Time to start treating college players like contracted employees

[Limey Frog]

Well, to be fair, those players are still professional and have some agency over themselves and their contracts despite what the language of the deal makes it seem like.

College players do not due to various issues. And again, the difference is college vs pro, which is not something I want to debate here as it has been done so already ad nauseam.

You can make the argument you do above and you have some good points but at the end of the day, these kids are still college kids and using the phrasing originally used is incredibly obtuse.

I didn't see the original title, I'm just assuming people are being overly sensitive. That's usually a safe assumption these days. There are exceptions, of course.

 

[Chongo94]

I didn't see the original title, I'm just assuming people are being overly sensitive. That's usually a safe assumption these days. There are exceptions, of course.

For what it’s worth, I agree with most of your points. Just feel until the line between pro and college completely diminishes, you’ll always have issues involving language and feelings.

If we had gone the way of the European model as you allude to, I think a lot of these issues, commercial and non-commercial, would no longer be issues.

 

[Limey Frog]

For what it’s worth, I agree with most of your points. Just feel until the line between pro and college completely diminishes, you’ll always have issues involving language and feelings.

If we had gone the way of the European model as you allude to, I think a lot of these issues, commercial and non-commercial, would no longer be issues.

Right; I'm saying that college players should have that leverage. I think it would look something like a separate sub-division of the 50-60 programs that can afford to compete at the top level. Players who want to be eligible for that level can sign up for the CFB Players' Association, which bargains collectively for whatever minimum contract rights every school is then held to. Schools would then recruit from that pool, or have whatever unsigned players they might want sign up for the CFBPA (should they find some under-recruited "diamond in the rough"). From there you can set whatever transfer or trade-option rules are mutually agreeable to the CFBPA and member institutions. Players would be student-workers under multi-year contracts; they could have agents, etc. as well as sign whatever NIL deals they could land (although NIL regulations could then stipulate that an actual market-value trade is necessary, like appearing in a commercial or whatever, not just $1.5M from the booster club for an Instagram post). Some people would complain that this is turning CFB into pro-football light, but people have said that since the 1890s, and whenver the ship sailed it has well and truly gone already.

 

[East Coast]

An equally punk move as the guys leaving with games left to play. The whole system needs a slap on the neck. Two way street and just do what’s right by both the players and the program.

Gary rarely over signed, and when he did it was usually just 1 or 2. Most SEC schools, and many other "blue bloods" have been doing this for a long time, so it is hard to blame Sonny for doing it when kids can transfer with no penalty.

 

[Wexahu]

Too much investment in them only to have team up and leave with no compensation.

They are no longer student-athletes, though their scholarship is part of the incentive and financial package.

Transfers should be limited, and a school that picks up a player who has received NIL benefits should have to pay that school a portion of those funds, like a buyout. Some kind of consideration.

I know this won't be popular but it has to be reigned in somehow and schools treated fairly and able to recover and protect their investments.

Thoughts? Other ideas to bring this somewhat under control?

Moderator Edit: Please note that the title of this thread has been updated.

The solution is so very simple.

Require players who transfer to sit out a year before becoming eligible. 99% of these problems solved almost overnight.

 

[Chongo94]

Right; I'm saying that college players should have that leverage. I think it would look something like a separate sub-division of the 50-60 programs that can afford to compete at the top level. Players who want to be eligible for that level can sign up for the CFB Players' Association, which bargains collectively for whatever minimum contract rights every school is then held to. Schools would then recruit from that pool, or have whatever unsigned players they might want sign up for the CFBPA (should they find some under-recruited "diamond in the rough"). From there you can set whatever transfer or trade-option rules are mutually agreeable to the CFBPA and member institutions. Players would be student-workers under multi-year contracts; they could have agents, etc. as well as sign whatever NIL deals they could land (although NIL regulations could then stipulate that an actual market-value trade is necessary, like appearing in a commercial or whatever, not just $1.5M from the booster club for an Instagram post). Some people would complain that this is turning CFB into pro-football light, but people have said that since the 1890s, and whenver the ship sailed it has well and truly gone already.

Completely agree on all points.

 

[Sangria Wine]

Completely agree on all points.

And probably will be a reality in the next 15 years.

 

[hometown frog]

I didn't see the original title, I'm just assuming people are being overly sensitive. That's usually a safe assumption these days. There are exceptions, of course.

OP stated he wanted to call players “property” before a mod changed it to contracted employee. Really don’t think those of us calling that out are being overly sensitive. Nothing to infer and no nuance. Just bad.

 

[ReedFrawg]

What about back pay for the guys who played way back in the 90s???

