There is a mouthful there !
College Student Athletes get Paid???!
- Thread starter Candice Beards
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There is a mouthful there !
Interesting topic. Here's the thing with this and I understand the amount of money that major programs like football and basketball bring in but have you ever looked at the average cost of tuition and such. To attend the university of Michigan is about $24,000 a year and to attend the university of Oklahoma is about $19,000 a year. So let's say on average you're looking at $22,000 a year for 4-5 years means a full ride scholarship athlete receives $110,000 over the course of a 5 year span. AND gets an education that will help them provide for themselves and their families well into the future. That's a deal that honestly I feel athletes should be happy with because I don't think anyone else attending these types of universities receive anything near this.
I would fine with the athletes getting an 'allowance'. Maybe a loaded debit card that gets refilled ever semester upon successful completion of their courses, or XX dollars a month. But there should be limits. Maybe there's only certain places the card can be used or for certain items. I don't think we need to give athletes cash or the right to buy whatever they want (drugs, alcohol...) with university money. Remember they are receiving $110.000 over the next 5 years. AND and education.
So far as the merchandising and such goes, I can go either way. I think with adequate compensation (tuition/allowance) then the athletes should forgo their rights to their likeness (for now) for profit. Is it ok that Adrian Peterson while in college is going to make a crap load of money but the line who blocked for him will not make any? I'm not a huge fan of revenue sharing (mainly because it hurts my Yankees and Cowboys) but in the college ranks I could probably live with it but like someone said earlier, places like Michigan (sorry I refuse to use Notre Dame as my example) are going to make a lot more money than Utah becoming much more attractive to better athletes.
As far as an athlete quitting, sorry but if you quit, you're done and I consider that to be, in a way, a 'breach of contract'. However if you are injured through the course of play than I am in full favor of the school honoring their 'contract' in terms of the athletes scholarship. A coach leaving or being cut... That's an interesting take and one I could be talked into going either way with.
Great topic, lots of great opinions and ideas from everyone.
I would fine with the athletes getting an 'allowance'. Maybe a loaded debit card that gets refilled ever semester upon successful completion of their courses, or XX dollars a month. But there should be limits. Maybe there's only certain places the card can be used or for certain items. I don't think we need to give athletes cash or the right to buy whatever they want (drugs, alcohol...) with university money. Remember they are receiving $110.000 over the next 5 years. AND and education.
So far as the merchandising and such goes, I can go either way. I think with adequate compensation (tuition/allowance) then the athletes should forgo their rights to their likeness (for now) for profit. Is it ok that Adrian Peterson while in college is going to make a crap load of money but the line who blocked for him will not make any? I'm not a huge fan of revenue sharing (mainly because it hurts my Yankees and Cowboys) but in the college ranks I could probably live with it but like someone said earlier, places like Michigan (sorry I refuse to use Notre Dame as my example) are going to make a lot more money than Utah becoming much more attractive to better athletes.
As far as an athlete quitting, sorry but if you quit, you're done and I consider that to be, in a way, a 'breach of contract'. However if you are injured through the course of play than I am in full favor of the school honoring their 'contract' in terms of the athletes scholarship. A coach leaving or being cut... That's an interesting take and one I could be talked into going either way with.
Great topic, lots of great opinions and ideas from everyone.
A lot of good thoghts and opinions on this thread. I have read comments/threads about girls playing Softball in college and the comittments they make in time to their sport and classes. I see very little time for students/athlets for part time jobs to earn simple spending money for life enjoyment. Not talking about $200 jeans or $150 lobster dinner. Maybe enough for the few nights/day off for pizza with friends, birthday gift for someone, date night etc. Yes they are getting free education un-like the paying students for their education. The paying student can set their schedule around a part time job or vice-versa but the student athlete has their schedule set for them. I know they should be there first for the education then sports then anything else.but on the rare occasion practice is over and homework done, some don't have debit card stocked by moms and dads.
Escrow fund is an interesting idea, and I'd suggest that if you quit or go to the NFL, that money is forfeit to be distributed to other athletes' funds, not to revert to the school.
Candice Beards
Forever a terp!
- Jul 13, 2014
- 19
- 0
I agree with what everyone is saying actually! It's funny because this is a huge debate now..and I'm on the fence about it! In college we had a contract to sign each year so you are not guaranteed 4 years..but it's kind of like your expecting to get re signed with the money you were promised for the first year. And also if you quit you don't get your scholarship like your pretty much quitting your job you know. If you get hurt medical bills are paid for. But my things is what about the little money that young college student athletes need for like other expenses? That's my question..how do you all feel about that?
Candice Beards
Forever a terp!
- Jul 13, 2014
- 19
- 0
I 100% agree with you!!
We had a set schedule and your outside time is what you chose to do with it but the outside was for studying we didn't have time to work unless during off season which was for working out and getting focused on grades so yes I'm glad to see your point of view as this
- Nov 3, 2012
- 480
- 16
Here's a quote yesterday from the Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby relating to the O'bannon lawsuit and unionization of college sports.
