Let's Chat About the Merits & Deficiencies of College Athletes' Amateur Status

[DQ12]

I think that it's odd that high profile football stars don't make any money off of their likeness.  On the other hand, they knew that would be the case when they decided to become a college football player.  I also think that if players are allowed to get pay for play that it could send the entire NCAA system out of whack.  Because of this, I find myself having little sympathy for NCAA athletes.  In my view, they made a decision to go to college (for free) on the condition that their extremely hard work benefits the university and in some cases, tremendously benefits the university (Klein/Manziel/Newton etc).  At 18 years old, you're free to sign up and play the game and receive the benefits of being a college athlete, or you're free to do something else instead.

Poke holes in my arguments and discuss!

['taterblast]

i think allowing NCAA players being allowed to make money off their likeness while in school would open up a can of worms that would make NCAA sports a lot worse in the long run.

[DQ12]

i think allowing NCAA players being allowed to make money off their likeness while in school would open up a can of worms that would make NCAA sports a lot worse in the long run.

specifically, how would that scenario differ from the one we have now?

[timhawk]

i think allowing NCAA players being allowed to make money off their likeness while in school would open up a can of worms that would make NCAA sports a lot worse in the long run.

if the want to get paid go play cfl or arena league.

[EMAWmeister]

I disagree with the O'Bannon suit in the sense that I don't believe players should get paid every time they appear on a television camera, but it is an absolute travesty that things like the "Johnny Heisman" billboard are allowed to be plastered all over America while he doesn't see a dime of it.

[cas4ksu]

I think that it's odd that high profile football stars don't make any money off of their likeness.  On the other hand, they knew that would be the case when they decided to become a college football player.  I also think that if players are allowed to get pay for play that it could send the entire NCAA system out of whack.  Because of this, I find myself having little sympathy for NCAA athletes.  In my view, they made a decision to go to college (for free) on the condition that their extremely hard work benefits the university and in some cases, tremendously benefits the university (Klein/Manziel/Newton etc).  At 18 years old, you're free to sign up and play the game and receive the benefits of being a college athlete, or you're free to do something else instead.

Poke holes in my arguments and discuss!

Pretty well put. A lot of people look at how much universities are making due to big time college athletics and athletes are wondering where their share of that is.

They get a great deal for getting to play football at a high level, have the best coaching, and get a degree. It seems to me that this all really became an issue is when the universities started making money hand over fist.

[DQ12]

it is an absolute travesty that things like the "Johnny Heisman" billboard are allowed to be plastered all over America while he doesn't see a dime of it.

What makes it a travesty and what solution do you propose?

[Skipper44]

i think allowing NCAA players being allowed to make money off their likeness while in school would open up a can of worms that would make NCAA sports a lot worse in the long run.

specifically, how would that scenario differ from the one we have now?

at  the very least it would favor teams with large fan bases or in major  markets -  just like pro sports.  That would seriously not help my favorite school.


 also,  paying players would imply responsibility for head injuries imo

[DQ12]

i think allowing NCAA players being allowed to make money off their likeness while in school would open up a can of worms that would make NCAA sports a lot worse in the long run.

specifically, how would that scenario differ from the one we have now?

at  the very least it would favor teams with large fan bases or in major  markets -  just like pro sports.  That would seriously not help my favorite school.


 also,  paying players would imply responsibility for head injuries imo

Yeah I misread that.  I thought he said "allowing NCAA to make money off players' likeness"

[daBish7]

If I could have played for K-State I would have done so in a heartbeat. I don't think they should get paid, but I believe the coaches making crap tons of money feel guilty as hell. Give them a few grand to pay for rent and expenses.

[NDSU Lollypopkid]

eff the NCAA.  Bilas exposed them tonight like the frauds they are. There should never be an instance where you search a name..and it comes up to with a page selling said names merchandise...and they dont see a single dime. Thats messed up. And now they pulled the search engine plug from their site because they were exposed. eff em

[EMAWmeister]

it is an absolute travesty that things like the "Johnny Heisman" billboard are allowed to be plastered all over America while he doesn't see a dime of it.

What makes it a travesty and what solution do you propose?

Because it's an obvious play on "Johnny Football", a nickname that is trademarked and belongs to the Manziel family under the JMAN2 corporation.  It's not an action shot of him playing for Texas A&M, it's him posing and smiling for a camera.  Not to mention that the Heisman Trust is getting paid for the use of the 'Heisman' moniker.

If Texas A&M wanted to use the Heisman Trophy as a recruiting tool, which is totally reasonable and fair, they should have put the trophy on a billboard, or maybe an iconic image from the season that was the property of a photographer, and not a student athlete.

The fact that JM will not see a penny from this is a rough ridin' joke.

[NDSU Lollypopkid]

it is an absolute travesty that things like the "Johnny Heisman" billboard are allowed to be plastered all over America while he doesn't see a dime of it.

What makes it a travesty and what solution do you propose?

