One analyst said yesterday this could bring the end to big time college football since only about 20-25 schools actually make money on their programs.
I like college football, I used to love it. But I have seen up close that for many schools, sports trump academics every time. Even though they often lose money at it.
There are many hidden costs in this proposal.
1. What union is pushing this? It can make a big difference.
2. There will have to be some serious bookkeeping done to accomplish this correctly.
3. “Student/athletes” will have to produce a payroll time card, with correct information on it. Fraudulently presenting a card can get you fired. This income MUST be taxes or those who get taxed for their income will be furious.
4. All those FICA & Medicare taxes have to be matched by the ‘employer’—the school. There is also Federal Unemployment & state Unemployment taxes to be paid.
5. There will have to be ‘Workmen’s Comp’ insurance purchased. Could be a very high premium, since this sport has been defined in recent years as ‘very dangerous’. Who is going to pay for all the extra medical records involved?
6. IF a student is also getting a ‘free education & other college perks’, then IMO, that should count as income. Their participation in the ‘UNION’ is a direct connection to their ability to play athletic games on behalf of the college. The college is giving them a ‘scholarship based on their athletic ability’. The 2 activities are inseparable.
7. News reports state that these ‘athletes’ want a ‘health’ policy which will carry them thru their entire life if they get injuries. Since many of these ‘college’ students have been playing sports since they were 6 years old or such, who will be able to determine what injury they got at what time in their life? Did a 45 year old ‘ex-athlete’ from Northwestern (25 years from now) get his original injury in Pop Warner football—high school football or in college football or in Pro football??? There will be absolutely no way to know. The litigation will bankrupt the colleges and continue for years.
8. NO ONE is requiring ANY of these ‘athletes’ to play ANY sport. For many, it is a ticket out of a bad part of the community. Some make it all the way out—and some revert & never get cleanly out. BUT—that is no reason to punish the institution that is providing you a pathway to that escape.
9. Who pays for all the equipment these ‘athletes’ use? That isn’t cheap. So they can pay for their own equipment & maintain it, also. Same for transportation to games and other travel expenses.
10. How many small colleges will just shut down all their athletic programs—for both men & women? The burden will be too expensive.
11. How many colleges will demand that all these ‘athletes’ MUST do all their own homework & cannot be tutored to ‘stay in the program’??? Since ‘grading on the curve’ is so popular in colleges since the early 70’s, how many of these ‘athletes’ are actually capable of having a real career outside of sports IF they do ‘graduate’???
There are many blind pitfalls in this idea.
I see another attempt at an entitlement program which is ‘reparations’ in disguise. It is disgusting, IMO.
IF these colleges go along with such antics, I will not be buying any tickets to their events or supporting them in any way. No booster events—NADA. I will find something else to watch on TV.
As for how ‘dangerous’ this all is, try driving at 200 MPH or higher in a race car. NO ONE is holding a gun to those heads, either. They don’t ask for a union, either.
How many of these ‘athletes’ will want to be a coach someday? Who will want to hire them after they have stirred up such a hornet’s nest? I certainly would NOT.