The Old Way vs The New Way

[HailToPurple]

This new world of college athletics is very sad to this older Wildcat fan. And I suspect to older fans at every school.

There was a time, not too long ago, when most football and basketball players were recruited as freshmen and could almost be counted on to play for their school for a full four years. A few transfers did occur, but for the most part they were few and far between.

Now, however, there is little loyalty to the school that does the initial recruiting. Transfers at just about every year and level are rampant. And I really have to wonder if many of these work out better for the players than if they would have stayed where they were.

It used to be that we would have a quarterback who would be a backup and only see limited clean up action during his freshman year. Or he would red shirt and see no action. Then he would emerge as a starter in his second or third year when the previous starter graduated. So we could relate to him as true Wildcat, because he would be with our program throughout his entire college career.

But now every year it seems we get a graduate transfer with only one year remaining. So he really never becomes a true Wildcat like a four-year player would be. More of a pro brought in for a quick one-year fix.

That’s the way it seems to be now, and I doubt that it will ever go back to the old way. Sad to some of us older fans, but probably not much that can be done about it.

 

[SmellyCat]

But now every year it seems we get a graduate transfer with only one year remaining. So he really never becomes a true Wildcat like a four-year player would be. More of a pro brought in for a quick one-year fix.

That’s the way it seems to be now, and I doubt that it will ever go back to the old way. Sad to some of us older fans, but probably not much that can be done about it.

It's like the Seinfeld joke about rooting for laundry. Preston Stone is our guy -- for now at least -- but it's not the same as rooting for Thorson or Siemian or Colter or Persa or Kafka or Basanez, or Kustok, or Schnur (apologies to those I missed), who were all QBs for NU for multiple seasons.

 

[phatcat]

This new world of college athletics is very sad to this older Wildcat fan. And I suspect to older fans at every school.

There was a time, not too long ago, when most football and basketball players were recruited as freshmen and could almost be counted on to play for their school for a full four years. A few transfers did occur, but for the most part they were few and far between.

Now, however, there is little loyalty to the school that does the initial recruiting. Transfers at just about every year and level are rampant. And I really have to wonder if many of these work out better for the players then if they would have stayed where they were.

It used to be that we would have a quarterback who would be a backup and only see limited clean up action during his freshman year. Or he would red shirt and see no action. Then he would emerge as a starter in his second or third year when the previous starter graduated. So we could relate to him as true Wildcat, because he would be with our program throughout his entire college career.

But now every year it seems we get a graduate transfer with only one year remaining. So he really never becomes a true Wildcat like a four-year player would be. More of a pro brought in for a quick one-year fix.

That’s the way it seems to be now, and I doubt that it will ever go back to the old way. Sad to some of us older fans, but probably not much that can be done about it.

You can blame the system that had the players (football especially) under indentured servitude for more than half a century. The current situation is out of control, but at least the value creators are getting compensated. As a student of Economics, I cannot think of another sun economy like college football. High school players don't get paid, but, outside of some mammoth schools like in Texas, they don't generate revenue. Pros generate revenue and get paid. College football players generate obscene amounts of revenue, only to have it gobbled up by various remorae like coaches, administrators and non revenue athletes. The are like race horses

I do miss the earlier system where players would stay, but I'm happy the players are getting a share

 

[HailToPurple]

No. The fact that college football generates a significant amount of revenue still does not justify paying players beyond their scholarships and expenses, which are already very generous.

I have no problem with the money from TV broadcasts being given to the university where it can be used for a variety of purposes including funding other non-revenue sports.

Otherwise, you may as well consider that college football players are professional TV actors, which they certainly are not.

 

[IGNORE2]

No. The fact that college football generates a significant amount of revenue still does not justify paying players beyond their scholarships and expenses, which are already very generous.

I have no problem with the money from TV broadcasts being given to the university where it can be used for a variety of purposes including funding other non-revenue sports.

Otherwise, you may as well consider that college football players are professional TV actors, which they certainly are not.

It would be interesting to see if club sports started playing football and basketball with some revisionists changes to the ole ncaa approach, whether folks to flock to or ignore it. The replacement is there and could extinguish the cesspool of the ncaa if their was an appetite and patience for it.