Because it's an obvious play on "Johnny Football", a nickname that is trademarked and belongs to the Manziel family under the JMAN2 corporation.  It's not an action shot of him playing for Texas A&M, it's him posing and smiling for a camera.  Not to mention that the Heisman Trust is getting paid for the use of the 'Heisman' moniker.

If Texas A&M wanted to use the Heisman Trophy as a recruiting tool, which is totally reasonable and fair, they should have put the trophy on a billboard, or maybe an iconic image from the season that was the property of a photographer, and not a student athlete.

The fact that JM will not see a penny from this is a rough ridin' joke.

Completely agree. as much as I laugh at aggy like the next guy through this miserable time...when you look outside of the box, everybody who has a hand in the cookie jar makes money off these guys...except for the guy doing all of the work.

[EMAWmeister]

i think allowing NCAA players being allowed to make money off their likeness while in school would open up a can of worms that would make NCAA sports a lot worse in the long run.

if the want to get paid go play cfl or arena league.

That is one of the worst rough ridin' arguments in this whole debate.

[NDSU Lollypopkid]

Bilas also brought up a great point...if every football player in the NCAA signed autographs for profit on a friday night...would the NCAA cancel the entire saturday?

[EMAWmeister]

Bilas also brought up a great point...if every football player in the NCAA signed autographs for profit on a friday night...would the NCAA cancel the entire saturday?

See, I do think that Manziel is guilty here if he signed A&M merchandise.  If he signed a shitload of maroon "Johnny Football" shirts, and got paid for it, I think that would be completely fine.

[DQ12]

Yeah but Meister he posed for the photo didn't he?  He knew that A&M was going to use that image for promotional purposes, right? Just like Klein and Arthur did last year.  Is that not part of the bargain?  Further, is "getting your face on a billboard" (with no further compensation) not a goal for most h.s. recruits when they sign out of high school?

I missed the part of this where players' expectations weren't met when they didn't see a dime of money outside the scholarships.

Also, you didn't propose a solution that would resolve players being compensated (outside of scholarships) and also not send the whole system out of whack.  FWIW, I know little about economics.

[DQ12]

That is one of the worst rough ridin' arguments in this whole debate.

Explain why because i think hearing your explanation could make me switch sides.

[NDSU Lollypopkid]

Bilas also brought up a great point...if every football player in the NCAA signed autographs for profit on a friday night...would the NCAA cancel the entire saturday?

See, I do think that Manziel is guilty here if he signed A&M merchandise.  If he signed a shitload of maroon "Johnny Football" shirts, and got paid for it, I think that would be completely fine.

Yea theres that fine line he has to walk too. Either way, A&M is irrelevant if it wasn't for JF so they should shut up and enjoy relevancy for once.

[DQ12]

Completely agree. as much as I laugh at aggy like the next guy through this miserable time...when you look outside of the box, everybody who has a hand in the cookie jar makes money off these guys...except for the guy doing all of the work.

And if he wants money from that, outside the scholarships, then that makes the "guy doing all of the work" an idiot for entering into the agreement, right?

[NDSU Lollypopkid]

Yeah but Meister he posed for the photo didn't he?  He knew that A&M was going to use that image for promotional purposes, right? Just like Klein and Arthur did last year.  Is that not part of the bargain?  Further, is "getting your face on a billboard" (with no further compensation) not a goal for most h.s. recruits when they sign out of high school?

I missed the part of this where players' expectations weren't met when they didn't see a dime of money outside the scholarships.

Also, you didn't propose a solution that would resolve players being compensated (outside of scholarships) and also not send the whole system out of whack.  FWIW, I know little about economics.

So what happens if a walk on happens to win a heisman one year? He's paying his way, and the college saves X amount on tuition+ pocket whatever money streams in from televised games/merchandise/hype walk on brings? the system is just stupid

[michigancat]

Why shouldn't the system be knocked out of whack, dlew? the current model makes no logical sense in any way.

[NDSU Lollypopkid]

Completely agree. as much as I laugh at aggy like the next guy through this miserable time...when you look outside of the box, everybody who has a hand in the cookie jar makes money off these guys...except for the guy doing all of the work.

And if he wants money from that, outside the scholarships, then that makes the "guy doing all of the work" an idiot for entering into the agreement, right?

Yes...which is why its dumb.

[DQ12]

So what happens if a walk on happens to win a heisman one year? He's paying his way, and the college saves X amount on tuition+ pocket whatever money streams in from televised games/merchandise/hype walk on brings? the system is just stupid

I mean, for one, he'd probably earn himself a scholarship.  But that doesn't get to the heart of what I'm talking about.  The kid agreed to volunteer his time to play football.  No one held a gun to his head and said "spend tons of time playing football for free or else..."

If a college kid wants to be compensated in a way that includes something more than a full ride, playing college football seems like an odd decision.

[chum1]

I'm in favor of the status quo because so many against it are way too preachy.