Another step forward for student athletes
- Thread starter JoeWildcat
- Start date
I think it's a good idea overall; the one concern I have is stipend money. Is there a cap on this? What's to stop tOSU or the SEC schools from essentially six- or seven-digit "stipends" for their services? It will stop being amateur status at that point; tOSU and the SEC should just go form their own pro league.
Future generations of D1 athletes owe a lot to guys like Kain Colter and Ed O'Bannon who dared to challenge an established system that they viewed as unfair for athletes.
it's a move that will help all players on schlorship. Agree that a ceiling would need to be placed on stipend money, to avoid a bidding war. Think the guaranteed medical and disability coverage are great selling points.
The way that is presented is totally open for abuse where the rich get richer.
Generally I'm in favor things like life disability or health coverage even a regulated stipend but athletes being able to bargain with schools for this package or that is not a good idea.
My understanding is that the school could not offer more than the "approved" cost of education stipend (but they can offer less). Right now each university computes its cost of education using federal standards (which is more than the standard full athletics scholarships allow). The university can then offer a stipend that makes up some or all of the difference (I think for most DI schools it is in the $2000 to $4000 a year range). So my understanding is that these "contracts" would address how much stipend the SA would receive, but it could not exceed the cost of education differential.
So does that mean that because housing and cost of living is higher in Evanston, that could offer a larger stipend?
The really tricky area here is the insurance, both health and disability, and it has the potential for significant litigation in the future. Suppose, for example, an NU player has a couple of knee surgeries during his tenure with the 'Cats. Obviously, those costs will be picked-up by NU. What happens 25 years later when he needs a knee replacement? Frankly, I don't think NU should have any responsibility, and the former player should have to use his own health insurance policy. Same thing for disability insurance. Also, nothing in this sort of proposal should be subject to negotiation. The benefits for all players, nationally should be defined and not subject to any form of negotiation. Violations should subject the offending institution to sanctions.
I agree about the "No Negotiations" and that things should clearly nationally defined, In fact I think some thought should go into these things being administered by a third party that all participating schools pay into.
But I think if a kid wrecks his knees for the sake of the school's sports program, the fix shouldn't be temporary. 25 years later, you fix some knees, it is a cost of doing business.
Deering,
The problem with the knee example which you use is what lawyers and insurance companies refer to as the "causation" issue. Suppose, for example, one of our players sustains a knee ligament injury which requires surgery. The surgery is successful and he returns to the team and plays out his eligibility. After graduation, he begins a successful career in business, during which he is involved in various recreational activities which involve the risk of injury, including running, tennis, softball and squash. The inevitable injuries, including knee injuries, occur over the course of the next 25 years. And, of course, as time marches on we are all subject to the normal aging degenerative process. Ultimately, our subject requires knee replacement surgery. Unless the University agrees to pay for this out of the goodness of it's heart, which is highly unlikely, the subject will be required to access his own health insurance coverage. There is simply no way for the University to insure the former player against a problem which might develop in the future,
and there is likewise no way to say that the original football injury was the cause of the problem,
Provide supplemental coverage for life? These schools are certainly making a boatload of money off these non-employees.
Unfortunately, just not realistic. I would, however, be interested in the opinion of one of our insurance professionals on the board. As a lawyers who has handled a significant number of insurance coverage matters, this just does not appear to be feasible. Frankly, in my view, health insurance following graduation should be the responsibility of the individual.
They actually aren't. The men's football and basketball teams make tens of millions of dollars. That money is eaten up by title 9 to make sure that we have woman's sports who lose money. Northwestern actually breaks even. .
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