FWST: TCU athletic director ‘really nervous’ about California’s new Fair Pay to Play Act

[Wexahu]

It appears to me that this legislation's endgame appears to be to press the issue and influence the NCAA rules changing so that payers can get paid and "play by the NCAA rules".

Right, and if the NCAA rules are changed to allow players to get paid, I'm out. Not interested. If I want to watch paid athletes play sports I've got the NFL, NBA and MLB.

More power to them if that's what they want, I'll go do other things. I would guess I'm far from alone but maybe not and the $$ would just keep on pouring in.

 

[Wexahu]

This would consolidate power into a handful of schools. People are only going to pay for winners, and the reality is that only a few win. It will be a self-perpetuating system.

Case in point...how do you think Tennessee boosters would feel about giving money to their players? Or UCLA? Or Nebraska after the last 6 or so years? The money would keep rolling in at Bama, Clemson, Georgia, Ohio State and OU. It would dry up everywhere else after a few mediocre seasons.

Of course, aTm would keep paying after infinite 7-5 seasons just because those fools are too stupid to want a return on their investment.

Players would only go to the high-profile schools that get all the exposure. Earning potential as a football player in college would be infinitely higher at an Ohio State, Texas or Alabama than it would be at a Baylor or TCU. Like you said, the consolidation of power would be self-perpetuating and no smaller school would have a chance in hell of keeping up.

As it stands now, at least the 85 scholarship limit and no pay for players allows for a semblance of competitive balance and as a fan, all you ask for and need is hope. Take that away and it's not fun anymore.

 

[Moose Stuff]

Maybe...but I don't see why? Every hypothetical just seems to be really grasping at straws and relatively easy to accommodate in the grand scheme of things.

Wex beat me to the answer.

 

[Zubaz]

Right, and if the NCAA rules are changed to allow players to get paid, I'm out. Not interested. If I want to watch paid athletes play sports I've got the NFL, NBA and MLB.

More power to them if that's what they want, I'll go do other things. I would guess I'm far from alone but maybe not and the $$ would just keep on pouring in.

Hasn't the argument consistently been that players are *already* being compensated in the form of their athletic scholarship and stipend? That you're already watching "paid athletes play sports"? I guess I don't personally understand the mindset that a guy being paid what someone else thinks he's worth would cause me to abandon my team. I'm a fan of TCU football. If there were a few players on my team were getting paid to do autograph signings or endorse a car dealership, I don't think that would impact my fandom one iota.

What would impact my fandom is if TCU was unable to, but I don't see that being the case the way you predict (at least not any more than it currently is).

 

[Zubaz]

What would impact my fandom is if TCU was unable to field a competitive team based on the competitive landscape, but I don't see that being the case the way you predict (at least not any more than it currently is).

Darn lack of an edit button. This is how that should read.

 

[MAcFroggy]

I just hope once they are professionals that we can start cutting players and processing them out like some other programs. I have always been against it ( to the extent done by some other programs) because I thought amateur students should not be penalized for not being up to snuff. Getting their degree is important.

Once they are pros, then I think we need to be process out players with far more frequency.

 

[Wexahu]

[QUOTE="Todd D., post: 2763487, member: 3528"]Hasn't the argument consistently been that players are *already* being compensated in the form of their athletic scholarship and stipend? That you're already watching "paid athletes play sports"? I guess I don't personally understand the mindset that a guy being paid what someone else thinks he's worth would cause me to abandon my team. I'm a fan of TCU football. If there were a few players on my team were getting paid to do autograph signings or endorse a car dealership, I don't think that would impact my fandom one iota.

What would impact my fandom is if TCU was unable to, but I don't see that being the case the way you predict (at least not any more than it currently is).[/QUOTE]

C'mon man, that first argument is so weak.

The problem is there would be 50 players getting paid at autograph signings at UT and A&M and 5 at TCU, simply due to the size of the school and number of t-shirt fans and alums. You see how that might create a huge competitive imbalance when it comes to recruiting players?

