off topic College Athletes may now Unionize

[Taro T]

One of the things they are organizing for is to have their scholarships guaranteed. As it is right now, if they get cut or hurt they can lose their ride. Another thing they are after is durable health coverage for injuries sustained while playing. Currently, they are mostly on their own after they stop playing.

Both of which seem reasonable.

 

Can't say I'm in favor of this, primarily because of the unintended consequences of how this (if it stands after the years of litigation that are sure to follow) will play out. The main items I see not being readily equitable are the small # of sports that make money (20 years ago, only football, hockey, and basketball made any money in the aggregate; I'd expect baseball makes money now as well, but doubt anything else is profitable), and only a fraction of the schools that play in those sports are profitable, and Title IX will likely throw a monkey wrench in as well.

 

If this leads to athlete students having a better chance to graduate w/ a real degree, that would be a positive outcome; if it leads to even more unprofitable sports going away, that wouldn't be.

[LastPommerFan]

Both of which seem reasonable.

 

Can't say I'm in favor of this, primarily because of the unintended consequences of how this (if it stands after the years of litigation that are sure to follow) will play out. The main items I see not being readily equitable are the small # of sports that make money (20 years ago, only football, hockey, and basketball made any money in the aggregate; I'd expect baseball makes money now as well, but doubt anything else is profitable), and only a fraction of the schools that play in those sports are profitable, and Title IX will likely throw a monkey wrench in as well.

 

If this leads to athlete students having a better chance to graduate w/ a real degree, that would be a positive outcome; if it leads to even more unprofitable sports going away, that wouldn't be.

 

I agree, like most labor organizing moments, it is largely the result of the management/athletic department too long failing to address real and important concerns of the employees/"student athletes". I've been through all the fun Union Avoidance training large american manufacturers can offer. The message is always the same: Content Employees won't organize.

[Iron Crotch]

The problem is that they're all too often steered into sham majors that are solely designed to keep them eligible and upon graduation they have no marketable or employable skills that they can leverage into a sustainable career. The whole "they're getting an education" argument is pure unadulterated BS propagated by the NCAA when the real objective is to profit from these kids' athletic ability with no real concern for them post eligibility.

 

From my perspective, the "no marketable skills" part is true for many students, not just athletes. ;)

 

...and you'd be surprised at how many D-1 athletes aren't just athletic merceneries, but are actually smart, go to class, and learn.

[LastPommerFan]

From my perspective, the "no marketable skills" part is true for many students, not just athletes. ;)

 

...and you'd be surprised at how many D-1 athletes aren't just athletic merceneries, but are actually smart, go to class, and learn.

 

This discussion really needs to separate "D-1 Athletes" from "Huge Budget Athletic Department Cash Cow Sport Athletes". There are very few similarities between the Point Guard in Chapel Hill and the Pole Vaulter at Kent State.

[darksabre]

 

 

From my perspective, the "no marketable skills" part is true for many students, not just athletes. ;)

 

...and you'd be surprised at how many D-1 athletes aren't just athletic merceneries, but are actually smart, go to class, and learn.

 

This is really it. There are plenty of high level athletes who aren't hindered by their academic pursuits. But college shouldn't be for everyone. Sports like football and basketball shouldn't need their athletes to go to college. Set up junior and minor pro leagues like baseball and hockey and let your players follow the path that fits them. If they can't achieve academic success then don't make that a requirement.

[Taro T]

I agree, like most labor organizing moments, it is largely the result of the management/athletic department too long failing to address real and important concerns of the employees/"student athletes". I've been through all the fun Union Avoidance training large american manufacturers can offer. The message is always the same: Content Employees won't organize.

True.

 

Still, it will be interesting watching this one play out.

[LastPommerFan]

This is really it. There are plenty of high level athletes who aren't hindered by their academic pursuits. But college shouldn't be for everyone. Sports like football and basketball shouldn't need their athletes to go to college. Set up junior and minor pro leagues like baseball and hockey and let your players follow the path that fits them. If they can't achieve academic success then don't make that a requirement.

