Should College Athletes Get Paid?

[Tommy]

Me and my roommate have had this discussion before and in light of Reggie Bush I thought I'd see what some of you Sludgers thought.

I say yes, at least something. First off, the NCAA, the conferences, and the teams make a shit ton of money on these kids. Actually they aren't kids, they are over 18 which makes them adults. You're telling an adult he can't make a living on his own name, but Miley Cyrus can. I don't fully buy into the "They're getting a college education" thing either. The scholarships aren't near what the schools claim they are worth. Plus, let's be honest here, these guys, for the most part, aren't taking the same classes or getting the same education as a non-athlete.

I feel like the NCAA needs to come to terms with reality. Example: My roommate rowed for Boston College in the early 2000's. The NCAA won't sanction the sport of Crew because at the end of meets the teams exchange t-shirts with one another. The NCAA considers this gambling. I shit you not.

Thoughts? Opinions?

[bane]

The NCAA is a dinosaur, but I don't think you can ever get around the equity issue. Football makes money, women's golf doesn't. Are they going to pay all college athletes an equal sum or are they going to divvy up the $ according to who actually brings it in? It's unworkable IMO.

[makaveli]

I don't know if a paycheck is the right thing to do, but they ought to relax some of the rules while strengthening the academic rules. Let some of these kids make money off of their name and likeness like the NCAA does. If they can get it because of who they are then so be it.

[johnk5150]

College athletics is awash in vagueries and hypocrisy. They don't enforce their rules consistently and it's a gigantic fucking business disguised as academia and higher learning. Basically a bunch of bullshit.

You actually can put a quantitative number on what an athlete's scholarship is worth in real dollars. Between the cost of the education, room/board/books, tutors (fucking expensive) etc. The REAL value of the college experience for the two major sports though is the ability to showcase their talents on national television as they prepare to make the transition to becoming a professional. Yes, the schools and leagues make a shitload of mucho dinero off the backs of the athletes, but the ones that will become pros are receiving much more than an education as well.

College sports kinda makes me sick.

[Redman77]

Lets see, the average cost for an out of state student at U of Michigan is about $50,000 a year. This includes room & board, books and fees. Yeah, I think I'd play football for 4 years to get a top flight education for free. Don't give me crap about the NCAA making money off these kids. My company makes money off my work and I'm not going to bitch about it.

[makaveli]

College sports kinda makes me sick.

I'm with ya. The real Eye-opener to me on just how bad things are was with the whole John Wall thing. Here's a kid who's supposed to be a "student" taking minimum credit hours of bullshit courses to stay eligible for the first semester. He took NO classes at all second semester because by the time eligibility comes around he's in the NBA. But it's all well within the rules. This one and done bullshit has to stop. It's not helping the college game and it's not helping the kid.

[bane]

Lets see, the average cost for an out of state student at U of Michigan is about $50,000 a year. This includes room & board, books and fees. Yeah, I think I'd play football for 4 years to get a top flight education for free. Don't give me crap about the NCAA making money off these kids. My company makes money off my work and I'm not going to bitch about it.

I think that's a valid point, that football money ends up going into other programs anyway, but when you get into NCAA violations stemming from some broke ass college kid letting an agent buy him dinner etc., I think that's over the top as all hell. It's all pretty ridiculous IMO.

[johnk5150]

I think that's a valid point, that football money ends up going into other programs anyway, but when you get into NCAA violations stemming from some broke ass college kid letting an agent buy him dinner etc., I think that's over the top as all hell. It's all pretty ridiculous IMO.

Some of it may be doled out to other programs, but a shit ton of it is going in everyone's pockets.

When I was working in the University of Iowa accounting department in 1990 to 1991, Hayden Fry and Tom Davis made 110K and 75K annually. Now Kirk Ferentz 20 years later makes 3.5 million. The machine is out of fucking control. How did so much about the programs change so fucking fast?

[Tommy]

I think that's a valid point, that football money ends up going into other programs anyway, but when you get into NCAA violations stemming from some broke ass college kid letting an agent buy him dinner etc., I think that's over the top as all hell. It's all pretty ridiculous IMO.

Some of it may be doled out to other programs, but a shit ton of it is going in everyone's pockets.

When I was working in the University of Iowa accounting department in 1990 to 1991, Hayden Fry and Tom Davis made 110K and 75K annually. Now Kirk Ferentz 20 years later makes 3.5 million. The machine is out of fucking control. How did so much about the programs change so fucking fast?

TV.


Even with a basic cable package you can watch football on Saturday from noon to 1:30 am when the west coast games get over.

[KillDevilHill]

Football and basketball players are for sure being taken advantage of, however pretty much every other student athlete gets a great deal.

I just wish the NCAA wasnt such a wet blanket about everything

[Machado]

there are some rules that are very out of date and in desperate need
of an overhaul.

at the same time, NO i do not believe these players should "draw a paycheck" for playing college sports.

they are already paid
a free education. if these athletes believe the scholarship is not payment enough, then don't enroll in the school and get a fucking job.

[Heenan Snuka]

no, they shouldnt get paid

[SpecialSauce]

Yeah the football programs may make a ton of cash but they also fund the other 17 sports at the school.

I don't know how you pay the footballers and not the womens table tennis team?