 

[Zubaz]

C'mon man, that first argument is so weak.

I agree, I've always hated the "they already do get paid" argument, I'm just pointing out that it's been made whenever the issue of paying players has come up.

The problem is there would be 50 players getting paid at autograph signings at UT and A&M and 5 at TCU, simply due to the size of the school and number of t-shirt fans and alums. You see how that might create a huge competitive imbalance when it comes to recruiting players?

Yes I do. What I am saying is I'm not sure that competitive imbalance is altogether that different from the significant difference in the donors giving to UT and A&M vs. TCU already. As I said before, the issues of competitive imbalance in college sports already heavily stack the deck to the richest programs, are somewhat baked in to the equation given the way talents choose their teams, and I disagree that this would exacerbate the issue to any meaningful degree. The only difference I see is the player's share of that "imbalance" would get bigger relative to the University's....and I don't really have a problem with that.

 

[Wexahu]

I agree, I've always hated the "they already do get paid" argument, I'm just pointing out that it's been made whenever the issue of paying players has come up.


Yes I do. What I am saying is I'm not sure that competitive imbalance is altogether that different from the significant difference in the donors giving to UT and A&M vs. TCU already. As I said before, the issues of competitive imbalance in college sports already heavily stack the deck to the richest programs, are somewhat baked in to the equation given the way talents choose their teams, and I disagree that this would exacerbate the issue to any meaningful degree. The only difference I see is the player's share of that "imbalance" would get bigger relative to the University's....and I don't really have a problem with that.

It's totally different if a school can offer legal $50k autograph sessions to players as enticement to go to school there. I mean, that wouldn't even be in the same ballpark in terms of competitive balance vs what is in place now.

Why are you so supportive of players getting paid? Do you honestly think the players are the ones who are the valuable assets here? Players are completely interchangeable, that is proven year after year. If anything, the courts should be going after the NFL for not allowing 18 year olds to play in their league, not forcing the NCAA to modify the amateur athlete model.

 

[jake102]

A place like Oky State would randomly become a powerhouse (rip TBoone) because he’d pay every starter a few million a year. A $50mm payroll wouldn’t mean much for a few NCs

JJ would pump up Arkansas. UT and aTM would have huge payrolls

I think you’d have some balance among 30 schools.... everyone else would be completely gone

 

[Ghost of Tobys Business College]

The problem is there would be 50 players getting paid at autograph signings at UT and A&M and 5 at TCU, simply due to the size of the school and number of t-shirt fans and alums. You see how that might create a huge competitive imbalance when it comes to recruiting players?

I can also see this causing some problems for team chemistry. Some freshman that was a 5* high school player but hasn't done squat on the field in college yet is probably going to already have some deals lined up. That's probably gonna not sit well with some of the upperclassmen.

 

[Zubaz]

Why are you so supportive of players getting paid? Do you honestly think the players are the ones who are the valuable assets here? Players are completely interchangeable, that is proven year after year.

Strong disagree here. Yes the university brand is important and these players wouldn't draw flies without it (same as any star player that tries to play in the XFL or AAF or Playing for Pizza League), but IMO you're severely downplaying the impact high quality players have on revenue for their schools as well.

If anything, the courts should be going after the NFL for not allowing 18 year olds to play in their league

Don't disagree at all, I just don't think they are mutually exclusive.

 

[Dogfrog]

IMO you have to be awfully cynical or naive to believe that the average college football fan would not be lost in this scenario. You can argue all you want the players are already paid and that cheating is rampant and that coaches and players have no loyalty. True or not, the average college football fan places those thoughts in the ignore file because the “idea” of the amateur student athlete giving his all for the alma mater is the secret to college football’s immense popularity. Lose that, and say let’s just pay them? It’s over.

You may have a handful of very large state schools with no NFL competition who could survive this but the whole concept misses the very essence of college sports.