 

How about we just convert all of D-1A/FBS football into the American Major Junior Football League. Teams automatically have the rights to all players who are currently enrolled in good standing at their school. 17 year olds not intending to attend college classes are entered in a draft held on what was National Signing Day.

 

Would it work?

[darksabre]

 

 

How about we just convert all of D-1A/FBS football into the American Major Junior Football League. Teams automatically have the rights to all players who are currently enrolled in good standing at their school. 17 year olds not intending to attend college classes are entered in a draft held on what was National Signing Day.

 

Would it work?

 

It should. Ideally you'd see a lot of kids going straight to Major Junior instead of college. Colleges might not attract the top prospects anymore just like college hockey, but that wouldn't keep their programs from being successful. I don't think it hurts the cash cow for them in the long run.

 

For the sake of advanced education in America this is the way it should be.

[LastPommerFan]

It should. Ideally you'd see a lot of kids going straight to Major Junior instead of college. Colleges might not attract the top prospects anymore just like college hockey, but that wouldn't keep their programs from being successful. I don't think it hurts the cash cow for them in the long run.

 

For the sake of advanced education in America this is the way it should be.

 

In my model, the colleges still control the teams, initially.

 

So Syracuse Football is still a thing, it's just that, in addition to the student athletes, there are other players who were drafted rather than signed an academic letter of intent.

 

The athletes just don't have to be students any more, but they can be.

[3putt]

In my model, the colleges still control the teams, initially.

 

So Syracuse Football is still a thing, it's just that, in addition to the student athletes, there are other players who were drafted rather than signed an academic letter of intent.

 

The athletes just don't have to be students any more, but they can be.

The 900 pound gorilla that colleges wish to avoid is tax exemption. Unrelated business income from athletics that is deemed not part of the charitable or non profit mission endangers that exemption. The real estate exemption alone allows things like the carrier dome to exist. Without exemption colleges could not maintain there infrastructure and still offer "affordable" tuition. For profit colleges, often distance learning based, reap the benefit of knowing that the brick and mortar brethren have a fixed operating cost that determines their pricing and therefore they do not need to discount their tuition much if at all. The municipalities that host non profit schools incur a huge burden to offer services, mainly public safety, to large populations that add little to the general tax base. It is a very slippery slope.

[shrader]

So once they do unionize, how exactly do they deal with the fact that some players are on scholarship and others aren't? I hear a radio interview this morning with the QB from Northwestern and he said that their argument was that the scholarship is their payment. He also said they want better medical benefits, which is something that makes a lot of sense. Apparently colleges have an option on whether or not they have to cover certain things. But at the end of the day, I don't know how they get around the fact that some get scholarships and others don't.

[SwampD]

Wouldn't any injuries on the field then be covered by workman's comp?

[shrader]

Wouldn't any injuries on the field then be covered by workman's comp?

 

That was a big part of what they were pushing for, according to the Northwestern QB. I think we'd have a hard time finding anyone who wouldn't side with him on that issue.

[SwampD]

That was a big part of what they were pushing for, according to the Northwestern QB. I think we'd have a hard time finding anyone who wouldn't side with him on that issue.

I'm actually amazed (yet not really) that they could be cut and left on their own for injuries now.

[North Buffalo]

The athletes already get paid in the form of full scholarships to schools many of them wouldn't have a prayer of getting into without athletics. If athletes get paid more everything should just be spun off into minor league sports.

 

Yah, and if you believe they get edumacated, I have some wings from the Ted Nolan thread they call Buffalo Wings down south.

[LastPommerFan]

I'm actually amazed (yet not really) that they could be cut and left on their own for injuries now.

 

And this is Northwestern, with a huge endowment and private resources. Imagine what it's like at a school like The University of South Alabama.

[26CornerBlitz]

Northwestern ruling sends clear message: NCAA, it's time to negotiate

Donald Remy was disappointed Wednesday. This has become somewhat of a theme for the NCAA's chief legal counsel. In fact, if the fictional Soggy Bottom Boys are stumped for their next hit, they should consider writing