College athletes continuing financial struggles without representation
A prime example of the NCAA only looking out for themselves
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Star UW-Madison basketball player Nigel Hayes is one player who has recognized and is standing up to the NCAA in regards to their economic hypocrisy.
Universities make millions of dollars on college athletics every year. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) makes even more. The athletes on the front lines generating that revenue, however, make nothing.
College athletes are not allowed to be paid monetarily or in resources. They are not allowed to sell autographs, make paid appearances or anything else that links their income to their individual sport. On top of that, they are not allowed to have representation (i.e. an agent).
All of these limitations placed on college students who struggle to make ends meet seems like a stark contrast to the luxury that the NCAA, and universities and general, are enjoying.
It is true that universities are not allowed to place an athlete’s face or name onto any piece of merchandising. This would be a direct infringement on their rights. Nevertheless, that doesn’t stop the universities from sneaking around this regulation when it comes to merchandising.
When Tim Tebow was the quarterback for the University of Florida Gators, his number was 15. Sure, the university couldn’t sell merchandise with the Heisman Trophy winner’s face on it, but they were definitely within their rights to sell licensed jerseys with his number 15 on them. All they had to do was omit his last name.
Anyone who has a casual knowledge of college football during this time period knows the jersey was meant to profit from Tebow, but the man himself couldn’t do a thing about it.
This is just one of the many examples of the NCAA and Division I universities toeing the line between good business and cheating their student athletes out of money. So in the current system, there has to be a way to make things more fair for the athletes.
The way by which to achieve a more balanced dynamic between the athletes and their institutions is to allow the athletes to hire an agent. The agent’s job would be to look out for athletes’ professional futures and ensure the student athletes are not being taken advantage of.
It seems like a simple fix, but the NCAA continues to enforce harsh regulations on athletes’ ability to hire management. As it stands currently, if a student athlete hires representation, that person immediately forfeits their eligibility for that sport.
This is the reason many star athletes don’t hire management until after they have already declared to leave the university and enter the professional league of a given sport. However, this leaves a huge plot hole for all of the athletes who don’t compete on a star caliber level.
What all of this boils down to is the economic despair that many college athletes live through, while the NCAA and their universities continue to profit off of their athletic success. How the notion of allowing student athletes to hire representation, or just flat out pay them, has never come up absolutely astounds me.
If professional sporting leagues are going to continue to require athletes to play at least one or two years at the college level before declaring for the pro leagues, then something needs to be done. Without these student athletes, the NCAA would not exist, and it is getting harder and harder to justify not allowing its athletes to be paid or have representation.
The time is now to either allow athletes to be paid and/or have representation, or look at other options to make sure these athletes are looked out for. If they don’t, the NCAA may be looking at a student-athlete financial crisis.
David • Aug 6, 2020 at 4:30 pm
I don’t think this is nearly as cut and dry as people would like to make it.I feel there are valid points from both sides of the argument. To start with college athletes are not being forced to play college sports and they made the decision to do so. They know going into they will not be paid a cash wage. They do have the opportunity to acquire an education which I believe is estimated to be around 120,000 dollars. They have access to tutors and anything else that could possibly assist them in meeting educational goals. Many football players have dreams of playing in the NFL and though making it is very hard college football is the way to achieve that dream. I have heard many people focus only on the fact so few make it into the NFL. The same could be said for those pursing degree’s in performing arts who never make it on stage or in front of the camera’s. Yes, I realize that football is not a “degree” however as I mentioned college football is the gateway to the NFL and college football prepares the players to compete and succeed at the NFL level. It gives them the publicity to be noticed by the NFL scouts and get invited to the combine and other tryout camps as well as the draft. The cost of providing top medical coverage for the players while in college, weight training facilities, athletic trainers, nutritionist, food, and coaches to teach the next level of the game comes at great expense.
Schools such as Alabama and Oregon along with many others provide top notch facilities such as lounges and many other player amenities to make them more comfortable during their time there. Alabama and I’m sure other schools also help the players develop skills regarding life after college either with a degree or in the NFL such as teaching them interview tactics for potential jobs . The opportunity they are given costs a lot of money that equate to insane amounts down the road. They play for this opportunity and once more lets not forget if they graduate and end up in the work force they do this without the debt of student loans so many other students face.
The flip side is that yes coaches make millions, some universities make millions, and of course the NCAA makes millions. The players don’t receive any actual cash while in school and in some cases that can be difficult for players who just want to go out on a date. But that can be said of students who don]t play sports either the difference is that those students unless on academic scholarship have all the expense going to college entails from tuition to housing, food etc. One could argue that the University doesn’t make money off those students but that isn’t totally true they still make money off of tuition and other costs.
But with all that being said I’m not actually against players earning some sort of cash while in school playing sports. But it comes with a lot of questions that no one has really good answers for. How much? Is there a cap? Recruiting could be a mess if players can make money off their likeness where local companies or companies that sponsor certain universities basically start bidding wars for the top HS recruits every year. What about sports that aren’t money makers who’s players will not have those same opportunities where do they fit into all of this? Is this based on the value that a player brings to a program ? For example the best volley ball player, college golfer, track runner etc might take their team to a title but the sports popularity just isn’t there to pull in tv contracts and big money or any money whereas football and basketball bring in the big bucks.
What about small schools trying to keep up and pay or have companies that pay players for some service. I don’t see say Nike or a local car lot paying the top player from Arkansas State or La Tech the same as a player from Alabama or Clemson. Is this pay just market based or is there rules mandating certain amounts? If an actual amount is decided on what factors into this amount? Is it one amount across the board for all schools or is based on a schools size and capital?
I have this idea and though it also comes with tons of questions and issues but my thought is this. Graduation of players should be the top goal so that if they don’t make at the next level due whatever reason they have something to fall back on that can’t be taken away. I think that a certain amount of money should be placed into an account that the player receives upon graduation. If they choose to leave early whether to declare for the draft or quit football altogether then they should still get a portion of the money. Obviously if player is faced with staying for his senior year to collect that money or going to the NFL draft as a first round pick they will still probably leave early unless the schools are paying millions which I don’t see happening. But for those players who don’t make it to the NFL imagine graduating with not only a degree, no college debt but also getting a check of 200,000 dollars (just throwing a number out there might need to be more or less I have no idea). That player could then begin his post college life with a degree and money to buy or put down on a house, purchase things he might need for his new life from a car to suits or whatever. I feel this could be huge for some of these players.
If a player’s career is ended due to a related injury but he still continues school and graduates I think he should still get the money as well and the money left over from players who do leave early could be then be distributed back into the the rest of the players money. They could even give them a certain amount they are allowed to cash out early so many times a year or something as well or just give them a monthly percentage of the whole enough to fill the gaps but still give them a nice sum at the end.
Anyways just one idea I had not an economist or expert in these matters just a fan that has tried to see this issue from both sides and I’m sure there are a 100 reasons why this wouldn’t work but I have never heard something like this purposed and thought I would throw it out there. as a fan who loves college football but also wishes the best for all the players.