The Best Alternative to Paying College Athletes
Brandon Jennings at the JBAACI was just listening to KJR 950 sports-talk radio in Seattle, and while discussing the Brandon Jennings story, host Dave Mahler proposed what I think is a great, sensible idea: Instead of paying college athletes — which is systematically near impossible to pull off in a fair manner considering Title IX and non-revenue sports and everything else — why not just allow them to independently pursue ways to make money off their own name?
In other words, if a college player wants to do an autograph signing where he gets paid, or some local car dealership wants to put the kid in a commercial and pay him, why not allow that?
If paying athletes with NCAA and/or university funds isn’t an option, than this idea makes the most sense to me. I’ve never understood why every form of college student EXCEPT athletes can receive cash and gifts from people in their lives and it’s nothing, but athletes are held to different standards. Example: Austin Burton the Seattle University journalism major can get an envelope full of money from a “family friend” — not to mention a job recommendation and offers to guide him through the job-hunting process (a.k.a and agent) and no one would care. But if Austin Burton the University of Washington two-guard takes that same envelope and takes that same advice and someone finds out, he’s in trouble.
The way the current system is set up, college athletes don’t have ownership over their own names. Retailers can sell jerseys with those players’ numbers on them — and we all know whom the jersey is supposed to represent — but that same player can’t cash in (at least not openly) off his status as a star athlete. Star pre-law major? Sure, take all the money and gifts you want. Athlete? Hold off, because you’re supposed to be an amateur.
What do you think? If straight-up paying NCAA players is out of the question, what’s the best alternative to make things fair?
July 16th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
Dan says:
I completely agree. There’s no reason why we can’t allow them to accept things outside the realm of the universities. Seems like they’re being taken advantage of.
Either that or don’t require them to go to classes. They’re only there for basketball, so let them focus on that.
July 16th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
Dan says:
Oh yeah, and I can’t believe I was actually first…and second!
July 16th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
Truth says:
Doesn’t seem like they are being taken advantage of they ARE being taken advantage of. I like the Euro option. Colleges will never chnage their policy so f*ck it, go overseas stack your bread and become a European household name.
July 16th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
David Brandon says:
Austin, I think this is a great point and totally agree. Everything always breaks down to dollars and sense. NCAA is HUUUUGE and these people know that like anybody else. If they can keep that money to themselves, they’re gonna do it. I know this isn’t really profound or anything…its just me runnin my mouth apparently. this post is just me agreeing. lol catch you on the flip
July 16th, 2008 at 4:03 pm
weng santos says:
They do that in the Philippines (yes, that basketball-crazy island nation; ask Gil Arenas).
A kid can have handlers and managers at any point in his varsity career; and he can be sponsored. The school is actually sneered at for providing players “allowances” and other “incentives”, but nothing is made of managers taking care of the daily needs, housing, food, and transport of their athletes.
They can even get their players their own deals, and it’s not uncommon for players to do TV commercials while in college for a talent fee.
A school like La Salle, for example, is sponsored by adidas. Their apparel is adidas-made and branded, and they get adidas shoes for free. But here’s the thing- nobody on La Salle’s roster wears adidas shoes. Why? Because most of them have personal endorsement deals with Nike.
I mean, you watch a game on TV and as one of their star forwards enters the court, the TV commentator goes “By the way, he is wearing the ultra-rare Marty McFly Nike Hyperdunks, only 15 of which are in the country.” And as he says that the player gets in a floor huddle with his teammates, all of whom are clad in a rare hyperdunk colorway.
I don’t see why kids can’t make money off of their own names or reputations. It ensures that kids stay in school. Players tend to leave school early for the pros when they are in need of making a living; with what they do in Manila there is no reason for a kid not to focus on basketball and studies.
July 16th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
The Jed says:
So is the college player allowed to hire an agent to coordinate those deals? Because there is no way he’s mature enough to do that himself at 16 or 17.
July 16th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
Austin Burton says:
Just like when he’s 19 or 20, the parents would be involved in any agent-hiring process. And no one’s in college at 16.
July 16th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
The Jed says:
they aren’t mature enough at 18,19, or 20 either.
July 16th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
chaos rob says:
I think an issue would be stars vs role players on the team. while even tho role and bench players don’t get much pt or recognition, they still get paid a very amount of money, even if it is a ten day contract but the players that are in college may not get the same chance and they need money just as much as the stars. I think if they do do that, the money should be made on a team basis. they all show up to endorse a car dealership or shoe co or make appearances or restaurant promotion. it would have to be a team concept to work.