Because once ratings dropped, and attendance too, on the ncaa product - nobody would be paying for the nil stuff. But I suspect nobody will pursue a reset and this will become a better version of the minor leagues than baseball enjoys.

In fact, maybe mlb and nba should study this as an option…

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

No. The fact that college football generates a significant amount of revenue still does not justify paying players beyond their scholarships and expenses, which are already very generous.

I have no problem with the money from TV broadcasts being given to the university where it can be used for a variety of purposes including funding other non-revenue sports.

Otherwise, you may as well consider that college football players are professional TV actors, which they certainly are not.

I am not sure many folks, even the blue blood fans like what the system as evolved to. It’s out of control, but the schools 100% caused this. The players certainly deserve more than the”very generous” scholarships and expenses you point out. Way more based on the revenue they generate. The market is set by the donors that pay professional level salaries for great players. I personally think the money being paid is obscene, but I would never begrudge a player to taking it while they can. The College Administration’s and worthless NCAA refused to share even a limited amount of the cash cow with the workers. This led to chaos that we see now. However, seeing this from the inside way back in the 80’s, I can assure you the scholarship isn’t of any value if you don’t learn anything while at the institution. We used to joke about the term student athlete that the NCAA shoved down our throats for media days.

 

[CMcCat]

NFM

 

[CatManTrue]

This new world of college athletics is very sad to this older Wildcat fan. And I suspect to older fans at every school.

There was a time, not too long ago, when most football and basketball players were recruited as freshmen and could almost be counted on to play for their school for a full four years. A few transfers did occur, but for the most part they were few and far between.

Now, however, there is little loyalty to the school that does the initial recruiting. Transfers at just about every year and level are rampant. And I really have to wonder if many of these work out better for the players then if they would have stayed where they were.

It used to be that we would have a quarterback who would be a backup and only see limited clean up action during his freshman year. Or he would red shirt and see no action. Then he would emerge as a starter in his second or third year when the previous starter graduated. So we could relate to him as true Wildcat, because he would be with our program throughout his entire college career.

But now every year it seems we get a graduate transfer with only one year remaining. So he really never becomes a true Wildcat like a four-year player would be. More of a pro brought in for a quick one-year fix.

That’s the way it seems to be now, and I doubt that it will ever go back to the old way. Sad to some of us older fans, but probably not much that can be done about it.

 

[jensberg]

This new world of college athletics is very sad to this older Wildcat fan. And I suspect to older fans at every school.

There was a time, not too long ago, when most football and basketball players were recruited as freshmen and could almost be counted on to play for their school for a full four years. A few transfers did occur, but for the most part they were few and far between.

Now, however, there is little loyalty to the school that does the initial recruiting. Transfers at just about every year and level are rampant. And I really have to wonder if many of these work out better for the players then if they would have stayed where they were.

It used to be that we would have a quarterback who would be a backup and only see limited clean up action during his freshman year. Or he would red shirt and see no action. Then he would emerge as a starter in his second or third year when the previous starter graduated. So we could relate to him as true Wildcat, because he would be with our program throughout his entire college career.

But now every year it seems we get a graduate transfer with only one year remaining. So he really never becomes a true Wildcat like a four-year player would be. More of a pro brought in for a quick one-year fix.

That’s the way it seems to be now, and I doubt that it will ever go back to the old way. Sad to some of us older fans, but probably not much that can be done about it.

I'm sure you're old enough to remember major league baseball players who played for the same team for their entire career like Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays. Everything has changed.

 

[HailToPurple]

I am not sure many folks, even the blue blood fans like what the system as evolved to. It’s out of control, but the schools 100% caused this. The players certainly deserve more than the”very generous” scholarships and expenses you point out. Way more based on the revenue they generate. The market is set by the donors that pay professional level salaries for great players. I personally think the money being paid is obscene, but I would never begrudge a player to taking it while they can. The College Administration’s and worthless NCAA refused to share even a limited amount of the cash cow with the workers. This led to chaos that we see now. However, seeing this from the inside way back in the 80’s, I can assure you the scholarship isn’t of any value if you don’t learn anything while at the institution. We used to joke about the term student athlete that the NCAA shoved down our throats for media days.

I may not be as familiar with the entire history of this issue as some of you who have followed it more closely in recent times.

