“One of the things that makes the NFL great is that Roger Goodell” should not be part of the same sentence until it’s finished with “does not work there”
I’m not talking about $5,000 a session. I’m talking about a guy like Tua getting paid $5,000 apiece by, say, 20 of Bama’s most wealthy boosters for “signing autographs.” I think things like that will become common place.
The guy’s far from perfect but the NFL as a sport has thrived under his leadership. I’m not a huge fan, but I do believe he’s not scared to come down on the most popular teams and players when it’s called for, which is the exact opposite of what the NCAA does.
There’s no need - the players get paid a ton of money.
You’re never going to see salaries in college like you do in the NFL. There will always be a market for boosters to pay players - the only difference is whether it’s within the rules or not.
I feel like your reasons are counter-intuitive to what arguments you’re trying to make.
On Zion:
It’s worthless to even talk about players like Zion. In a year or two, players like Zion are going straight to the NBA and aren’t even part of the NCAA discussion. But…remember Zion’s shoe blowout and resulting injury? What if Zion suffered a career-ending injury in that moment? He didn’t deserve a single cent of incremental income for the MASSIVE publicity he brought to the sport, to Duke, etc.? C’mon man.
Or, better yet, use Charles Mathews. He may never see a pro contract as a result of his injury (or, at least, have his pro income permanently impaired). Doesn’t Charles deserve to have a bit more of a safety net than “just” his Michigan degree in exchange for the value he brought to college basketball?
On competitive balance:
Having these payments under the table only serves to limit competitive differentiation because some programs will self-select and not participate in this market (like Michigan). If it’s in the open, how could that further limit from the situation we have today? And, if the NCAA can’t enforce it’s own rules, then why not make fewer of them?
Finally…this part isn’t contradictory, but just to comment…
That’s because it “used to be” a much smaller $ venture. Look at the way revenues have exploded in the last several years. That’s why it could have been perfectly fair and relevant in the past, but not in keeping with the evolution of the sport (and, specifically, the business around it).
This is exactly right…so why create a dynamic where only cheaters take advantage of something that is going to happen anyway? Why not democratize it to level the playing field and increase the breadth of competition?
They just need to spin off the revenue sports into a private athletic club. Euro model. Enough of this BS.
All fair points.
Sure, I would agree Zion deserved something, same with Matthews, which is why I’ve said in this thread maybe we should consider taking half the profits from every sport and sharing them with the players.
Really, the first thing that probably needs to happen is for the NCAA and member schools to open their books, so we know how much revenue and profit we’re talking about, and how it’s being spent.
On Matthews, the guy did receive the benefit of excellent coaching, weight training, exposure and playing against good competition, all of which will help him forge a career in pro basketball, whether it’s the NBA or elsewhere. If you had to value everything these guys receive for free each year they play, it’s not chump change.
I agree that current NCAA enforcement is terrible. I’d rather let everyone pay players than what we have now. But to me, that’s been a recent change. The NCAA used to have some teeth.
My plan would be - let anyone turn pro whenever they want (including out of HS), revenue sharing for all players equally (they all contribute to the product), and nice stipends every semester. And I agree with Harbaugh - you get a one time, free transfer without sitting out a year.
Why would they give money like that to Tua? It does little to nothing for the team. Why not give money to 5* HS players instead? Tua would be one of the relatively few players who would have a lot of value doing legitimate promotions.
Bingo
This is all a result of tying a multi-billion dollar business to educational institutions. Be one, and pay the people who produce the billions, or be the other, and stop selling Tostitos ads during halftime.
You don’t the ability of current star players to make a lot of money would help in recruiting? Come on.
Ding, ding, ding, ding ding. Well said. Could not have put it any simpler.
Well (high school senior) Tua, you know that we can’t give a recruit like you money to come to 'Roll Tide U but once you’re on campus we plan to host a $5k per seat getting to know the freshman session for you. All on the up and up like see.
They can go straight to the pros and make money, it’s just that the most desirable league to most top players has collectively bargained not to accept them for one year. That’s just life.
Well then let them file suit against the NBA.
Nothing is going to happen to these coaches. It would turn D1 basketball on its head.
They will find other scapegoats… As sad as that will be.
Coaches have been fired before for recruiting violations. I don’t see how Will Wade keeps his job, for example. (I mean, he probably will, but it’s insane).
I agree with you. This is different thou. It is a lot of coaches. Maybe some will be fired but most will escape for the sake of “stability”
I’m all for revenue sharing for certain pots of money (e.g. video games), but if it flows through schools, it brings Title IX into play (where there is an imbalance in the value creation). This is also the issue with stipends.
What I like about giving access to NIL is that free market dynamics will dictate value, with no Title IX entanglements.
He’s a dirtbag piece of trash along with all the owners.