Unionization of college sports will lead toward it's demise. And I am a pro-union guy here. They need to simply come up with a way to give the kids a little 'walking around' money, provide groceries, rental cars, and especially help out mom if she is destitute back at home. Construct a plan/loan where the kids are not one-and-done visitors but rather 4 year grads. They are the ones bringing in millions after all. As a rule I have been against student athletes getting paid thinking that free tuition is an incredible gift for being athletically inclined. But the time has come where change is needed and I want to see college sports remain intact.
If say a full blown union is out there in college sports, the day will come when they will have enough money to start their own 'junior nba' league and secede from college altogether. The good thing within that might be that college sports would get a major flush-out and maybe go back to what it always should have been ... extracurricular activities for the students that attend that school.
If say a full blown union is out there in college sports, the day will come when they will have enough money to start their own 'junior nba' league and secede from college altogether. The good thing within that might be that college sports would get a major flush-out and maybe go back to what it always should have been ... extracurricular activities for the students that attend that school.
I've been saying the same things over in the College Forum for the last month. I'm also a pro-union guy. I was in a union for 28 years. I know if your in a strong one you can get shit done. But the players are way in over their heads here getting a union involved. The NCAA actually had the player stipend on the table before the players decided they wanted to be grown ups and get the union involved, and what comes with it, including lawyers and union dues that I would imagine will be around $1000 a year or more.. Now all bets are off, and the stipend is probably gone too. I think if these players win, they are going to find out what it's like to be working americans. Taxes and all. That means taxes on EVERYTHING, including more than likely their scholarships.
Definitely a stay tuned situation here and you have to believe that all of these lawyers and neo-union guys are coming in with the hopes of a quick cashout more than getting it right for the athletes. This will play out for a long while I think. There's got to be a happy medium here with all of the damn money flooding in. Hopefully all proceedings will be transparent - I'd like to see it on C-Span or somehting like that.
Something tells me the only people who are going to end up getting rich over this deal are the lawyers who will stretch this thing out as long as they can. I've always hoped the players get some kind of stipend. But anything more than that and things get very complicated. Especially when they have Title IX to dance around. Whatever happened to the summer work programs for athletes to earn their spending money? They need to bring that back. College football shouldn't be a full time year around job.
Agreed with unionization being bad for college sports. Can't imagine having a stipend in place in place or some sort of pay would have much, if any, of an impact on staying in school. Whatever it is will be minuscule compared to what they could receive in the NBA. I'm in the boat that college athletes shouldn't be paid. Free tuition, room, and food seems like quite a deal to me. I do understand the validity in the counter argument. I just disagree, but a stipend seems fair. No one is forcing kids to do anything and yet they are being offered an opportunity that exists for so few.
I'm anti union and hate notre dame.
that being said an indy ND type school should step up and announce they are paying players. Players must sign contract to graduate and agree to waive all agent or union representation. pay is room and board, books, supplies and tuition. plus $100k per year. failure of drug screening or convicted of a felony and you payback everything. The first school that embraces this would attract the top talent in the US without even trying.
that being said an indy ND type school should step up and announce they are paying players. Players must sign contract to graduate and agree to waive all agent or union representation. pay is room and board, books, supplies and tuition. plus $100k per year. failure of drug screening or convicted of a felony and you payback everything. The first school that embraces this would attract the top talent in the US without even trying.