 

[Wexahu]

IMO you have to be awfully cynical or naive to believe that the average college football fan would not be lost in this scenario. You can argue all you want the players are already paid and that cheating is rampant and that coaches and players have no loyalty. True or not, the average college football fan places those thoughts in the ignore file because the “idea” of the amateur student athlete giving his all for the alma mater is the secret to college football’s immense popularity. Lose that, and say let’s just pay them? It’s over.

You may have a handful of very large state schools with no NFL competition who could survive this but the whole concept misses the very essence of college sports.

Well said. Exactly my thoughts.

 

[DeuceBoogieNights]

Right, and if the NCAA rules are changed to allow players to get paid, I'm out. Not interested. If I want to watch paid athletes play sports I've got the NFL, NBA and MLB.
.

Why dont you want college players to be paid off their likeness? I get the argument that blue bloods can cash whip anyone they want, but what about paid athletes bothers you?

If everything remained the same but a few of our players were also making money, it wouldnt change my mind at all.

 

[TopFrog]

What could go wrong?

 

[Wexahu]

Why dont you want college players to be paid off their likeness? I get the argument that blue bloods can cash whip anyone they want, but what about paid athletes bothers you?

If everything remained the same but a few of our players were also making money, it wouldnt change my mind at all.

Them getting paid wouldn't "bother" me in and of itself, I just wouldn't be interested in watching them play anymore because first of all, the team and school I support would no longer be competitive. Secondly, there are already pro sports leagues I can watch and do watch. I suppose once they start getting paid and choosing schools based on $, the idea of supporting the players because they go my school seems a lot less appealing.

Not trying to be an ass, but does that make any sense? I love college football but I'm not kidding, if it becomes a pay-for-play thing I am out so fast I'll hardly remember I paid attention in the first place. I know what draws me to the sport and a completely unfair playing field would totally ruin it for me.

 

[Dogfrog]

I can live without college football. The part of this that is most bothersome to me is that there is a small group of people - attorneys, politicians, journalists, who approach this based on the ignorant idea of helping the poor downtrodden student athlete that is not getting his share. What?

Too stupid to understand that if and when it all goes away, there will be (edit) thousands of scholarships lost to a segment of folks who need them most, not to mention all the walk-ons and guys who ride the pine and get a degree. As well as the NFL caliber players losing bargaining leverage by not having a chance to build a resume prior to the NFL.

 

[flyfishingfrog]

these kids have worked hard on their skills and are talented - why are they not able to profit from that?

why can universities rake in millions a year off of their hard work and then restrict athletes ability to market themselves and be paid for who they are?

Because with out the schools they have no sport to play and no education

The NFL can’t even get a minor league to work as we have seen this year- because there is no support and if college becomes more of a top 10 teams only based on spending ability it will not end well for schools that can’t compete financially from “advertisers”

I guess I don't see where this conclusion is coming from. We aren't talking about divorcing U-21 / "minor league" football from the university model, or the creation of a professional league for younger players, which I agree would basically relegate minor league football to the popularity of the AHL or AAA Baseball. We aren't even talking about schools paying their players. We are talking about athletes being allowed to earn money off their likeness. How would that cause the popularity to drop off? I suppose you could argue that a long term competitive imbalance might hurt interest but...we've basically had that for a long time and college football remains incredibly popular, only difference is the bigger share would now go to the players instead of the schools taking that share. You really wouldn't watch TCU football anymore just because Darius Anderson can make $X in a year off his likeness on his own? Really?

no becaise Darius Anderson would have gotten a $50k offer to be the new Texas tech cafe spokeperson and would have transferred after the ran for 200 yds against Purdue...

 

[Mean Purple]

Nobody ever talks about the one thing that makes this idea tank in the end; the administration of the funds and how to keep from the unfair competitive advantage.
Pass whatever bill you want, the NCAA still has rules agreed to.

Not as simple at folks want to claim.

Private schools would get a leg up. And if you think the Bama/OSU/TEXAS/USC/CFP crowd lets that happen, you're dreaming.