July 16th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
Zach says:
I like the concept but how much point shaving would there be when you can openly give someone money? I think it would open up a whole new problem
July 16th, 2008 at 5:33 pm
D says:
gotta do something different. I think it’s lame that they bring in millions of dollars to these schools yet can’t get any of the pay. yeah, they get a free education, which is saying a lot for most people, but not much to most athletes. They need to work out a deal for revenue sharing or something. Long as there’s no point shaving or cheating, who cares? AND it encourages them to stay in school longer. For instance, what if they must maintain grade eligibility in order to get paid?
Title IX is grossly inapplicable in this instance in my opinion. You have one type of athletics that generate serious revenue, whereas the other may not be quite as popular, and so no one gets paid? Get out of here. As long as you don’t discontinue the women’s program it shouldn’t matter.
July 16th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
Austin Burton says:
Jed, if they’re not ready to hire agents at 20 years old, why does everyone do it? And remember, these kids have parents. And 20 isn’t as young as you think. You’re a grown man by then.
July 16th, 2008 at 5:56 pm
Spliff 2 My Lou says:
I agree that student athletes should not be penalized for making money on their name or on their own outside of college while they are attending but a student athlete should never be paid by the college I’d NCAA ever. Period. This includes revenue sharing. A free education is the payment. If a student athlete decides to only attend one or two years and not take advantage of a free education thats thier choice. Problem is a majority of student athletes do not take full advantage of this.
My boy from HS recieved a full ride to play football at Stanford. Thats 40k a year in tuition for free. He didn’t get drafted but now makes a six figure salary and with a Stanford degree he can pretty much get any job in his field. So he struggles with money a few years as a poor student. You have to look at it in the long run. If $160,000 paid tuition and a six figure salary isn’t payment I don’t know what is.
July 16th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
Austin Burton says:
A “regular” student who’s on a full-ride scholarship (academic, etc.) can still work and receive money on the side. An athlete doesn’t even have time to get a side job because they practice so much — plus watch film, lift weights, etc. — that’s like a full-time job in itself.
July 16th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
Spliff 2 My Lou says:
A student athletes job is to do whatever is necessary to make themselves better and improve thier stock to become a professional athlete. I know most will not make it but that’s why the have a degree to fall back on. Funny I don’t think colleges ever imagined that a degree what be something you fall back on.
July 16th, 2008 at 6:10 pm
GarethChantler says:
This is way too practical an idea, not to mention actually giving kids the rights they should have, and loosening up some of the acquainted nature of the NCAA that makes tons of money off these kids, to ever happen. Ideas that are simple and solve problems don’t make it in these kinds of situations.
July 16th, 2008 at 6:11 pm
Spliff 2 My Lou says:
Sorry about spelling and grammar errors. Typing on an iPhone with big fingers can be difficult.
July 16th, 2008 at 6:15 pm
Spliff 2 My Lou says:
Of course the system will never change because the NCAA has no reason to change it. It would take a massive student athlete strike. And let’s face it that’s not going to happen.
July 16th, 2008 at 6:35 pm
JoeBo says:
Great idea, but not fleshed out. It isn’t possible.
If it were to happen, alumni (and groups of them) would start getting involved. “Come to ABC Univ. and we’ll put in newspaper ad for $X.” This could promised to every recruit with varying dollars, and it would result in a bidding war. Set up any set of rules for this and guarantee someone’s lawyers will find a way around it to get alumni involved like this.
Imagine the figures for LeBron if he had to play a single year in college! Would even $5M get him to come? I’m sure OSU alums would quickly organize to trump any deal.
It’d be like putting recruits on Ebay. Probably not the best idea for the athletes or college athletics. Not to mention most fans would get really angry that their hoops and football teams end up being run more like private sports franchises and all of the best athletes are attending only 10 different schools for each sport.
July 16th, 2008 at 6:57 pm
Bron42 had springs before slamball says:
@austin,
I was in college at 16…you could start early or skip a grade, or just be from overseas where the education is real quick. I got skipped a grade and was turnin 17 at the end of my frosh year of college. Then there was some 15 year old asian kid in my human anatomy class.
