Paying college athletes

[jonny d]

https://www.cbssports.com/college-ba...ncaa-protests/

This just passed in California. Similar bills are in play in NY, SC, and FL. Do we think OK would pass something like this? I can only assume Clemson is behind SC considering a bill like this. NY and FL, I can see.

[thunderbird]

I think it will certainly cause some problems for less funded schools but I'm all for it. I support it mainly for the Olympic sports (not that they will actually see any money). The rest of the world gets paid to train, why not our kids?

[Pete]

This will almost certainly cause the NCAA to compromise in some way and then apply the new rules uniformly across all states/schools.

[jonny d]

This will almost certainly cause the NCAA to compromise in some way and then apply the new rules uniformly across all states/schools.

I certainly hope so, because OU and OSU would be left in the dust if not.

[Eric]

I certainly hope so, because OU and OSU would be left in the dust if not.

Priorities

[FighttheGoodFight]

University of Oklahoma -- Sacramento Campus

[Laramie]

Paying college athletes has been on the table for decades. Where you really get into a dilemma is addressing the question of men & women athletes. You can't leave women athletes out because of Title IX.

We all know that football funds & underwrites many of the various university programs in the athletic programs budget; therefore the compromise with how Title IX is woven into the fracas will require a hurdle far beyond a stiff arm.

An annual appreciation stipend to athletes may be more doable.

[Jersey Boss]

I think it will certainly cause some problems for less funded schools but I'm all for it. I support it mainly for the Olympic sports (not that they will actually see any money). The rest of the world gets paid to train, why not our kids?

The monies will come from advertisers, agents, and entities other than the school or conference.

[onthestrip]

I think it will certainly cause some problems for less funded schools but I'm all for it. I support it mainly for the Olympic sports (not that they will actually see any money). The rest of the world gets paid to train, why not our kids?

This isnt about schools paying student athletes. Its about allowing student athletes to hire an agent and enter into sponsorship agreements with outside parties.

[jedicurt]

The monies will come from advertisers, agents, and entities other than the school or conference.

exactly... the California law just allows them to make money off their likeness and name. one of the crazy things that brought this on was UCLA Gymnast Katelyn Ohashi was told by the NCAA that she couldn't publish a book of poetry, because her name recognition came from the NCAA, and therefore she could not profit off of that... which is just dumb. other examples were a student on a swimming scholarship that had their scholarship revoked because in their spare time, they were paid to teach a class that taught children how to swim... these are the things this is about... the NCAA being just dumb in what is a violation and how kids can make money... this will allow them to be able to use their skills and their likeness and their name

[Laramie]

There's no panacea to address all the concerns that simmer around paying college athletes.

Do they deserve to get paid. You bet they do, when you consider all the training & sacrifices involved--the universities are dependent on them. They deserve some kind of compensation...

[jedicurt]

There's no panacea to address all the concerns that simmer around paying college athletes.

Do they deserve to get paid. You bet they do, when you consider all the training & sacrifices involved--the universities are dependent on them. They deserve some kind of compensation...

heck... and if they don't, then they deserve to atleast get that education... Nebraska a few years ago had to self report a NCAA violation because a tennis player who was a math major, used is scholarship money to buy a graphing calculator that was required for class, but technically scholarship money only covers a basic calculator... and thus was a violation... and there goes the NCAA argument that they care about the student part of the student-athlete..

[Midtowner]

It's a tough subject. I think the California bill only allows for private endorsements from outside bodies--not for putting college athletes on the State's payroll. I don't think there'd be any problem with Title IX as private parties get to choose which student athletes they want to endorse.

OU will be well-positioned if this ever comes to pass as OU is a Jordan school, which is, I hear, the more sought after brand by the young'ns, so OU would be battling for recruits with Michigan, North Carolina, and Florida.

[dankrutka]

This isnt about schools paying student athletes. Its about allowing student athletes to hire an agent and enter into sponsorship agreements with outside parties.

Bingo. The California law has nothing do with schools paying players. It's just allowing them to make money off their own likeness. The fact this law has ever existed is so exploitative, but that's pretty much the NCAA for you. I hope all states pass this same law. It's the right thing to do.

[Ward]

It's a tough subject. I think the California bill only allows for private endorsements from outside bodies--not for putting college athletes on the State's payroll. I don't think there'd be any problem with Title IX as private parties get to choose which student athletes they want to endorse.

OU will be well-positioned if this ever comes to pass as OU is a Jordan school, which is, I hear, the more sought after brand by the young'ns, so OU would be battling for recruits with Michigan, North Carolina, and Florida.

What is a Jordan school?

[jonny d]

What is a Jordan school?

Jordan Brand provides all the jerseys and sports attire for OU (athletes and to sell in the bookstore, campus corner, etc).

