RE: Should NCAA "Student Athletes" get paid?
March 17, 2015 at 1:58 pm
(This post was last modified: March 17, 2015 at 2:02 pm by Cato.)
I could go on for days on this topic and as I type am still not sure how I'm going to vote. Perhaps 'other'. I agree that the system is hosed.
Sports and academics. This can never be lost sight of, even if in some cases the academics part becomes a charade. I love the advertisement touting most student athletes turn professional in something other than sports. This is undeniable, but these often aren't the school's moneymakers. I suggest that for every football or basketball player drafted or signed as a free agent within a year of leaving school, the university should award some number of full scholarships to academically deserving kids that otherwise couldn't afford to go to school. Student athletes must still maintain academic eligibility.
The above scholarships should be paid for directly by the NFL or NBA. The fact that these deep pocketed organizations have de facto free developmental leagues where they have absolutely no risk is criminal.
I don't think student athletes should be paid directly in addition to their scholarship, but I think the alumni/booster involvement should be brought above board. Let them support their teams, but let the university manage allocation in providing room, board, clothing, small gifts, etc. The NFL and NBA should also contribute here, but I see their money being used more in managing facilities and medical care.
If we start trying to determine the value of individual players then the agents will enter and the circus that Steel alluded to will start to unfold. If this becomes the case then I think it would be far better to force the NFL and NBA to manage their own developmental leagues, tighten academic standards, take a short term hit to the quality of the sports, and get on with life with a little more integrity.
I forgot to mention that I think the prominent athletes should be able to earn revenue from their notoriety. We can talk about ways to control this, but if people are buying memorabilia with their name on it I think it right to develop some standard of compensation.
Sports and academics. This can never be lost sight of, even if in some cases the academics part becomes a charade. I love the advertisement touting most student athletes turn professional in something other than sports. This is undeniable, but these often aren't the school's moneymakers. I suggest that for every football or basketball player drafted or signed as a free agent within a year of leaving school, the university should award some number of full scholarships to academically deserving kids that otherwise couldn't afford to go to school. Student athletes must still maintain academic eligibility.
The above scholarships should be paid for directly by the NFL or NBA. The fact that these deep pocketed organizations have de facto free developmental leagues where they have absolutely no risk is criminal.
I don't think student athletes should be paid directly in addition to their scholarship, but I think the alumni/booster involvement should be brought above board. Let them support their teams, but let the university manage allocation in providing room, board, clothing, small gifts, etc. The NFL and NBA should also contribute here, but I see their money being used more in managing facilities and medical care.
If we start trying to determine the value of individual players then the agents will enter and the circus that Steel alluded to will start to unfold. If this becomes the case then I think it would be far better to force the NFL and NBA to manage their own developmental leagues, tighten academic standards, take a short term hit to the quality of the sports, and get on with life with a little more integrity.
I forgot to mention that I think the prominent athletes should be able to earn revenue from their notoriety. We can talk about ways to control this, but if people are buying memorabilia with their name on it I think it right to develop some standard of compensation.