But if I understand it correctly from your post, the College Administrations and NCAA refused to share the TV and other revenues with the student athletes. So to get around that, a new system called NIL was formed outside the purview or control of the universities.

I have a big problem with that, regardless of whether someone thinks it is more just or not. The entire enterprise of college sports only exists due to the colleges themselves existing. They should be the sole control point for everything that transpires under their purview.

And that includes any monies that students receive using the school's identification to earn it.

The case is sometimes made that other students earn extra money with a variety of side jobs. Such as working at McDonald's, driving UBERs, etc. But that argument is irrelevant. Those jobs are entirely personal and carry no identification or association with the university.

To put it another way, first and foremost you are a student at the school. The fact that you can throw a football far better than anyone else at that school should not entitle you collect any extra money beyond your scholarship itself, regardless of whether it's a small or large amount of money.

 

[eastbaycat99]

Forty years ago, the revenue generated by college football was paid attendance, a handful of weekly televised games, bowls and radio networks. ESPN came along and with it the technology to broadcast more games, and then cable and streaming syndication pushed the televised component to almost all the games. The broadcast rights rose explosively and athletic departments were able to direct the money to any purpose but the players. Who could have guessed that a system with tons of money not going to those playing the games would spin out of control. I miss the college football where you went to home games and listened to a Dave Eanet for road games.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

I may not be as familiar with the entire history of this issue as some of you who have followed it more closely in recent times.

But if I understand it correctly from your post, the College Administrations and NCAA refused to share the TV and other revenues with the student athletes. So to get around that, a new system called NIL was formed outside the purview or control of the universities.

I have a big problem with that, regardless of whether someone thinks it is more just or not. The entire enterprise of college sports only exists due to the colleges themselves existing. They should be the sole control point for everything that transpires under their purview.

And that includes any monies that students receive using the school's identification to earn it.

The case is sometimes made that other students earn extra money with a variety of side jobs. Such as working at McDonald's, driving UBERs, etc. But that argument is irrelevant. Those jobs are entirely personal and carry no identification or association with the university.

To put it another way, first and foremost you are a student at the school. The fact that you can throw a football far better than anyone else at that school should not entitle you collect any extra money beyond your scholarship itself, regardless of whether it's a small or large amount of money.

You are advocating a 1970’s model which I believe completely was one sided in favor of the schools. I saw a few athletes that couldn’t tell you the name of the Governor of the State they were in. Bet their scholarship really benefited them later in life. Yet somehow these “schools” wanted these people wearing their colors and representing them. They were being used by those same upstanding Universities to win games for that sooth rich alumni egos. What you are describing is intramurals.

However, it is 2025, many of these Universities make millions of dollars off the back of these athletes representing their schools. A healthy relationship is where both the University and the Athlete benefits equally or close to it from the arrangement. No one forces schools to have a football, basketball or any other athletic team. Believe me teams won’t be supported by University if they don’t see a tangible benefit.

 

[TheC]

You are advocating a 1970’s model which I believe completely was one sided in favor of the schools. I saw a few athletes that couldn’t tell you the name of the Governor of the State they were in. Bet their scholarship really benefited them later in life. Yet somehow these “schools” wanted these people wearing their colors and representing them. They were being used by those same upstanding Universities to win games for that sooth rich alumni egos. What you are describing is intramurals.

However, it is 2025, many of these Universities make millions of dollars off the back of these athletes representing their schools. A healthy relationship is where both the University and the Athlete benefits equally or close to it from the arrangement. No one forces schools to have a football, basketball or any other athletic team. Believe me teams won’t be supported by University if they don’t see a tangible benefit.

I don't disagree with this, however, I would just argue that it works both ways. The reason these 18-22 year old athletes can command so much money now is because of the name on the front of the jersey. I love my QB, but I love him because he represents Northwestern University. Do away with that connection and you have a low level professional athlete playing for a team I can't really get that enthused about. Case in point, very few people care that much about minor league baseball or basketball. Those athletes don't make that much money or live glamorous lifestyles. Without the association to the university, these games become another minor league and all the money goes away.