And what is enough? $50 a game..$300? Should the all conference RB get more than the 2nd team punter? All get the same? How far out...do Cheerleaders get paid?

Thing is...if they decided to pay...it wouldn't come from the billions already generated...it would be passed on to fans with $10 ticket increase,$5 parking increase,etc.

I do agree players should be allowed to make money off their name. If a card shop wants to pay a star player $500 to come sign mini helmets and jerseys for 3 hours during the bye week why not? Few athletes will have any real earning power off the field but the ones that can should be able to. As long as it's not damaging to the university...as in,you don't want your star female tennis player to strip or film porn in her dorm. At least not til she is done with her college career.

Here in Green Bay we have UW-Green Bay. The mens basketball team is the sole breadwinner and it makes no money as it is. The school is like dead last in the Horizon league for coaches pay and facilities. If they all of a sudden had to pay the players $50 a game the school would have to dump it's athletic's program or raise tickets by $20 per and at that rate they'd not draw flies. Or,borrow millions to start up football and hockey. Not a concern to somebody in LA or FLA but here..when sports and entertainment choices are already thin to lose Div 1 college BB would hurt many.


I would have no problem paying them something but as long as fans were not given the bill..but while Michigan and UCLA could pull it off I don't think it's something you could do nationwide unless you limited to just major conference football.

[demolition23]

They are getting paid.
As unproven high-school kids they're given four years of college education (including living costs I assume, not just tuition), that will be of immense value to the 99% of them that don't go on to be professional sportsmen.

[bane]

It's amateur sports, regardless of popularity. By definition, the players shouldn't get payed. High school football is pretty big where I come from, with televised games, big rivalries etc. What's next, are we going to start paying high school players? All that said, I would be open to exploring the possibility of some sort of stipend for athletes that spend all their free time at practices etc. while their classmates are able to get a part time job. I'm talking pretty small potatoes though. Just enough for a kid to have a little running around money.

[Drunk Kennedy]

pay them and take away their free education.

[makaveli]

pay them and take away their free education.

Actually not a bad idea.

[Redman77]

If they're paid, it's a four year contract with grade requirements.

[KillDevilHill]

pay them and take away their free education.

Actually not a bad idea.

Thats a horrible idea

[yeahbuddy]

no

[johnk5150]

It's amateur sports, regardless of popularity. By definition, the players shouldn't get payed. High school football is pretty big where I come from, with televised games, big rivalries etc. What's next, are we going to start paying high school players? All that said, I would be open to exploring the possibility of some sort of stipend for athletes that spend all their free time at practices etc. while their classmates are able to get a part time job. I'm talking pretty small potatoes though. Just enough for a kid to have a little running around money.

The system is set up to have people push the envelope regardless of any new rules. It's the system that sucks.

[TawnyVonJagger]

If they're paid, it's a four year contract with grade requirements.

This!

[Skate4RnR]

Lets see, the average cost for an out of state student at U of Michigan is about $50,000 a year. This includes room & board, books and fees. Yeah, I think I'd play football for 4 years to get a top flight education for free. Don't give me crap about the NCAA making money off these kids. My company makes money off my work and I'm not going to bitch about it.

Damn good point. When at KU I overheard a girl talking about the checks she'd receive after the bills were payed. It was fucking great and she played softball. In other words, she was getting paid, she'd get checks for what was left over.

If they don't like it let 'em take out college loans like I did. Those fucking suck, still paying them and will do so for a long, long time. Let 'em work full time and see if they'd trade places with guys like me.

[johnk5150]

If they don't like it let 'em take out college loans like I did. Those fucking suck, still paying them and will do so for a long, long time. Let 'em work full time and see if they'd trade places with guys like me.

They should be allowed to work. That gay ass rule saying they can't during the season needs to be abolished.

[Skate4RnR]

If they don't like it let 'em take out college loans like I did. Those fucking suck, still paying them and will do so for a long, long time. Let 'em work full time and see if they'd trade places with guys like me.

They should be allowed to work. That gay ass rule saying they can't during the season needs to be abolished.

Work? THEY'RE FUCKIN' BLACK!

[Redman77]

If they don't like it let 'em take out college loans like I did. Those fucking suck, still paying them and will do so for a long, long time. Let 'em work full time and see if they'd trade places with guys like me.

They should be allowed to work. That gay ass rule saying they can't during the season needs to be abolished.

Work during the summer and save up your money instead of buying expensive clothes, jewelry and cars. You earn peanuts working during the school year.

[johnk5150]

Work during the summer and save up your money instead of buying expensive clothes, jewelry and cars. You earn peanuts working during the school year.

Maybe it's changed since I was in college but the football players back in the late 80s and early 90s where I went to school wore the same t-shirt and flip flops every damn day. Most of the linemen (guess what color) had some money, but the skill posistion players didn't have shit.

[Bassmaster1984]

They get a FREE 100 thousand dollar education. that is pay enough.

[Kid-Wicked]

if the school is selling a jersey with the players name and number on it, the player should absolutely get paid for that. posters? t shirts? all the same.

are they allowed to have part time jobs off the field? royalties should be allowed.


k.w.
who cares anyway?

[Skate4RnR]

Regular American workers should get paid what they're worth first THEN we'll worry about college athletes.