If this doesn't tell the story....

[Slaton10]

A clip out of USATODAY about the monies in college athletics and the non-payment of players.....

If there is still a sentiment out there that the players get payment with a full ride on college scholarship , well thats like saying the folks in taiwan that make Nike basketball shoes should be happy they get a free pair of for christmas!

Meanwhile, college athletes, who compete as amateurs and cannot be paid under NCAA rules, helped Division I schools generate nearly $11 billion in revenue in 2012-13, research by USA TODAY Sports shows, with more than $4.8 billion going to 55 schools in the six power college conferences (Big Ten, Pac-12, Southeastern, Big 12, ACC and Big East). Those schools comprised 16% of the Division I membership but claimed 45% of the revenue, the analysis shows.

 

[DBAR4WVU]

I would be willing to bet that the majority of the money going to the top conferences is their television revenue. It comes as no surprise (to me at least) that the top conferences with the top schools would garner the most $$$ from the networks. The top teams bring in the most viewers.....

Are you going to watch Texas vs. Oklahoma or Buffalo vs. E. Michigan?

To the point of the money - most Teams in Div. I lose money each year. So despite any $$ that might be generated, how would they pay players? It will require the NCAA to take a percentage of the revenue from the conferences and divide it up among the players. Do the players on the top teams generating the most revenue get more $$$?? There are no easy answers.

 

[Anotherwvufan]

I would be willing to bet that the majority of the money going to the top conferences is their television revenue. It comes as no surprise (to me at least) that the top conferences with the top schools would garner the most $$$ from the networks. The top teams bring in the most viewers.....

Are you going to watch Texas vs. Oklahoma or Buffalo vs. E. Michigan?

To the point of the money - most Teams in Div. I lose money each year. So despite any $$ that might be generated, how would they pay players? It will require the NCAA to take a percentage of the revenue from the conferences and divide it up among the players. Do the players on the top teams generating the most revenue get more $$$?? There are no easy answers.

There are some easy answers. While many Div 1 programs lose money, they still pay their coaches millions. Easy way #1: cut coaches salaries in half and give the money to the players. 1.5 mil divided by 85 players = $17,647 per player.

If you want an easier way, just look to amateur Olympic athletes...They are allowed to appear in comercials and make money to support themselves. NCAA can put limits on compensation allowed to even out schools and players within schools. Does not make athletes employees. Does not cost the school anything other than compliance expenses.

Let Johnny sign his name for a buck, and he might stick around for 4 years.

 

[WVUDAD]

What they fail to tell is that revenue and profit are two different things!!! VERY few athletics departments actually make money. Yes the football teams earn money, and some basketball teams earn money, but the other 15-25 sports are paid for out of that huge football money. I agree that coaches salaries are outrageous but so are pro player salaries, singer salaries, actors salaries, big famous names are worth big money today, I do not like it, but guys like Luck will pay what a coach wants, and no one wants to be the AD who lets a top coach get away over a measly million bucks. Hell look at the posts on this site deriding Pastilong for standing up to Fraud over the textbooks and the WWW site, that were against NCAA rules!!!!!

 

[WVUDAD]

There are some easy answers. While many Div 1 programs lose money, they still pay their coaches millions. Easy way #1: cut coaches salaries in half and give the money to the players. 1.5 mil divided by 85 players = $17,647 per player.

If you want an easier way, just look to amateur Olympic athletes...They are allowed to appear in comercials and make money to support themselves. NCAA can put limits on compensation allowed to even out schools and players within schools. Does not make athletes employees. Does not cost the school anything other than compliance expenses.

Let Johnny sign his name for a buck, and he might stick around for 4 years.