The one thing that I think most of us agree with is that there needs to be some organization to this mess. It's not enjoyable right now. The money part is neither here nor there to me, but the constant moving around is not good for the games and I agree with what someone said upthread -- I don't think it's the best thing for the developing individual player either.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

I don't disagree with this, however, I would just argue that it works both ways. The reason these 18-22 year old athletes can command so much money now is because of the name on the front of the jersey. I love my QB, but I love him because he represents Northwestern University. Do away with that connection and you have a low level professional athlete playing for a team I can't really get that enthused about. Case in point, very few people care that much about minor league baseball or basketball. Those athletes don't make that much money or live glamorous lifestyles. Without the association to the university, these games become another minor league and all the money goes away.

The one thing that I think most of us agree with is that there needs to be some organization to this mess. It's not enjoyable right now. The money part is neither here nor there to me, but the constant moving around is not good for the games and I agree with what someone said upthread -- I don't think it's the best thing for the developing individual player either.

I don’t disagree with this. My point is there is a clear benefit for BOTH the athlete and the University. These same universities don’t recruit players to represent their school of higher learning if there isn’t something in it for them. It’s clearly a de facto minor league program for football and basketball, but this can be a profession too. It’s a lose/lose scenario for the schools and the players to abandon these programs at the major Universities. Fans are not interested in supporting players without that “NU” on the front of the jersey and schools aren’t generating millions in revenue and often free branding. Fix it and make it work.

 

[stpaulcat]

Like TV News, football and basketball have become entertainment, with players transcending the identities of their schools. In the former case of TV news this has proven destructive, will it also be so in the latte, major university sportsr? With the primary purpose being the money to be made. University sports are no longer about simply about proving your athletes are better on the field, for the glory of your university. Sad. However, at schools such as Northwestern, the Ivies and many others, this is still somewhat the goal. Hang in there NU, and show you can still outplay the semi-pro universities, while not playing the game largely for money. After all, "It's all right, It's okay, we're gonna beat you again one day." This said, if anyone is going to make money off this in the current climate, it should be shared by the players.

It is time to create a semi-professional football league totally separate from universities, so the extraordinary players who could give a crap about an education can have their path to the pros and get paid for it. The current system is doing a serious disservice to certain, if not many, universities, to us the fans as well, and to the many players who could escape having to endure useless communications courses and get on with their life in football.

 

[prez77]

This new world of college athletics is very sad to this older Wildcat fan. And I suspect to older fans at every school.

There was a time, not too long ago, when most football and basketball players were recruited as freshmen and could almost be counted on to play for their school for a full four years. A few transfers did occur, but for the most part they were few and far between.

Now, however, there is little loyalty to the school that does the initial recruiting. Transfers at just about every year and level are rampant. And I really have to wonder if many of these work out better for the players than if they would have stayed where they were.

It used to be that we would have a quarterback who would be a backup and only see limited clean up action during his freshman year. Or he would red shirt and see no action. Then he would emerge as a starter in his second or third year when the previous starter graduated. So we could relate to him as true Wildcat, because he would be with our program throughout his entire college career.

But now every year it seems we get a graduate transfer with only one year remaining. So he really never becomes a true Wildcat like a four-year player would be. More of a pro brought in for a quick one-year fix.

That’s the way it seems to be now, and I doubt that it will ever go back to the old way. Sad to some of us older fans, but probably not much that can be done about it.

I'm far into the old way camp from the fan point of view. For me, much of what matters is what I would call the story line of sports. Having heroes and villains requires some past to make them them that. It's more fun to root for your friends than for the shirt - as someone quoted the Seinfeld line and that requires some time for them to grow on you. 1995 was a big deal because of what went before but I think it would have been less great if our best players had been portal guys . The Jets Super Bowl win was epic because it changed the terms of the NFL-AFL rivalry - Namath was a Jet. My mother, no sports fan, remembered Frankie Albert to her dying days because she was Cal and he was Stanford. Don't think she remembers him if he had been a one season portal NIL.