[chuck5815]

What is a Jordan school?

It is an elite department within Nike developed for the great Michael Jordan, which is best identified by the “Jumpman” logo. The Nike Schools get the Nike logo, whereas the Jordan schools get Jumpman.

This is a key advantage for OU as the young influencers are obsessed with the Logo, line up for hours to buy Jordans, etc.

If a top recruit is faced with the option of (a) accept $100k to attend a Nike school or (b) accept $100k to attend a Jordan school, she will attend the Jordan school almost every time. The Logo is that important to these kids.

[unfundedrick]

While I'm not a fan of either of the senators involved, I do like this proposed regulation. It would bring some degree of order into the chaos that now exists in college sports.

https://apnews.com/article/nil-ncaa-...a2590ab06acab0

"The Protecting Athletes, Schools, and Sports Act would establish a regulator to oversee agents and collectives, the booster-funded organizations that provide many NIL deals to college athletes. It would also establish a uniform NIL contract for athletes, create a public website to publish NIL data without revealing names of athletes and require contracts to be disclosed within 30 days.

The bill would make it illegal for states to pass laws that permit college athletes to share revenue with schools and conference that generate billions from sports such as major college football and basketball.

ASS would require schools to fund some long-term health care for their athletes. It also would regulate transfer rules, requiring athletes to complete three years of academic eligibility before being able to switch schools and immediately compete."

[FighttheGoodFight]

While I'm not a fan of either of the senators involved, I do like this proposed regulation. It would bring some degree of order into the chaos that now exists in college sports.

https://apnews.com/article/nil-ncaa-...a2590ab06acab0

"The Protecting Athletes, Schools, and Sports Act would establish a regulator to oversee agents and collectives, the booster-funded organizations that provide many NIL deals to college athletes. It would also establish a uniform NIL contract for athletes, create a public website to publish NIL data without revealing names of athletes and require contracts to be disclosed within 30 days.

The bill would make it illegal for states to pass laws that permit college athletes to share revenue with schools and conference that generate billions from sports such as major college football and basketball.

ASS would require schools to fund some long-term health care for their athletes. It also would regulate transfer rules, requiring athletes to complete three years of academic eligibility before being able to switch schools and immediately compete."

I like it all except the transfer rules. If coaches can leave whenever so should athletes.

[Jersey Boss]

I have a belief that any legislation proposed with the name Tuberville on it is DOA.
Plus the restriction on revenue sharing could be a constitutional issue.

[PoliSciGuy]

I like it all except the transfer rules. If coaches can leave whenever so should athletes.

Agreed on all of this. Heck, Tuberville himself bolted from Texas Tech after only two years, pretty hypocritical of him to shut that door to uncompensated students.

[unfundedrick]

I like it all except the transfer rules. If coaches can leave whenever so should athletes.

That is not a comparable situation. Coaches are under contract and there are substantial monetary consequences when they leave. Athletes just say goodbye and that's it.

[April in the Plaza]

That is not a comparable situation. Coaches are under contract and there are substantial monetary consequences when they leave. Athletes just say goodbye and that's it.

That’s probably changed a bit with NIL. I’ve heard of guys getting 2-year deals.

[Mr. Blue Sky]

Agreed on all of this. Heck, Tuberville himself bolted from Texas Tech after only two years, pretty hypocritical of him to shut that door to uncompensated students.

Excuse me! Uncompensated?
Since when is a free college education not compensation?
But then I have to remind myself, that especially in an age of big NIL deals and the Transfer Portal (free agency), it’s silly to really call these players “student athletes.” I know that’s not a popular thing to say in Oklahoma, but there’s more and more people willing to admit it.

[jedicurt]

Excuse me! Uncompensated?
Since when is a free college education not compensation?
But then I have to remind myself, that especially in an age of big NIL deals and the Transfer Portal (free agency), it’s silly to really call these players “student athletes.” I know that’s not a popular thing to say in Oklahoma, but there’s more and more people willing to admit it.

it was silly before. and it was always dumb that they couldn't market themselves because of some arbitrary rules, especially when it wasn't related to the sport at all. i went to school on an academic scholarship, and there was no one complaining that i while a student used my skills to earn money while in college. the example i always love to bring up was when Katelyn Ohashi (a UCLA Gymnast) wasn't allowed to publish a book of poetry while she was still in college under scholarship. if you are just saying the only thing a student athlete can earn while under scholarship is their scholarship, then you are saying they are able to sign away the entirety of their identity to a university. i'm sorry that but is completely ridiculous. now is the age of NIL as it currently is completely on the opposite side of the spectrum, yes, it is and will be for awhile, but it will correct itself to a healthier medium in the near future. but the old way was way worse than what we have now.