Another, I agree with you for the most part, but who is going to be the first AD to tell a Saban or Hatter that their pay is getting cut? As to the kids having jobs, the reason that is against the rules is as close as Huntington and Marshall Reynolds, who paid football players way above market wages and padded their time. Hell there were kids at OSU 20 years ago who "worked" at a certain Chevy dealer, but didnt even know where it was!!! There are hard things needing worked out, they are raping the fans to pay the coach, they never miss a chance to charge more. AND some fans are all for it, , guys are cheering the prices going up, they brag about an $8 hot dog as some sort of badge of honor!!!

 

[Slaton10]

There are some easy answers. While many Div 1 programs lose money, they still pay their coaches millions. Easy way #1: cut coaches salaries in half and give the money to the players. 1.5 mil divided by 85 players = $17,647 per player.

If you want an easier way, just look to amateur Olympic athletes...They are allowed to appear in comercials and make money to support themselves. NCAA can put limits on compensation allowed to even out schools and players within schools. Does not make athletes employees. Does not cost the school anything other than compliance expenses.

Let Johnny sign his name for a buck, and he might stick around for 4 years.

It doesn't matter if they lose money...and honestly the way they do math on paper may not tell the story for self serving reasons...ask the government!.. think that thru before you dismiss it...No way a school conciously over spends more than than they take in...they have other revenue streams to compensate for either running in the black or break even...

I agree...if the kid can make an income on the side at an appearance or even a royalty off a video game I think that the athletes would call that a win...would it stop there...probably not but at least it shows a meeting in the middle for a period of time..

 

[Slaton10]

Heard a great conversation on the radio today about kids getting in college athletics getting paid...and those who beleive these kids get thier college educations taken care of as payment...

Yes, they may recieve a college education as part of the "Barter" agreement, but is it the education that the athlete wants? The conversation was how many of these kids are pressured to change their prefered degree to make sure they can maintain establish grades to not jepoardize thier eligibility and selected classes to make certain they do not interfere with practice or weight room time...so in essence if a kid wants to be a doctor, lawyer, engineer or other advanced majors that may require additioanl credits ...it is likely frowned upon by the coaching staff....and the additional credits may not neccassarily be covered under the BARTER agreement........

 

[DCWV4life]

Yes, they may recieve a college education as part of the "Barter" agreement, but is it the education that the athlete wants? The conversation was how many of these kids are pressured to change their prefered degree to make sure they can maintain establish grades to not jepoardize thier eligibility and selected classes to make certain they do not interfere with practice or weight room time...so in essence if a kid wants to be a doctor, lawyer, engineer or other advanced majors that may require additioanl credits ...it is likely frowned upon by the coaching staff....and the additional credits may not neccassarily be covered under the BARTER agreement........

I do not agree with this statement at all, there are kids in the sport who do exactly what the want to do professionally....hell FSU had a oxford candidate. Either you want it or you don't..IMO. but don't try make this an excuse for paying players. My cousin played at Notre Dame and he would laugh at this from his law office!

I would love to see how many DIV 1 football players are being held back from taking higher level college courses...doesn't seem to be happening at Stanford, Notre Dame, and a host of others.

Call it for what it is MOST (not all) athletes could care less about academics and they just want to be paid.

 

[Anotherwvufan]

I do not agree with this statement at all, there are kids in the sport who do exactly what the want to do professionally....hell FSU had a oxford candidate. Either you want it or you don't..IMO. but don't try make this an excuse for paying players. My cousin played at Notre Dame and he would laugh at this from his law office!

I would love to see how many DIV 1 football players are being held back from taking higher level college courses...doesn't seem to be happening at Stanford, Notre Dame, and a host of others.

Call it for what it is MOST (not all) athletes could care less about academics and they just want to be paid.

