What is your take on players getting paid?

Aggie formerly in Hawaii · Post by **Aggie formerly in Hawaii** » May 7th, 2020, 9:17 pm

I have mixed feelings about the possibility of players getting paid from the University or the NCAA. I don't know if I could get fully on board with something like that, but I'm open to arguments one way or the other.

I am fully on board with players being able to sign endorsement deals and profit off their likeness. If Zion Williamson wanted to sign a shoe deal while still at Duke, why shouldn't he be able to? If Sam Merrill wants to do endorsements in Utah while still playing at Utah State, why shouldn't he be allowed to do that? If Queta wants to have an autograph and picture day at Herm's Inn and charge fans 10 dollars an autograph and picture, good for him.

What are your thoughts fellow Aggie fans?

Real Life Aggie · Post by **Real Life Aggie** » May 8th, 2020, 12:31 am

I'm not a huge fan of the NCAA, honestly. They've created this "student athlete" figure that they can extort and personally profit off of, and there's no real recourse for players.

That having been said, I'm not familiar with the intricacies involved here. Thus, I don't have much comment other than where I think the NCAA can blow it out of...

hipsterdoofus21 · Post by **hipsterdoofus21** » May 8th, 2020, 5:50 am

I think the athletes should be able to profit off of their name and likeness, and I think there should be a check handed to them based on the profits generated for the institution the day they graduate. The key here being that if their sport doesn't generate a profit for the school, they will merely have their scholarship.

The amount of money is also prorated based on how many years you spent playing with that school. So if you transfer to another school after your sophomore year for example you'll forfeit the money the university owes you the first two years you played there. This would incentivize sticking it out with your team or at least benefit the guys who do. However, if a player's scholarship is not renewed and they are counseled out, they would get the money.

I don't think this should in any way be a crazy amount of money, but enough to encourage kids to stay in a school and graduate, as well as thank them for the money they brought into the university.

dyedblue · Post by **dyedblue** » May 8th, 2020, 6:45 am

Does Title IX make this al but impossible?

Do you pay every track, golf, and X-country athlete? Do they pay the university money at the end of their career for the money lost by sponsoring their sport?

Does the walk-in get the same payment as the star QB?

It is a slippery slope and while I’m on board with getting more money and resources to our athletes, I don’t think it is possible to do it equitably under the current system.

Could something like the lower level minor league baseball model work? Each player gets the exact same pay check every pay day regardless of where they were drafted. There is a signing bonus offered, but each player gets the same pay. In the end that isn’t much different than the current system.

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NVAggie · Post by **NVAggie** » May 8th, 2020, 10:17 am

I'm highly against paying college athletes. If they want to get paid, they should be able to go pro immediately. I like the idea of a student athlete. They only way I would be okay with it is if there was a pool of money dished out by the NCAA (who I don't trust one bit). I'm in favor of a more level playing field. Anything that promotes equality is good by me.

Aggie formerly in Hawaii · Post by **Aggie formerly in Hawaii** » May 8th, 2020, 10:25 am

NVAggie wrote: ↑
May 8th, 2020, 10:17 am
I'm highly against paying college athletes. If they want to get paid, they should be able to go pro immediately. I like the idea of a student athlete. They only way I would be okay with it is if there was a pool of money dished out by the NCAA (who I don't trust one bit). I'm in favor of a more level playing field. Anything that promotes equality is good by me.

What about players profiting off their likeness unrelated to the NCAA or the University? What if Cache Valley Electric wanted to do a commercial and pay Sam Merrill? Would you be against that?

Aggie formerly in Hawaii · Post by **Aggie formerly in Hawaii** » May 8th, 2020, 10:28 am

dyedblue wrote: ↑
May 8th, 2020, 6:45 am
Does Title IX make this al but impossible?

Do you pay every track, golf, and X-country athlete? Do they pay the university money at the end of their career for the money lost by sponsoring their sport?

Does the walk-in get the same payment as the star QB?