 

[CryptoMiner]

reined in

 

[Froggy Style]

The solution is so very simple.

Require players who transfer to sit out a year before becoming eligible. 99% of these problems solved almost overnight.

Would hold up in court if the same rule were applied to others on the football payroll...like the coaches that convinced them to attend the school in the first place due to their amazing coaching abilities and love for the school they just left.

 

[CryptoMiner]

Treat them like employees:

Full medical benefits
Retirement plan participation
Workmen's Comp
Paid sickness/vacation
Minimum wage subject to OT rules

(also mentioned previously the school does not pay the NIL fees, that is just additional funds to the athlete)

 

[Wexahu]

Would hold up in court if the same rule were applied to others on the football payroll...like the coaches that convinced them to attend the school in the first place due to their amazing coaching abilities and love for the school they just left.

I think that argument is ridiculous.

 

[Sangria Wine]

Maybe a two step approach…

1. Make the scholarships non-revocable for 4 years without compensation equal to the cost of tuition, room & board for how ever many remaining years the player had left.

2. Make the player sit out for one year AND lose the year of eligibility while sitting out UNLESS they are transferring down a division.

Making a kid blow a year to go D1 to D1 would curtail almost all of the BS transfers. Of a kid is buried on the depth charts and just wants to go down a classification so they can play I respect that and the school likely wouldn’t mind seeing them leave to open the scholarship up. And at the same time the players deserve to have the school held accountable to their commitment as well. Both sides are treating the other as disposable which isn’t a healthy situation for the sport.

 

[Froggy Style]

I think that argument is ridiculous.

Cool story

 

[tetonfrog]

Maybe a two step approach…

1. Make the scholarships non-revocable for 4 years without compensation equal to the cost of tuition, room & board for how ever many remaining years the player had left.

2. Make the player sit out for one year AND lose the year of eligibility while sitting out UNLESS they are transferring down a division.

Making a kid blow a year to go D1 to D1 would curtail almost all of the BS transfers. Of a kid is buried on the depth charts and just wants to go down a classification so they can play I respect that and the school likely wouldn’t mind seeing them leave to open the scholarship up. And at the same time the players deserve to have the school held accountable to their commitment as well. Both sides are treating the other as disposable which isn’t a healthy situation for the sport.

My problem with #2: why should players be penalized when their coach leaves for another job? Why should a recruit who committed to a school because of the coach be forced to play for another coach that he does not know or worse knows and despises. Why should he give up a year because his coach is taking the $ and running? Why should that option be taken away from him?

The easiest solution is to give a player one free transfer and no more freebies unless his coach leaves for another job. After that, the player has to sit out a year for each transfer.

 

[Sangria Wine]

The easiest solution is to give a player one free transfer and no more freebies unless his coach leaves for another job.

Why not just have that (coach left) be the ONLY exception to having to sit out in the first place? What about only allowing the immediate chance to play if they follow the coach? I hear ya on the reality that sometimes when a coach leaves things go to hell for some players especially if they change systems, etc. I just don’t think what’s going on now is remotely reasonable.

 

[tetonfrog]

Why not just have that (coach left) be the ONLY exception to having to sit out in the first place? What about only allowing the immediate chance to play if they follow the coach? I hear ya on the reality that sometimes when a coach leaves things go to hell for some players especially if they change systems, etc. I just don’t think what’s going on now is remotely reasonable.

Until the first statement that you made comes true (4-year contracts for incoming players - which is something I support), then the players deserve one free transfer. If the system allows a coach to cut a player after any year, then allow the player a get-out-of-jail free clause to even it out.

The problem is the player who transfers five times in five years and is a sixth-year senior that never sat out (like the QB who played at Rice last year).

 

[Sangria Wine]

Until the first statement that you made comes true (4-year contracts for incoming players - which is something I support), then the players deserve one free transfer. If the system allows a coach to cut a player after any year, then allow the player a get-out-of-jail free clause to even it out.

The problem is the player who transfers five times in five years and is a sixth-year senior that never sat out (like the QB who played at Rice last year).

I completely agree. I sure hope there are composite changes in college football and very soon. The sport is quickly becoming really slimy and gross to me. I hope that the move to a 12-team playoff causes some meaningful pivots by the system that cause me to feel different but I’m not optimistic.

 

[froginmn]

Treat them like employees:

Full medical benefits
Retirement plan participation
Workmen's Comp
Paid sickness/vacation
Minimum wage subject to OT rules

(also mentioned previously the school does not pay the NIL fees, that is just additional funds to the athlete)

Many of those benefits are only available to employees who work 2,000 hours per year.

And you forgot, fired for actions that embarrass the employer.