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Ok. I've got a question about college athletes becoming university employees.

Posted on 2/2/24 at 5:17 pm
Posted by Pandy Fackler
Member since Jun 2018
14001 posts
Posted on 2/2/24 at 5:17 pm
There's talk of this and it might start getting some traction.

Tell me this though. Would they still be students and get scholarships or would they strictly be employees who represent the university on the field but are not required to actually attend the school?

Some people work for a university and are students. Others work for a university who are not.



This post was edited on 2/2/24 at 5:18 pm
Posted by AwgustaDawg
CSRA
Member since Jan 2023
6856 posts
Posted on 2/2/24 at 5:21 pm to
There’s no reason they wouldn’t be employees with a scholarship.
Posted by ukraine_rebel
North Mississippi
Member since Oct 2012
2171 posts
Posted on 2/2/24 at 5:21 pm to
I would think that they wouldn't get scholarships but the payments from the university would be more than sufficient, and yes they would still be students. Plenty of students are also employees at schools everywhere.
Posted by deeprig9
Unincorporated Ozora, Georgia
Member since Sep 2012
63897 posts
Posted on 2/2/24 at 5:24 pm to
So, a state employee? Not gonna fly.
Posted by Lucado
Member since Nov 2023
2450 posts
Posted on 2/2/24 at 5:25 pm to
I went to school on scholarship and held jobs on campus my first two years. I don't see why it couldn't be any different for athletes.
Posted by Pandy Fackler
Member since Jun 2018
14001 posts
Posted on 2/2/24 at 5:27 pm to
quote:

I would think that they wouldn't get scholarships but the payments from the university would be more than sufficient, and yes they would still be students. Plenty of students are also employees at schools everywhere.


Well this is true but would they need to be? Lots of people work for the university who don't attend it. They're simply employed there.

I'm open to the discussion that football players are simply treated as employees who don't necessarily attend the school. With NIL and the ease of transfer, they don't have an emotional attachment to the school anyway.

Why not just go full tilt, contractually obligated professional football with all this? It would offer clarity and boundaries.
Posted by Pandy Fackler
Member since Jun 2018
14001 posts
Posted on 2/2/24 at 5:29 pm to
quote:

So, a state employee? Not gonna fly.


Why not though? The coach is a state employee. The gal behind the desk in the admissions office is a state employee. The guy who does the floors is a state employee. Why can't the football players be state employees?
Posted by Pandy Fackler
Member since Jun 2018
14001 posts
Posted on 2/2/24 at 5:31 pm to
quote:

I went to school on scholarship and held jobs on campus my first two years. I don't see why it couldn't be any different for athletes.


Well me neither. I'm just wondering though if now is a good time to simply put an end to the pretense of the so called "student athlete".
This post was edited on 2/2/24 at 5:31 pm
Posted by ukraine_rebel
North Mississippi
Member since Oct 2012
2171 posts
Posted on 2/2/24 at 5:35 pm to
quote:

Why not just go full tilt, contractually obligated professional football with all this? It would offer clarity and boundaries.


You could, but it would be a very bad deal for the players, here's why, if you go this route, and the average lifespan of an NFL player is 4 years, I would believe it'd roughly the same for these players here. Or if in year one you blow out your knee and can never play again, then you'd be done and have nothing to show for it except for what you had in your initial contract.
On the other hand, if you're a student, you can at least finish your education and get a degree and have something long-term to show for your time.
Posted by 49 to nada
In aggy and gooner heads, rent free
Member since Sep 2023
1139 posts
Posted on 2/2/24 at 5:45 pm to
quote:

I would think that they wouldn't get scholarships but the payments from the university would be more than sufficient, and yes they would still be students. Plenty of students are also employees at schools everywhere.
I would think a scholarship would still be included. That shite ain't cheap these days when you factor in all the costs beyond tuition.(housing, meal plan and incidentals) Of course if there are still scholarship limits some of the top NIL earners could give up their scholly to make room for players who are just getting the minimum salary. (walk-ons and such) Speaking of which, there are very few companies where every employee makes the same amount, it will be interesting to see how that shakes out. Incentive based? Salary goes up each year they remain with the same program? Separate pay tiers for starters and backups? Each player individually negotiates their salary? This is gonna be a clusterfrick, no way I'd work in a university AD these days.
Posted by deeprig9
Unincorporated Ozora, Georgia
Member since Sep 2012
63897 posts
Posted on 2/2/24 at 6:09 pm to
quote:

Why not though? The coach is a state employee. The gal behind the desk in the admissions office is a state employee. The guy who does the floors is a state employee. Why can't the football players be state employees?


I won't type an essay, but states usually have laws in place to govern state employee pay, conduct, etc. Georgia definitely does. Kirby only makes like $500k on the state dole, everything else is AD money. And his Ford F-150 commercials and such. How would you reign in NIL insanity by making them state employees?
Posted by BevoBucks
H-town
Member since Dec 2022
3912 posts
Posted on 2/2/24 at 6:15 pm to
quote:

There's talk of this and it might start getting some traction.


