First step toward college athletes unionizing was taken today...

[NAHSTE]

A very slippery slope here.

Two problems:

-College athletes are already paid...with an education that ranges in price value. By unionizing athletes collectively, it deems the education they receive to be equal...which it is not.

-The percentage of college athletes that are being withheld from a monetary figure is minuscule annually. The idea of collectively paying college athletes is pretty fuckin communist when only the smallest percent of athletes being worthy of receiving a monetary figure outside of allotted educational payment.

Now...do I think college athletes should be paid? Yup. Should they all get paid? Nope.

Allow those that can make money off of their appearance or whatever be able to do so...but paying the average joe college athlete, even a stipend as it relates to work-study is ridiculous to me.

The easiest solution is to stop restricting the student athlete from making a wage...allow them to work...allow them to make money by using their image or their status without it risking their eligibility. Stop putting the onus on the college to fork over the bill to pay the kids. They are already fronting a pretty hefty bill in regards to free education, room, board, food, tutoring and other educational benefits. If the kid wants to get paid...let'em get paid, but don't force the school to do it...if they can get paid for X, Y, or Z, let'em. If they can't...their education, room, board etc. is compensation enough. If by chance they don't think so...well, they should have gotten better grades or should have made a better academic decision.

This entire story and the concept of paying college athletes has lost sight of what the goal should be.

Some good stuff here. As for your last line, I think the NCAA has benefitted from this conversation being framed as a discussion on payment. In actuality, what the Northwestern kids want is worker's compensation. The NCAA has been able to avoid paying worker's comp for years due to the "student-athlete" term it invented in the 50s.

Definitely a slippery slope. But the issue as of right now seems to focus on injury coverage more than payment. That's what the NW athletes are seeking, per their own words.

From reddit:

http://www.reddit.com/r/CFB/comments/1wdhsg/northwestern_wildcats_football_players_trying_to/cf0z0de

NU player here on a throwaway. This isn't about getting paid. What it is about is protection. Many of us will have numerous injuries throughout our playing careers. A group of those players will continue to feel the effects of those injuries long after their playing days are over. The goal is to have some sort of medical protection if we need surgeries stemming from injuries sustained while playing for our university. Another goal is graduate school for those who were fortunate enough to play as a true Freshman. Most student-athletes get redshirted in their first year, and receive one year of grad school payed for in their fifth year of eligibility. We feel as though it is fair to ask for the same investment from the university all around. It isn't about getting an extra $200 a month for spending. We have our stipend, and if we budget correctly we are able to make it stretch for the month. Would it be nice to have some part of jersey sales or memorabilia sales? Absolutely. But that is not the goal as of right now.

Just wanted to add in that I am extremely thankful for the opportunity I have been given to not only play football, but to attend a world class university such as Northwestern. It is an opportunity millions dream of having. We are treated well at Northwestern, but unfortunately that is not the case at many other schools. Hopefully we can create a voice for the players and clean up these issues.

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

What the NW player says...sounds nice. Unfortunately, the end result of this movement has implications that far exceed what the initial goals are. You're opening a door with what sounds like good, justified reasons...but it will open up Pandora's Box.

[NAHSTE]

What the NW player says...sounds nice. Unfortunately, the end result of this movement has implications that far exceed what the initial goals are. You're opening a door with what sounds like good, justified reasons...but it will open up Pandora's Box.

Definitely. And the NCAA could have done something about this a long time ago before it got to this point.

But the system is broken. The ship be sinking.

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

A bit of a sidenote in regards to football injuries...I'm sympathetic to the cause...but it is being lost, that football inherently comes with injuries and former and even current professionals as well as collegiates are now coming out of the woodwerks to claim some sort of piece of the pie to compensate for their injuries, past, present, or future. This isn't like working in an office and falling down a flight of steps or working in construction and getting your hand sawed off...its football, where hits are apart of the contract you are signing up for...there is no "accident" in football.

[EmpireWF]

This particular issue is concerning private universities for the time being.

Wondering what the tax implications are if through all the trials to come, players are actually deemed employees. Will all the student athletes become liable to taxes based on the cost of scholarships and other funds?

[Len B]

NCAA should just offer athletes choice of athletic scholarship or annual stipend. If they want the free education, then everything is paid for. If they want money, then they can take out a loan like the rest of us and pay off school when they graduate.

