The NCAA may not have touched a penny from the taxpayers of Pennsylvania. Penn State's football program made a profit of $53 million for the 2010-2011 football season (the last season for which Penn State has released financial information).
If they want to punish the football program, fine, shut it down.
That would be ideal. However, shutting the program down for two years would cost the University well over $100 million in revenue it would otherwise receive from the football program - not to mention the revenue lost in the community if no home games are played.
The Athletic department will “borrow” the money from the University. The first $12 million payment is set aside in some sort of escrow. Those profits fund all the other sports. The athletic department as a whole operates at a profit, but they don’t have that kind of money laying around.
That said, if Judge Kane in Harrisburg (first level of Federal Judges) gives the state standing and issues an injunction, then all the sanctions are basically going away.
At least until the ncaa would go to court. The state didn’t ask for an immediate injunction, so it’s unknown if one were to be requested, whether it would be before discovery or after.
Given that the penalties are very time sensitive, the state should have demanded an immediate injunction (imo).
What gives the NCAA the authority to lift 60 million from the taxpayers of Pennsylvania?
The 53 million stayed in the athletic dept to fund the rest of the college sports programs many of which are title 9 dictated. Did the women and coaches of the ladies lacrosse team do something wrong?
Where will the state get the money to fund those programs now?
Attendance was down considerably this year and will continue to decline for a decade. Revenues will be down across the board for the football program and the supporting businesses.
I realize that innocent youth were terribly wronged by the actions of a few there. IMO that doesn't give the NCAA the authority to harm the innocent taxpayers, students and student athletes.
Not trying to argue, too painful, just trying to approach things logically. Can't get my head around the concept that a body established to govern college sports can issue monetary fines that will penalize every person in the state.