Also, At the local D1 school I live by, I understand the student Athletes already get a small weekly stipend. Something like $25 a week.
Bob Bowlsby Quote:
"Bowlsby, however, came to the defense of the collegiate model, which has come under criticism. He argued against the unionization of college athletes, noting that in his opinion, "student-athletes are not employees." He also said it wouldn't be fair to pay football players but not female student-athletes.
"It is hard to justify paying student-athletes in football and men's basketball and not recognizing the significant effort that swimmers and wrestlers and lacrosse players and track athletes all put in," he said. "Football and basketball players don't work any harder than anybody else; they just happen to have the blessing of an adoring public who is willing to pay for the tickets and willing to buy the products on television that come with the high visibility.
"We have both a legal obligation and a moral obligation to do for female student-athletes and male Olympic sports athletes just exactly what we do for football and basketball student
Also, At the local D1 school I live by, I understand the student Athletes already get a small weekly stipend. Something like $25 a week.
Bob Bowlsby Quote:
"Bowlsby, however, came to the defense of the collegiate model, which has come under criticism. He argued against the unionization of college athletes, noting that in his opinion, "student-athletes are not employees." He also said it wouldn't be fair to pay football players but not female student-athletes.
"It is hard to justify paying student-athletes in football and men's basketball and not recognizing the significant effort that swimmers and wrestlers and lacrosse players and track athletes all put in," he said. "Football and basketball players don't work any harder than anybody else; they just happen to have the blessing of an adoring public who is willing to pay for the tickets and willing to buy the products on television that come with the high visibility.
"We have both a legal obligation and a moral obligation to do for female student-athletes and male Olympic sports athletes just exactly what we do for football and basketball student
- Oct 14, 2008
- 665
- 16
All D1 athletes now whether mid or major D1 receive meal cards. And that also includes snacks. There isnt much else at that age they really need. The time they spend on their sports plus academics do not allow a ton of free time to enjoy anything else.
If they need to be paid , pay them min wage. And or a stipend for living off campus once they become upper classman. Relax the FASFA requirements and help the middle class pay for more of their kids schooling.
Remember you are only talking a very small percentage of kids here, Out of all the kids that play ball only close to 1% go on to play D1, less than 1/2 of that one percent receive athletic scholarships of varying amounts.
Tim
If they need to be paid , pay them min wage. And or a stipend for living off campus once they become upper classman. Relax the FASFA requirements and help the middle class pay for more of their kids schooling.
Remember you are only talking a very small percentage of kids here, Out of all the kids that play ball only close to 1% go on to play D1, less than 1/2 of that one percent receive athletic scholarships of varying amounts.
Tim
Are you saying that all major and mid D1 schools are required by the NCAA to provide meal cards? Or is that your assumption?
While I agree with what Bowlsby is saying, I am skeptical of his sincerity.
Stipends in some form have been around for a long time - when I played 20 years ago, we also received cash on the weekends when we traveled. The cash was for our food, and it was a pretty generous amount. If we were thrifty with our money - getting a deli sandwich rather than a sit-down meal, for example, we usually had money left over to spend during the week. Giving the student athlete and extra couple of dollars to cover incidentals doesn't seem to be a far jump from what is already in place. It seems to me that the "unionized, payed employees" bit is what the universities are nervous about, rather than the actual money - and I understand that. It's a slippery slope.
I was lucky enough to attend a school that had restrictions in place regarding practice times. For example, our practices could not begin before 4 p.m, so we had the option to take all of the afternoon lab courses that we needed for a science degree. This is not the case at most schools today. If practice begins at 1 or 2 p.m, the student athlete is somewhat restricted in which courses she can take - I believe that this devalues the $110,000 that the student is getting "paid".
There is a great documentary out there called "Schooled" - it goes into the origins of the term "student athlete" and ends by touching upon some of the lawsuits that are cropping up now (the film was shot just before the suits were filed)
Stipends in some form have been around for a long time - when I played 20 years ago, we also received cash on the weekends when we traveled. The cash was for our food, and it was a pretty generous amount. If we were thrifty with our money - getting a deli sandwich rather than a sit-down meal, for example, we usually had money left over to spend during the week. Giving the student athlete and extra couple of dollars to cover incidentals doesn't seem to be a far jump from what is already in place. It seems to me that the "unionized, payed employees" bit is what the universities are nervous about, rather than the actual money - and I understand that. It's a slippery slope.
I was lucky enough to attend a school that had restrictions in place regarding practice times. For example, our practices could not begin before 4 p.m, so we had the option to take all of the afternoon lab courses that we needed for a science degree. This is not the case at most schools today. If practice begins at 1 or 2 p.m, the student athlete is somewhat restricted in which courses she can take - I believe that this devalues the $110,000 that the student is getting "paid".
There is a great documentary out there called "Schooled" - it goes into the origins of the term "student athlete" and ends by touching upon some of the lawsuits that are cropping up now (the film was shot just before the suits were filed)
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