It is a slippery slope and while I’m on board with getting more money and resources to our athletes, I don’t think it is possible to do it equitably under the current system.

Could something like the lower level minor league baseball model work? Each player gets the exact same pay check every pay day regardless of where they were drafted. There is a signing bonus offered, but each player gets the same pay. In the end that isn’t much different than the current system.

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Yeah I don't know how colleges themselves can pay players. Some could, but most colleges don't make enough money to pay players even if they could. This is a 5 year old article, but it shows only 24 athletic programs in the country actually make a profit. So from that standpoint it would be hard to pay players.

That is why I say let players who can make money independently from the University explore those options, but don't try and pay them more than their scholarship since there isn't money to do at almost every University. If a star player can get endorsements, I don't see why he shouldn't be able to get those.

NVAggie · Post by **NVAggie** » May 8th, 2020, 11:02 am

Aggie formerly in Hawaii wrote: ↑
May 8th, 2020, 10:25 am

NVAggie wrote: ↑
May 8th, 2020, 10:17 am
I'm highly against paying college athletes. If they want to get paid, they should be able to go pro immediately. I like the idea of a student athlete. They only way I would be okay with it is if there was a pool of money dished out by the NCAA (who I don't trust one bit). I'm in favor of a more level playing field. Anything that promotes equality is good by me.
What about players profiting off their likeness unrelated to the NCAA or the University? What if Cache Valley Electric wanted to do a commercial and pay Sam Merrill? Would you be against that?

Not really, but I guess it would give us back our college video games.

Imakeitrain · Post by **Imakeitrain** » May 8th, 2020, 5:34 pm

With players being able to go to G League out of HS, I don’t mind it.

I just don’t like the combination of being able to pay payers AND not penalizing players for a D-1 to D-1 transfer,

It’s not like it’s not already happening. There is a school to the south of here that have boosters taking people to Disneyland and strip clubs. This school also sets former athletes with careers they typically wouldn’t be qualified for right after college. The first 2 are currently illegal the latter is legal.

dyedblue · Post by **dyedblue** » May 8th, 2020, 6:04 pm

I can understand the desire to let an athlete make money from their likeness, but it opens an avenue for massive abuse. Does Auburn now pay Cam Newton $1,000,000 to do endorsements instead of $250,000 under the table?

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VegasBornAggie · Post by **VegasBornAggie** » May 8th, 2020, 9:03 pm

I do like the idea/concept of players being able to get compensation for their likeness being used. Mainly because it could give us back the NCAA video games, and also enable us to be able to purchase jerseys from of our favorite players.

Jjoey52 · Post by **Jjoey52** » May 9th, 2020, 9:59 am

They are getting paid, that schollie is worth a good amount of money. If they graduate, it adds even more value. As an incentive to graduate a percentage of money made by using their likeness could be given to them upon graduation.

trevordude · Post by **trevordude** » May 9th, 2020, 12:18 pm

Universities have sports to bring in community engagement, more students. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flutie_effect

The way Title 9 has been interpreted creates large costs for athletic departments https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Title_IX

There are profitable men's basketball, soccer, football, baseball, and hockey teams, so arguably not "paying" these students a salary in these sports is limiting their earning potential. Women's soccer is the only profitable women's sport I know of (I suppose there's beach volleyball, women's basketball and hockey in Russia, maybe a few sponsored track athletes?). Regardless of gender, the vast vast majority of participants won't make a salary playing a sport that is of greater worth than a scholarship, housing, food, stipend, etc.

Though USU wouldn't be able to pay Average Joe from Nibley more than his scholarship worth, the top half of the P5 conferences could possibly pull off a strategy of paying male basketball and football players IF they didn't have to pay athletes in non-revenue sports. This still leaves a huge market of players that want to play for something, but aren't good enough for the SEC, and universities that want to benefits of hosting athletics without giving more than they're already giving.

If the Title 9 issue can be worked out, I believe within the next decade there will be a break off from the NCAA with paid athletes.