It’s not just gaining traction. It’s inevitable.
Posted by csgau
On the dock of the Bay
Member since Jan 2014
579 posts
Posted on 2/2/24 at 7:45 pm to
Fumble again, miss another field goal...you're fired.
Posted by Pandy Fackler
Member since Jun 2018
14001 posts
Posted on 2/2/24 at 7:55 pm to
quote:

You could, but it would be a very bad deal for the players, here's why, if you go this route, and the average lifespan of an NFL player is 4 years, I would believe it'd roughly the same for these players here. Or if in year one you blow out your knee and can never play again, then you'd be done and have nothing to show for it except for what you had in your initial contract.
On the other hand, if you're a student, you can at least finish your education and get a degree and have something long-term to show for your time.



Ok. So maybe they're contractually obligated for two or three years. Maybe it's simply annual. Maybe after their 2nd or 3rd year, if they get a lesser draft grade, they have the option to come back but what they can't do is transfer once contracted.
Posted by Pandy Fackler
Member since Jun 2018
14001 posts
Posted on 2/2/24 at 8:05 pm to
quote:

I won't type an essay, but states usually have laws in place to govern state employee pay, conduct, etc. Georgia definitely does. Kirby only makes like $500k on the state dole, everything else is AD money. And his Ford F-150 commercials and such. How would you reign in NIL insanity by making them state employees?


I really don't know. I think what I'm trying to get at the most with this is contractual obligation. In the spirit of spit balling here, can we get to a point where NIL money is attached to the school and in order to receive it, you have to agree to terms.

Maybe the Universities at the power 5 level can unite on this and form it's own collective, it's own alliance. Maybe they can gain some leverage with all this. If the players are employees and not students, they could conceivably do something like this.
Posted by Bengalbio
Tampa, FL
Member since Feb 2017
1415 posts
Posted on 2/2/24 at 8:24 pm to
Sad that we are tossing out the best part about college athletics, building the mind and body, all for the sake of small number pro athletes that happen to be in college.
Posted by Pandy Fackler
Member since Jun 2018
14001 posts
Posted on 2/2/24 at 8:55 pm to
quote:

Sad that we are tossing out the best part about college athletics, building the mind and body, all for the sake of small number pro athletes that happen to be in college.


This is an excellent point. It's an extremely small number.
Posted by Pandy Fackler
Member since Jun 2018
14001 posts
Posted on 2/2/24 at 8:57 pm to
quote:

It’s not just gaining traction. It’s inevitable.



It's not ideal but I suppose it would at least offer clarity and guidelines.
Posted by bamaoldtimer
Member since Dec 2009
988 posts
Posted on 2/2/24 at 9:40 pm to
quote:

There's talk of this and it might start getting some traction.

Tell me this though. Would they still be students and get scholarships or would they strictly be employees who represent the university on the field but are not required to actually attend the school?

Some people work for a university and are students. Others work for a university who are not


The issue is anti trust litigation and Sherman Act issues. I believe there is a sympathetic ear from Washington and the SCOTUS. The networks, schools, coaches and everyone else associated with College sports and especially football, have been raping the student athlete until a few years ago. The schools and those who have gotten wealthy are being threatened with unlimited nil / portal/ pay for play. They intend to stop this hemorrhaging. Hence, seeing Big Ten / SEC collaboration today.

I see the two conferences gutting the NCAA and rewriting its bylaws. The new NCAA will be run by these two conferences along with other lesser conferences joining in to save themselves from annihilation.

The issue as I see it comes down to the 55-75 players who are their for an education and if the local car dealership in their hometown want to pay $2000 for a tv clip etc then fine.

The real issue is for those 5 star players and high 4 stars who demand 6 and 7 zero deals to play for that school. This may be only a handful at run of the mil programs and 5-10 or more at the Alabama’s of the world.

I am sure things will get worked out ok. Unfortunately for us fans, we will be screwed with higher participation costs.

Posted by Pandy Fackler
Member since Jun 2018
14001 posts
Posted on 2/2/24 at 9:47 pm to
quote:

The issue is anti trust litigation and Sherman Act issues. I believe there is a sympathetic ear from Washington and the SCOTUS. The networks, schools, coaches and everyone else associated with College sports and especially football, have been raping the student athlete until a few years ago. The schools and those who have gotten wealthy are being threatened with unlimited nil / portal/ pay for play. They intend to stop this hemorrhaging. Hence, seeing Big Ten / SEC collaboration today.

I see the two conferences gutting the NCAA and rewriting its bylaws. The new NCAA will be run by these two conferences along with other lesser conferences joining in to save themselves from annihilation.

The issue as I see it comes down to the 55-75 players who are their for an education and if the local car dealership in their hometown want to pay $2000 for a tv clip etc then fine.

The real issue is for those 5 star players and high 4 stars who demand 6 and 7 zero deals to play for that school. This may be only a handful at run of the mil programs and 5-10 or more at the Alabama’s of the world.

I am sure things will get worked out ok. Unfortunately for us fans, we will be screwed with higher participation costs.




When NIL hit the scene, alot of us naively believed that's all it would amount to. Some local commercials, selling some autographs and maybe showing up for a ribbon cutting or two.

This post was edited on 2/2/24 at 9:48 pm
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