMPRESSION THAT UNIVERSITIES ARE GAINING ALL THIS MONEY FROM NOT PAYING THEIR ATHLETES. BUT WHAT THE NORMAL VIEWER OR LISTENER DOESN'T UNDERSTAND IS WHERE THAT MONEY IS ACTUALLY GOING. THIS CAN ALSO BE PROVEN IN THE BAR GRAPH ABOVE THAT IS DEMONSTRATING THE REVENUE UNIVERSITIES GAIN VS THE EXPENSES BEING USED ON THESE ATHLETES. IN THE GRAPH, THE GREEN BARS REPRESENT THE REVENUE BROUGHT INTO THE UNIVERSITY THROUGH ATHLETICS, AND THE BLU AND RED BARS REPRESENT THE MONEY THESE UNIVERSITIES HAVE TO SPEND ON ATHLETES. AS YOU CAN TELL MOSTLY IN ALL QUARTERS, BOTH REVENUE AND COST ARE THE SAME.
TO BETTER EXPLAIN THIS GRAPH, YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THE MONEY IS GOING AFTER IT IS BROUGHT INTO THE UNIVERSITY. ATHLETIC PROGRAMS NEED TO POUR MONEY INTO THEIR UNIVERSITIES TO ATTRACT SOME OF THESE PROSPECTS TO IMPROVE THEIR TEAMS. A TOP RECRUIT ATHLETE IS NOT GOING TO WANT TO GO TO A UNIVERSITY THAT BARELY OFFERS HIM A SCHOLARSHIP AND THE FACILITIES HE IS GOING TO LIVE IN AND PRACTICE IN ARE IN TERRIBLE CONDITION. ALONG WITH THE SCHOLARSHIPS AND FACILITIES, ATHLETIC DEPARTMENTS ALSO HAVE TO COMPENSATE FOR TRAVEL, HOTELS ON AWAY EVENTS, FOOD, EQUIPMENT, JERSEYS AND MUCH MORE.
ANOTHER BELIEF IS THAT COACHES DIRECTLY BENEFIT FROM NOT HAVING TO PAY ATHLETES. BUT COACHES SHOULD BE GETTING PAID HIGHER SALARIES BECAUSE THEY ARE THE FACE OF THE TEAM. COACHES ARE IN CHARGE OF RECRUITING PLAYERS INTO THE PROGRAM, DEVELOPING THEM INTO THE SYSTEM TO HAVE A WINNING TEAM, AND ALSO TRYING TO PREPARE THESE ATHLETES FOR THE NEXT STEP. TOP RECRUITS WON'T WANT TO PROGRAMS WITH AN INEXPERIENCED COACH, INSTEAD THEY WOULD RATHER ATTEND A UNIVERSITY WITH A COACH KNOWN FOR HAVING A WINNING PROGRAM AND GIVING HIS PLAYERS THE BEST POSSIBILITIES IN THE NEXT LEVEL.
TO BETTER EXPLAIN THIS GRAPH, YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THE MONEY IS GOING AFTER IT IS BROUGHT INTO THE UNIVERSITY. ATHLETIC PROGRAMS NEED TO POUR MONEY INTO THEIR UNIVERSITIES TO ATTRACT SOME OF THESE PROSPECTS TO IMPROVE THEIR TEAMS. A TOP RECRUIT ATHLETE IS NOT GOING TO WANT TO GO TO A UNIVERSITY THAT BARELY OFFERS HIM A SCHOLARSHIP AND THE FACILITIES HE IS GOING TO LIVE IN AND PRACTICE IN ARE IN TERRIBLE CONDITION. ALONG WITH THE SCHOLARSHIPS AND FACILITIES, ATHLETIC DEPARTMENTS ALSO HAVE TO COMPENSATE FOR TRAVEL, HOTELS ON AWAY EVENTS, FOOD, EQUIPMENT, JERSEYS AND MUCH MORE.
ANOTHER BELIEF IS THAT COACHES DIRECTLY BENEFIT FROM NOT HAVING TO PAY ATHLETES. BUT COACHES SHOULD BE GETTING PAID HIGHER SALARIES BECAUSE THEY ARE THE FACE OF THE TEAM. COACHES ARE IN CHARGE OF RECRUITING PLAYERS INTO THE PROGRAM, DEVELOPING THEM INTO THE SYSTEM TO HAVE A WINNING TEAM, AND ALSO TRYING TO PREPARE THESE ATHLETES FOR THE NEXT STEP. TOP RECRUITS WON'T WANT TO PROGRAMS WITH AN INEXPERIENCED COACH, INSTEAD THEY WOULD RATHER ATTEND A UNIVERSITY WITH A COACH KNOWN FOR HAVING A WINNING PROGRAM AND GIVING HIS PLAYERS THE BEST POSSIBILITIES IN THE NEXT LEVEL.