 

[AdamOnFirst]

You can blame the system that had the players (football especially) under indentured servitude for more than half a century. The current situation is out of control, but at least the value creators are getting compensated. As a student of Economics, I cannot think of another sun economy like college football. High school players don't get paid, but, outside of some mammoth schools like in Texas, they don't generate revenue. Pros generate revenue and get paid. College football players generate obscene amounts of revenue, only to have it gobbled up by various remorae like coaches, administrators and non revenue athletes. The are like race horses

I do miss the earlier system where players would stay, but I'm happy the players are getting a share

Lets get the chaos of the portal sorted out so guys stay for longer more frequently while getting compensated and we'll be in a really good spot.

 

[Hungry Jack]

I don't disagree with this, however, I would just argue that it works both ways. The reason these 18-22 year old athletes can command so much money now is because of the name on the front of the jersey. I love my QB, but I love him because he represents Northwestern University. Do away with that connection and you have a low level professional athlete playing for a team I can't really get that enthused about. Case in point, very few people care that much about minor league baseball or basketball. Those athletes don't make that much money or live glamorous lifestyles. Without the association to the university, these games become another minor league and all the money goes away.

The one thing that I think most of us agree with is that there needs to be some organization to this mess. It's not enjoyable right now. The money part is neither here nor there to me, but the constant moving around is not good for the games and I agree with what someone said upthread -- I don't think it's the best thing for the developing individual player either.

Certainly agree that the college fandom, with the tradition, alumni affiliations and facilities are huge drivers of revenue. You could put the same players into the G League or XFL (or whatever that new spring league is), and those fans would mostly disappear.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

Certainly agree that the college fandom, with the tradition, alumni affiliations and facilities are huge drivers of revenue. You could put the same players into the G League or XFL (or whatever that new spring league is), and those fans would mostly disappear.

So would a lot of donor money!

 

[hdhntr1]

You are advocating a 1970’s model which I believe completely was one sided in favor of the schools. I saw a few athletes that couldn’t tell you the name of the Governor of the State they were in. Bet their scholarship really benefited them later in life. Yet somehow these “schools” wanted these people wearing their colors and representing them. They were being used by those same upstanding Universities to win games for that sooth rich alumni egos. What you are describing is intramurals.

However, it is 2025, many of these Universities make millions of dollars off the back of these athletes representing their schools. A healthy relationship is where both the University and the Athlete benefits equally or close to it from the arrangement. No one forces schools to have a football, basketball or any other athletic team. Believe me teams won’t be supported by University if they don’t see a tangible benefit.

There was not that much revenue in the first place other than the schools with 100k stadiums. The revenue that comes from media rights dwarfs that

 

[HailToPurple]

And there is nothing wrong with that. The money from media rights goes to the universities which is exactly where it belongs, and they can use it anyway they want. The use doesn't even have to be related to athletics. The money is fungible.

Then along came the issue of NIL, which has now blown up the whole system. As best I can tell the real original culprit responsible for NIL is the video game industry. By putting actual player names and numbers in their games it gave those players a reason to claim additional money owed to them for NIL. And now it's morphed into a business where an amateur college player can sell his NIL to just about anyone who wants to use it to promote their product.

So now amateur college athletes are raking in money as though they are already in the pros. What troubles me is that so many people, including some here, don't see a problem with it.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

And there is nothing wrong with that. The money from media rights goes to the universities which is exactly where it belongs, and they can use it anyway they want. The use doesn't even have to be related to athletics. The money is fungible.

Then along came the issue of NIL, which has now blown up the whole system. As best I can tell the real original culprit responsible for NIL is the video game industry. By putting actual player names and numbers in their games it gave those players a reason to claim additional money owed to them for NIL. And now it's morphed into a business where an amateur college player can sell his NIL to just about anyone who wants to use it to promote their product.

So now amateur college athletes are raking in money as though they are already in the pros. What troubles me is that so many people, including some here, don't see a problem with it.

Why does it trouble you? The players are the product not the University. We are not paying for walking tours of the campus. Players always should have got something in terms of financial remuneration. Instead the schools were more than happy to bank the cash and pay Coaches millions of dollars. The problem with the system is there are absolutely no guardrails to maintain a competitive balance.

This reminds me of when free agency hit baseball after the Curt Flood case. Idiot owners couldn’t control their spending due to their gigantic egos. Now replace owners with Carl the Car dealer from Lincoln. The schools don’t care because it’s not their money going to fund NIL. You can take a step to control this by distributing the revenue through the school and insure all NIL is for legitimate services rendered not pay for play as it is now. A scale for specific services with violations resulting in severe penalties. This was inevitable.

