College sports exploits unpaid black athletes. But they could force a change.

The Washington Post ^ | January 8, 2015 | Donald H. Yee

[MinorityRepublican]

Any promising college athlete can have their future destroyed in a moment with an injury. Colleges dont compensate for the worth they bring to the team and most of the time they cannot immediately go pro where their worth is compensated for directly. Free republic should be cherishing their ability to market their skills at any level. The athletes are adults, and should be free to make a contract for their obviously marketed talents. The only thing that changes is who gets compensated, and if the talent is not compensated and prohibited with the okay by government, then the monopoly should be reevaluated.

[N. Theknow]

University of Connecticut makes a ton of money of women's basketball. 10 championships!

Last year we went to see them play South Florida in Tampa. Tickets were 6 bucks, $6.00. 6 flipping dollars.

They just played Sunday, cheapest tickets we could get were $73.00! All other home games...$6.00!

[MinorityRepublican]

Freepers in favor of government backed monopolies...twilight zone time.

Just because it's how we've done things back in the day doesn't mean it's right.

[Thibodeaux]

life is risk

the jocks take the risk mostly for glory

going pro is ancillary

[IrishBrigade]

It is time to revise the whole college sports world and start putting education back in the equation. That is why one goes to college in the first place.

One goes to college in order to maximize future earnings potential, so as to prosper, and for many athletics provide that potential...if an engineering major is not required to play sports to graduate, why should a football major be required to study...?

[alternatives?]

If I had to select one system that is most responsible for the decline in the United States, I would have to say the university system. They have taken advantage of the secondary education system to establish a monopoly that allows them line their pockets, impose their “beliefs”, and stifle true education and debate. They consistently have supported the growth in government through their teachings and “studies” such a global warming and work against marriage, justice, economic liberty, Western culture in general, and Christianity in particular.

The vast majority of athletes get shortchanged because most are not going pro and rather than being pampered and sheltered would be better off pursuing other opportunities such as joining the military. You could argue that these “students” are responsible, but how many are victims of broken marriages and poor primary education that are, in reality, by-products of the university system? What education do they really receive from their scholarships?

I don’t believe that over the past 25 years, with few exceptions, that our universities have been beneficial to the United States. It is hard to come up with a more worthless, perhaps even destructive donation than one to most universities. I don’t understand why a conservative would financially support most colleges and that includes attending one of their games.

[dfwgator]

I don’t believe they lose their scholarships if they get hurt. Considering how much tuitions cost. It costs probably around $200,000 to go to college for 4 years. I would say they had better take advantage of that, because there are no guarantees in athletics.

[gusty]

What I think people are saying is that Universities should be places of learning, not sports franchises. I am all for the private sector in sports, but I would rather see the Birmingham Gladiators of the Southern Football League instead of the University of Alabama of the SEC. Yes I say get the government out of sports, since a big percentage of big time college football teams are in essence owned by the government, that is why they are called “State Schools”. Tax dollars should not be used so the NFL can have a minor league for free. As for paying the players, it would due to the laws of unintended consequences be a disaster for the athletes. A large majority of the players would be payed very little on top of their scholarship. However now being an employee instead of a student, everything they receive becomes taxable income. That scholarship from Notre Dame would be $50,000 income. Most players on scholarship wouldn't be able to pay the tax bill come April 15.

[IrishBrigade]

Colleges don’t compensate for the worth they bring to the team

are the colleges are holding a gun to the heads of these athletes, telling them they have to play sports or else...?
Seems to me these athletes are perfectly free to tell the colleges to pound sand if they think they’re being exploited...

[gusty]

Colleges by their very nature are supposed to be places of education, not sports factories. Only in the United States is sports connected to universities, beyond being just another extracurricular activity. In Canada, if you aspire to play in the NHL, you play within their Junior Hockey system. You play for the Oshawa Generals not U of Toronto to make the pros. If your pro career is over and you want an education, then you might play for a McGill as a student, not a potential pro.

[jimmyray]

I hope I am first...

#blackplayerexploytash... exploytays... exploitaich... exployeetasha...

never mind

[Will88]

Do people making this argument ever think beyond the end of their noses? Only about 25 major programs earn a profit, then there are hundreds more (the majors have to have someone to play) that lose varying amounts and must be subsidized. Below the major conferences, very few programs turn a profit.

Are they recommending a system where only the profitable programs must pay their players, or must all college programs pay their players? And if football players receive additional benefits, what about all other scholarship athletes and, what about women athletes in money losing sports.

If some kids think they are ready for the pros, let them try to go directly to a pro team if they can find a team that will take them. Or let the pros set up minor leagues. But this entire argument to pay college players beyond their scholarships and living costs makes no sense beyond the few very profitable programs.

And what about large, profitable high school programs that turn out a stream of college prospects? Should high players be paid?

[MinorityRepublican]

Colleges by their very nature are supposed to be places of education, not sports factories. Only in the United States is sports connected to universities, beyond being just another extracurricular activity. In Canada, if you aspire to play in the NHL, you play within their Junior Hockey system. You play for the Oshawa Generals not U of Toronto to make the pros. If your pro career is over and you want an education, then you might play for a McGill as a student, not a potential pro. Yep, same as in England with the EPL. You would start out with a "Single A" team before you eventually make it at Manchester United.

[MinorityRepublican]

Colleges by their very nature are supposed to be places of education, not sports factories. Only in the United States is sports connected to universities, beyond being just another extracurricular activity. In Canada, if you aspire to play in the NHL, you play within their Junior Hockey system. You play for the Oshawa Generals not U of Toronto to make the pros. If your pro career is over and you want an education, then you might play for a McGill as a student, not a potential pro.

Yep, same as in England with the EPL. You would start out with a "Single A" team before you eventually make it at Manchester United.

[IrishBrigade]

Colleges by their very nature are supposed to be places of education,

not really...education, at every level, is a preparation for the next phase of life, one of which is the earning of a living, so as to not be a drag on the culture at large...grade school prepares one for high school, high school prepares one for college, and college prepares for future earnings...if someone is gifted enough to make money by playing sports, why should colleges not prepare him for that eventuality as well...

if education were intended to be limited to Socratic relationships regarding various philosophical disciplines, I might agree with your comment...

[Osage Orange]

How does anyone gauge what is “too much money”?

[jimmyray]

FWIW, my daughter is in a major SEC university marching band. During fall, she report to the campus a week early, gets the privilege of practicing 3 hours every weekday, and is obligated to 4 hours before a home-game, plus the game itself. I get to pay for uniform cleaning and gloves.

For all this effort, She (I) gets a $500 scholarship each semester. Woohoo!

Nevertheless, I consider it a great opportunity for her, as I consider it a great opportunity for the majority of football "scholarship" athletes. If it were not for football, they would have NO opportunity at all! Shame that the majority get worthless degrees, and have no opportunity afterwards.

but, are they robbed? One cannot be robbed of that which they never possessed. The future it intangible.

imagine they glory of saying "I was on the 2015 Alabama NCAA championship team?!?

[jimmyray]

How does anyone gauge what is “too much money”?

more than what I have is too much, lol.

[SoCal Pubbie]

That would end college sports. If they’re employees, they will sue to be allowed employment beyond four years. Unionization and strikes will follow. No one wants to watch that.

[terycarl]

they are given a FREE college education...trips all over the country, preferential treatment at school, eat in athletic dining room (great food)...and they complain???