I'll back up Slaton on this one. Back when I was in school, Ollie earned a Rhodes Scholarship, but the majority of players were in PE degrees. They were rarely seen in regular classes. While someone can work really hard and make it through a good program, many choose the easy route so they can concentrate on football.
At BCS schools, players tend to pursue same major - ESPN ...
sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=ncf&id=6932700‎
ESPN

 

[DCWV4life]

I'll back up Slaton on this one. Back when I was in school, Ollie earned a Rhodes Scholarship, but the majority of players were in PE degrees. They were rarely seen in regular classes. While someone can work really hard and make it through a good program, many choose the easy route so they can concentrate on football.
At BCS schools, players tend to pursue same major - ESPN ...
sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=ncf&id=6932700‎
ESPN

Yes I agree but don't say it is because of football they go after those degrees when it is proven that you can get better degrees than PE....most (not all) of these kids are barely prepared for college coming out of high school, they do not go after skilled degrees because of their own foundation in academics. Athletics are stressed in these young men's lives not academics so under any circumstances they would still more than likely be going after these lame degrees..

Fact is if you really want something in life you work for it, not about the cry a river for athletes who don't want to join a class because the time is inconvenient.

 

[bbwvfan]

This is a complicated issue for me. I was a student athlete, but I was not on a full ride... so, I had to work while in college... take student loans... to offset the costs of my education. But, make no mistake... I would not have been able to attend the college where I went to play my sport without assistance.

Today, student athletes are not allowed to be employed while on full scholarship. I understand the reasons for it. Oliver Luck worked summers for one of my very good friends' father while at WVU. Luck and my buddy remain good friends today as a result.

Things change...

IMO, the middle class athlete is hurt the most from today's rules and regulations. He is not eligible for a Pell Grant which can be rendered in addition to their athletic scholarship. That is around $5,000 per year of free money from the US Gov't based on financial need.

Student athletes should not have to take loans while in school.

But, I don't think students need to be paid to play. It is still college. There is significant value to their scholarship that goes beyond the costs of their education. The employment opportunities made available to many through networking... the GOB club... being a former WVU athlete... have value that's hard to place a $$$ amount on.

 

[Anotherwvufan]

This is a complicated issue for me. I was a student athlete, but I was not on a full ride... so, I had to work while in college... take student loans... to offset the costs of my education. But, make no mistake... I would not have been able to attend the college where I went to play my sport without assistance.

Today, student athletes are not allowed to be employed while on full scholarship. I understand the reasons for it. Oliver Luck worked summers for one of my very good friends' father while at WVU. Luck and my buddy remain good friends today as a result.

Things change...

IMO, the middle class athlete is hurt the most from today's rules and regulations. He is not eligible for a Pell Grant which can be rendered in addition to their athletic scholarship. That is around $5,000 per year of free money from the US Gov't based on financial need.

Student athletes should not have to take loans while in school.

But, I don't think students need to be paid to play. It is still college. There is significant value to their scholarship that goes beyond the costs of their education. The employment opportunities made available to many through networking... the GOB club... being a former WVU athlete... have value that's hard to place a $$$ amount on.

I agree with you here. Students do not need to be paid to play. There are too many potential pitfalls in paying students such as fairness taxes/Workers Comp, how do you compensate the rifle team as opposed to bball and football etc. However, with the enormous amount of revenue generated, a full ride should really mean the full cost of attendance. Add to that the ability to make some cash on the side signing autographs, doing a commercial, or getting a commisoin check from EA Sports. I don't really have a problem if they mow DeForrests lawn for $100 per hour. If the athletic departments are not shelling out the cash, I don't see why the NCAA should oppose this.

 

[Slaton10]

I do not agree with this statement at all, there are kids in the sport who do exactly what the want to do professionally....hell FSU had a oxford candidate. Either you want it or you don't..IMO. but don't try make this an excuse for paying players. My cousin played at Notre Dame and he would laugh at this from his law office!

I would love to see how many DIV 1 football players are being held back from taking higher level college courses...doesn't seem to be happening at Stanford, Notre Dame, and a host of others.

Call it for what it is MOST (not all) athletes could care less about academics and they just want to be paid.

You got to ask yourself..how many of them are there ? It is a pretty small percentage. I would challenge you to see what the common degrees are that Student Athletes from the major sports programs are typically graduating on........even from Stanford and Notre Dame.......