 

[phatcat]

scholarships and expenses, which are already very generous.

Scholarships are a hoax. If you consider the cost of attending for normal students, not some BS Joseph A Bank retail price, the players are being "paid" around 15-20/hour. For a job that puts their long term health at risk.

 

[HailToPurple]

Why does it trouble you? The players are the product not the University. We are not paying for walking tours of the campus. Players always should have got something in terms of financial remuneration. Instead the schools were more than happy to bank the cash and pay Coaches millions of dollars. The problem with the system is there are absolutely no guardrails to maintain a competitive balance.

This reminds me of when free agency hit baseball after the Curt Flood case. Idiot owners couldn’t control their spending due to their gigantic egos. Now replace owners with Carl the Car dealer from Lincoln. The schools don’t care because it’s not their money going to fund NIL. You can take a step to control this by distributing the revenue through the school and insure all NIL is for legitimate services rendered not pay for play as it is now. A scale for specific services with violations resulting in severe penalties. This was inevitable.

Without the university the players would be totally unknown. They owe their entire fame and any associated income to the existence of the university and its willingness to accept them as students.

And they definitely have something in terms of financial renumeration. It's called a scholarship with living expenses and a generous spending allowance. It would cost a regular student a private school like NU about $100,000 a year. So that's $400,000 over four years. Tax free.

 

[Sheffielder]

Without the university the players would be totally unknown. They owe their entire fame and any associated income to the existence of the university and its willingness to accept them as students.

And they definitely have something in terms of financial renumeration. It's called a scholarship with living expenses and a generous spending allowance. It would cost a regular student a private school like NU about $100,000 a year. So that's $400,000 over four years. Tax free.

I totally agree the current system is an absolute nightmare that will buckle underneath the weight of itself, but it is a hollow argument at best to suggest that a full scholarship is worth the sticker price.

First and foremost, the vast majority of FBS schools are public. If a kid stays in state to play ball, the scholarship is worth peanuts.

On the extreme opposite end of the spectrum, NU's expensive price tag is offset by the fact that NU meets the full financial need of any admitted student. No student with limited means is paying sticker price, and that's true for a lot upper-crust private schools these days.

A reasonable argument could be made that football gets a kid educational access to admission that he might not otherwise get at a Northwestern or a Notre Dame, but that accounts for too small a percentage of players to really assert this has value across the sport.

No amount of regulation will create a "level" playing field - such a thing has never, ever existed in college sports. At least NIL achieves a basic level of transparency that didn't exist even five years ago.

The best hope we have to save college football is to limit the number of times a kid can transfer and play for another NCAA member school - maybe one unrestricted transfer, and on a second transfer/third school the kid loses a year of eligibility(?)

 

[HailToPurple]

... At least NIL achieves a basic level of transparency that didn't exist even five years ago....

I don't understand what this means. "a basic level of transparency...."?

 

[FeralFelidae]

I totally agree the current system is an absolute nightmare that will buckle underneath the weight of itself, but it is a hollow argument at best to suggest that a full scholarship is worth the sticker price.

First and foremost, the vast majority of FBS schools are public. If a kid stays in state to play ball, the scholarship is worth peanuts.

On the extreme opposite end of the spectrum, NU's expensive price tag is offset by the fact that NU meets the full financial need of any admitted student. No student with limited means is paying sticker price, and that's true for a lot upper-crust private schools these days.

A reasonable argument could be made that football gets a kid educational access to admission that he might not otherwise get at a Northwestern or a Notre Dame, but that accounts for too small a percentage of players to really assert this has value across the sport.

No amount of regulation will create a "level" playing field - such a thing has never, ever existed in college sports. At least NIL achieves a basic level of transparency that didn't exist even five years ago.

The best hope we have to save college football is to limit the number of times a kid can transfer and play for another NCAA member school - maybe one unrestricted transfer, and on a second transfer/third school the kid loses a year of eligibility(?)

When I attended, the middle class at NU paid sticker price. When did this change?

 

[Sheffielder]

I don't understand what this means. "a basic level of transparency...."?

Fewer duffle bags of cash handed off at a McDonalds...