Wasn’t this like the premise of “he got game”. I do agree, cuz i kno as a athlete. you don’t really have time to do shit. You got 5am practice, class from 8-4, practice 4-6, go home do hw etc…so unless you don’t sleep you have no time to work, and dont get me started on mexican lawn mowing wages they call work-study. Meanwhile colleges market the athletes on everything from posters, the pre-season books, market them to get OTHER athletes to come to the school. But i cant autograph my game kicks and sell them on ebay without getting a 1 year ban.
July 16th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
bballinca says:
Post #15, to my Lou, are you crazy. How many atheletes compete and the D1 level? What about D2,3 or NAIA? For msot of these guys going pro is not an option and not even a consideration. Their main focus is and should be school!
July 16th, 2008 at 7:20 pm
B says:
Great article and argument Austin. A friend and I were discussing this very topic yesterday. Personally I think the players should be allowed to do whatever they please to get their money. Sign with an agent, sneaker deals, ads, whatever. It should be a free market for them. If companies and agents are willing to invest that kind of money then let them. It would solve all these back door deals and shady agent/runner business, as well as probably keep kids in school longer because they wouldn’t be trying to bolt for the league since they were already living comfortably.
July 16th, 2008 at 7:41 pm
Spliff 2 My Lou says:
@ bballinca
If you read my post before that I said that payment is education and gave the example of my friend who knew he would mostly likely not be drafted (even though he started two years at tailback for Stanford) and concentrated on school. My belief is school should come first but his “job” is to make himself better if he/she so chooses to make the effort to go pro. I just don’t think a student athlete should ever be paid by the college or the NCAA. But I also don’t think they should be penalized for gifts or any other monetary income.
July 16th, 2008 at 8:04 pm
Austin Burton says:
If the alumni want to cut big checks for recruits, so what? The NCAA isn’t losing any money on that deal, and what would it really change? Money or not, Duke and Carolina and Kansas and the rest usually get the five-star recruits anyway. You’re always gonna have your Stephen Curry and Jason Thompson types who come out of nowhere and keep the parity of college ball.
July 16th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
Spliff 2 My Lou says:
@Austin
If the system were to go this direction there would no doubt have to be a salary cap placed on alumni payoffs.
July 16th, 2008 at 10:20 pm
Spliff 2 My Lou says:
Obviously it wouldn’t be called a salary cap but you catch my drift.
July 17th, 2008 at 1:07 am
bballinca says:
spliff, my bad. I agree with what you said about them receiving payment via tuition, room, and board. Can’t forget the tutors, fringe benefits etc.
July 17th, 2008 at 9:05 am
Data says:
@austin
You make it seem like somebody who gets an academic scholarship is just coasting. Most of them don’t get time to work either. They’re studying or working on advanced projects as well. It’s a different kind of work compared to physical training but it’s just as time consuming.
July 17th, 2008 at 11:12 am
that's whats up says:
pretty soon, the Universities will want their dues (the Pimp’s cut), and this whole idea will spiral out of control.
I’m all for opportunity and getting yours, but these are KIDS, not men. Some people are so impatient and feel so entitled.
This generation needs to hear Teddy Riley: “Chill baby baby, chill baby baby, Chill!”
July 17th, 2008 at 11:37 am
Austin Burton says:
@Data — I was on a combo of academic scholarships, grants and loans in college. I worked part-time at the Seattle Times, and working for the school newspaper was somewhere between a part-time and full-time job. But I made money at the Times and got a “salary” from the school paper.
If I were an athlete, that time would have been spent at practice, in the weight room, in film session, in position meetings, etc. And I wouldn’t be getting any money for that.
July 17th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
BlazeMcHerbs says:
Absolutely.
The colleges have been raping their student athletes for decades. I mean they hire coaches with 6 figure salaries, they’re all making money except for the kids.
And this is perfect because it doesn’t affect the college’s funds, this is outside money, excellent idea.
July 17th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
JC says:
We’re forgetting about what the scholarship is supposed to provide to these kids. I think everyone has been blinded by the revenue. Truthfully these kids should be using the hoops scholarship to get a degree and have a shot at a meaningful non-hoop career in the real world. A shot that may have been nill had it not have been for the scholarship. But the problem is we’ve lost track of that and are using kids as hired guns for these school’s athletic funds, and the kids are pissed about the revenue these schools make. Its an unfair trade now for the elite level schools/players even if the kids are using the scholarship for the right reason. Thats why I honestly think overseas is a good option for those elite players — the people who use bball as an opportunity to get a degree from a top school for cheap can now get that, and the kids who need the money now can get it too overseas.