Aggie formerly in Hawaii · Post by **Aggie formerly in Hawaii** » May 9th, 2020, 1:58 pm

trevordude wrote: ↑
May 9th, 2020, 12:18 pm
Universities have sports to bring in community engagement, more students. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flutie_effect

The way Title 9 has been interpreted creates large costs for athletic departments https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Title_IX

There are profitable men's basketball, soccer, football, baseball, and hockey teams, so arguably not "paying" these students a salary in these sports is limiting their earning potential. Women's soccer is the only profitable women's sport I know of (I suppose there's beach volleyball, women's basketball and hockey in Russia, maybe a few sponsored track athletes?). Regardless of gender, the vast vast majority of participants won't make a salary playing a sport that is of greater worth than a scholarship, housing, food, stipend, etc.

Though USU wouldn't be able to pay Average Joe from Nibley more than his scholarship worth, the top half of the P5 conferences could possibly pull off a strategy of paying male basketball and football players IF they didn't have to pay athletes in non-revenue sports. This still leaves a huge market of players that want to play for something, but aren't good enough for the SEC, and universities that want to benefits of hosting athletics without giving more than they're already giving.

If the Title 9 issue can be worked out, I believe within the next decade there will be a break off from the NCAA with paid athletes.

That is the issue with paying players from the University. Very few sports are actually profitable. Only around 24 athletic departments as a whole are profitable and Title 9 as you mention makes it more murky since paying the football team would mean you would have to pay the women's volleyball team.

The solution is let players get endorsements and profit off their name if they are able to do that. Then you don't have to worry about paying anybody, but the star athletes can go sign deals and fairly get money. Jalen Green who was the top recruit who picked the G league over college probably goes to college if he can sign a million dollar shoe deal while in college.

Aggie formerly in Hawaii · Post by **Aggie formerly in Hawaii** » May 9th, 2020, 2:01 pm

dyedblue wrote: ↑
May 8th, 2020, 6:04 pm
I can understand the desire to let an athlete make money from their likeness, but it opens an avenue for massive abuse. Does Auburn now pay Cam Newton $1,000,000 to do endorsements instead of $250,000 under the table?

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True, but there are abuses right now. As you point out Cam Newton got paid illegally under the current system. If it was legal under certain circumstances you could better regulate it than it is now where it is all illegal. Boosters could have their businesses endorse players instead of doing under the table payments.

Pacobag · Post by **Pacobag** » May 9th, 2020, 2:30 pm

Some of the benefits of an athletic scholarship:
University education & tutor access
Room & board
All expense paid travel opportunities
Access to medical staff
Access to personal training staff
Access to athletic facilities
Top notch coaching that helps athletes improve their abilities/value (disclaimer: not all coaching staffs are top notch)
Athletic gear/clothing
In some cases, the TV/media exposure from playing in the NCAA can be a huge marketing opportunity that significantly increases the value of an athlete and improves their personal network as well

I'm not sure what these benefits can add up to, but for some it could be a very large number. Obviously the athletes need to bring talent and hard work to really take advantage of the opportunities to set themselves up for a very lucrative career.

If universities and businesses are able to pay student athletes, I think there will be a bigger separation between the haves and the have nots. A booster could promise a recruit a lucrative commercial opportunity if they sign with his/her alma mater. It would make the playing field, less even. Financially, it wouldn't be a bad thing for the elite athletes, but it could be a bad thing for many of the other athletes and fans of smaller schools.

Aggie formerly in Hawaii · Post by **Aggie formerly in Hawaii** » May 9th, 2020, 6:23 pm

I don't know if it will be a bigger change than it is now. Maybe for some players. A guy who is a backup at an elite program may try and gut it out instead of transfer to a G5 program with the thought of getting paid if he can make a name for himself. Honestly I worry more about them doing away with the one year transfer penalty. That will severely damage mid major programs ability to hold onto their great players.

The NCAA is moving to allow players to profit off their likeness and get endorsements. The next decade of college basketball and football will be very interesting.

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/04/2 ... nts-220507

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