As of last week the nation had a pretty good idea of what Nico Iamaleava was earning at Tennessee, what he wanted that he didn't get, and what he'll earn now at UCLA.

What was the going rate for a 5-Star QB in 2010? It definitely was not just a full scholarship.

 

[Sheffielder]

When I attended, the middle class at NU paid sticker price. When did this change?

2016

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

Without the university the players would be totally unknown. They owe their entire fame and any associated income to the existence of the university and its willingness to accept them as students.

And they definitely have something in terms of financial renumeration. It's called a scholarship with living expenses and a generous spending allowance. It would cost a regular student a private school like NU about $100,000 a year. So that's $400,000 over four years. Tax free.

You sound like the disgruntled students I went to school with that thought the athletes got such a great deal. Do you know when I went to school back in the Stone Age, I couldn’t get a job moving furniture without it going through a compliance process overseen by the NCAA? I went to school with a couple of basketball players that were so poor that they wore the same clothes every third day. They couldn’t afford to take their girlfriend out for pizza. If they paid for school as a “regular” student, it would have been almost entirely paid for with grants. So what is the school giving them? Admission. A lot of good that did them, when the school pushes them through useless classes to stay eligible and they learn limited skills. Most don’t graduate and many pick up few life skills. The schools don’t care as long as they stay eligible.

The University got to collect media and attendance revenue, make Coaches the highest paid employee of the state, increase brand awareness, and hang banners for egotistical alumni and fans for what was a charade of a scholarship for many athletes. Now the pendulum has swung and some people forgot how and why it got to this point.

 

[prez77]

There has always been the issue of capital providing the opportunity for labor - in the early millennia as landlords; eventually as employers. This whole thing is headed to the courts eventually. It will boil down, as Justice Kavanaugh in I believe it was a concurrence suggested, whether college sports is a business with workers. The player workers and almost totally open markets will win under the current arrangements. The only way it becomes more ordered in the long run, is if one of two things happen: either Congress regulates the industry, or if the players and schools enter into collective bargaining wherein players and schools agree on the rules.

 

[Eurocat]

When I attended, the middle class at NU paid sticker price. When did this change?

Exactly. My kid wants to go to NU and when I type in financial aid I got a big fat zero not because I make a lot of money (I do good, but not law firm partner/wall street trader/celebrity star good) but because I own a house in suburban NY. Well guess what, all houses here are very high priced (even in bad neighborhoods) but that makes me "wealthy" in the eyes of NU and they want me to pay half a million dollars to send my kid there, no assistance.

 

[CappyNU]

Without the university the players would be totally unknown. They owe their entire fame and any associated income to the existence of the university and its willingness to accept them as students.

Yes, and conversely the university reaps the benefit of these players playing well, as seen when applications to NU skyrocketed following the Rose Bowl appearance in '95. It is a mutually beneficial relationship. When universities weren't allowed to pay players, that revenue that the players helped generate went to pay coaches and build facilities on campus for athletes to use. Coaches can leave on a dime, while players were stuck, so now it is a more level playing field. Not sure why this upsets you so much.

And they definitely have something in terms of financial renumeration. It's called a scholarship with living expenses and a generous spending allowance. It would cost a regular student a private school like NU about $100,000 a year. So that's $400,000 over four years. Tax free.

Generally speaking scholarship athletes are not allowed to get a work-study job on campus, so they are at a disadvantage in terms of earning money that regular students can.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

Exactly. My kid wants to go to NU and when I type in financial aid I got a big fat zero not because I make a lot of money (I do good, but not law firm partner/wall street trader/celebrity star good) but because I own a house in suburban NY. Well guess what, all houses here are very high priced (even in bad neighborhoods) but that makes me "wealthy" in the eyes of NU and they want me to pay half a million dollars to send my kid there, no assistance.

Sounds like you should have trained your kid to be an athlete?

 

[FeralFelidae]

Generally speaking scholarship athletes are not allowed to get a work-study job on campus, so they are at a disadvantage in terms of earning money that regular students can.

I felt that was a valid gripe in the pre-NIL days and a prime candidate for reform, but one of the recent developments (shortly before the NIL circus) was that players were earning a cost-of-living stipend that gave them some cash for spending money.