 

[DCWV4life]

You got to ask yourself..how many of them are there ? It is a pretty small percentage. I would challenge you to see what the common degrees are that Student Athletes from the major sports programs are typically graduating on........even from Stanford and Notre Dame.......

Your missing my point, it is not how many are there it is that it is possible to play football and graduate with a advanced degre....these guys are acting like the reason more of these players are not taking courses other than general classes is because of all there obligations to football. Well some of the players on the same team found the time to do it. I am a big believer in the "if you want something bad enough you go get it" ...this just seems like an attempt to use this as a reason to pay players.

 

[WVUDAD]

Your missing my point, it is not how many are there it is that it is possible to play football and graduate with a advanced degre....these guys are acting like the reason more of these players are not taking courses other than general classes is because of all there obligations to football. Well some of the players on the same team found the time to do it. I am a big believer in the "if you want something bad enough you go get it" ...this just seems like an attempt to use this as a reason to pay players.

I agree totally, DC, I doubt there are many coaches out there telling QUALIFIED kids who are CAPABLE of being in pre med or engineering to study PE. Many of the kids playing the two big time sports are NOT capable of more than PE, some have been given grades to keep them eligable to play in HS, they have not learned the skills to study. Having a kid studying engineering, law, medicine is a feather in the cap of the school and coach, so they are NOT going to steer a CAPABLE kid into a lesser major.

 

[DCWV4life]

Sorry for the poor grammar in my post, looks like I needed to be in PE.

 

[WVUDAD]

Sorry for the poor grammar in my post, looks like I needed to be in PE.

When I use my tablet with its spell check and self correcting grammar it looks like a third grader wrote the post.

 

[Slaton10]

Your missing my point, it is not how many are there it is that it is possible to play football and graduate with a advanced degre....these guys are acting like the reason more of these players are not taking courses other than general classes is because of all there obligations to football. Well some of the players on the same team found the time to do it. I am a big believer in the "if you want something bad enough you go get it" ...this just seems like an attempt to use this as a reason to pay players.

No I'm not missing the point brother!..I got you...but what is that percentage of kids that are graduating Wv with an advanced degree inside of a football or basketball team...heck at Kentucky..they can't even get their kids into stay for their sophmore year...so what they are taking general studies for two semesters?..maybe?

 

[WVUDAD]

No I'm not missing the point brother!..I got you...but what is that percentage of kids that are graduating Wv with an advanced degree inside of a football or basketball team...heck at Kentucky..they can't even get their kids into stay for their sophmore year...so what they are taking general studies for two semesters?..maybe?

That brings up another question, how are UK and osu getting away with the one and done kids that do not hardly see the inside of a lecture hall with the academic standards in place now? Calipari and Matta recruit kids just to play the one year, knowing they will not be back. from what I see there are many more football players taking school serious than basketball players.

 

[DCWV4life]

No I'm not missing the point brother!..I got you...but what is that percentage of kids that are graduating Wv with an advanced degree inside of a football or basketball team...heck at Kentucky..they can't even get their kids into stay for their sophmore year...so what they are taking general studies for two semesters?..maybe?

But the fact they are not staying is not due to complications with scheduling the classes they want to take..let's face it all these kids see now is the instant money..much as we are a nation of instant gratification. I just don't see how the article you quoted can be considered accurate when guys on the same teams as players who say they are led down a different path graduated with advanced degrees comparatively . I am not saying getting some of these degrees would be easy with the schedule of the athlete, but there in lies the problem they changed the student-athlete into the athletes-student and their progress in academic programs shows it.

Honestly I think this part of the argument is more of a reflection on us as a society and our work ethic.

Didn't Lebron get some sort of degree and number retired at OSU? He was a never started and found a way! I can't remember why they put his number up(other than being from the area) but I always got a kick out of the fact he never took a class there.