[buckeye]

The main argument is that the NCAA makes a shit ton of money off of the players' image/likeness but the players are not permitted to do so themselves. If they fix that and allow the players to make money off of their own image then this all goes away. Its not that difficult.

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[Youk]

The main argument is that the NCAA makes a shit ton of money off of the players' image/likeness but the players are not permitted to do so themselves. If they fix that and allow the players to make money off of their own image then this all goes away. Its not that difficult.

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It's far beyond that now, as seen by the anonymous NU player that NAHSTE quoted.

Also, think about how many players will actually make substantial money off of their likeness. Not too many have that instant recognition (in comparison to how many D1 football players there actually are). Should they be allowed to? Of course. Will this all go away if you allow that? Not at all.

[JeremyHight]

Just go the Olympic route. Schools can give a scholarship, players can get endorsements. There is no reason the 2nd string kicker at LaTech should be making the same as the starting QB at Michigan.

And before people say "But football and basketball make the money, they should be paid!" While I agree they make the most money, the schools get the money and often have to support absolutely awful sports which lose money in order to comply with Title IX. A grand total of 23 of 226 public institutions who reported their budgets actually made money off of athletics (source: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports...idies/2142443/ ) So while programs may be making money, the athletic department as a whole could be in the red.

[buckeye]

Just go the Olympic route. Schools can give a scholarship, players can get endorsements. There is no reason the 2nd string kicker at LaTech should be making the same as the starting QB at Michigan.

And before people say "But football and basketball make the money, they should be paid!" While I agree they make the most money, the schools get the money and often have to support absolutely awful sports which lose money in order to comply with Title IX. A grand total of 23 of 226 public institutions who reported their budgets actually made money off of athletics (source: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports...idies/2142443/ ) So while programs may be making money, the athletic department as a whole could be in the red.

I think the issue here is how much does the NCAA make off of athletics and sponsorships per year? How much do media companies make in relation to direct use of player likeness?

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[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

I think the issue here is how much does the NCAA make off of athletics and sponsorships per year? How much do media companies make in relation to direct use of player likeness?

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And there is the problem. That shouldn't even be a talking point. Who cares how much the NCAA, the college is making? Whether its $50B, one cent, or they are in the red by $50B...shouldn't matter.

[Guest]

Fear mongering. If anything it will lead to sports that don't generate revenue being cut. Problem is, cutting a squash team or two won't lead to the kind of pushback these guys need to stop the momentum.

ADs and University Presidents are scared and grasping at whatever straws they can to turn public opinion back in their favor.

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It would lead to a loss of scholarships for all sports before it lead to sports being cut I would think.

[EmpireWF]

What it is about is protection. Many of us will have numerous injuries throughout our playing careers. A group of those players will continue to feel the effects of those injuries long after their playing days are over. The goal is to have some sort of medical protection if we need surgeries stemming from injuries sustained while playing for our university. Another goal is graduate school for those who were fortunate enough to play as a true Freshman. Most student-athletes get redshirted in their first year, and receive one year of grad school payed for in their fifth year of eligibility. We feel as though it is fair to ask for the same investment from the university all around. It isn't about getting an extra $200 a month for spending. We have our stipend, and if we budget correctly we are able to make it stretch for the month. Would it be nice to have some part of jersey sales or memorabilia sales? Absolutely. But that is not the goal as of right now.

1. Obviously, athletes get injured and may need treatments long after their days in school. Should private schools be held in a position to where they have to pay forever for these men and women? I don't know if it works like this now but I'll assume any injuries suffered while competing as college sports would be covered by insurance taken out while in school. If not, wtf?

2. Grad school? Now they want all athletes under scholarships to receive the option of a free year of grad school, too? How is this such a major issue? Seems pretty straight forward to me.

[Glenbino]

It would lead to a loss of scholarships for all sports before it lead to sports being cut I would think.

I still think they'd cut a whole sport that was a money loser over taking schollies away from one of their top revenue streams.

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[ram29jackson]

1. Obviously, athletes get injured and may need treatments long after their days in school. Should private schools be held in a position to where they have to pay forever for these men and women? I don't know if it works like this now but I'll assume any injuries suffered while competing as college sports would be covered by insurance taken out while in school. If not, wtf?

2. Grad school? Now they want all athletes under scholarships to receive the option of a free year of grad school, too? How is this such a major issue? Seems pretty straight forward to me.

no, colleges don't have to pay crap for/to injured players