The issue of paying college athletes has resurfaced in my home state of Tennessee. Although I understand and appreciate the commitment our student-athletes make to their respective sports and colleges, converting student-athletes to employees is a terrible idea on multiple levels, and the most significant is the threat of organized labor.
Rules On College Recruiting Are Broken
Few will dispute the current college recruiting system remains broken. Practically every program is consistently bending, if not breaking NCAA recruiting rules. Once colleges secure athletes, the next objective is to win. In business as in sports, winning matters. So does making money. The recent fallout of the Nike scandal is a prime example. The investigation has already snared several players and coaches, and I’m sure more revelations will follow.
There isn’t an easy solution to simplifying the recruiting process in college athletics. Because many top athletes come from households with little or no financial resources, the subject of paying athletes arises
Acquiring a four-year undergraduate college degree is expensive. I know, because my son is a freshman at an SEC school. He’s not a college athlete, so his mom and I are footing the majority of the cost. Fortunately, his ACT scores were high enough to qualify for reduced out-of-state tuition.
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The demands on student-athletes can be intense. Besides maintaining a 12 plus-hour academic schedule, athletes spend many more hours at practice and in the weight room. They’re expected to study and keep a C or better average on top of everything else. Thankfully, many programs provide tutors and mandate study sessions.
Outside jobs are not an option; not only due to time constraints but also because student-athletes they are prohibited by NCAA rules from working during their respective seasons. Even if schools cover all or most of the cost of tuition and books, how are student-athletes from a low to middle-income families expected to survive or obtain spending or “pocket money?”
However, if we compensate student-athletes for their athletic services, they are no longer amateurs, but professionals, which makes them employees, with the possibility of organizing through labor unions. Why is this bad? Because modern-day unions are more concerned with padding their pockets to advance their political agenda, all under the auspicious of advocating for improved working conditions. I believe there are better options other than directly compensating college athletes.
Mr. CFB Discusses Paying College Athletes
Last year I interviewed Tony Barnhart, one of college football’s premier journalists. Tony, aka, Mr. CFB, is the person who first brought the issue of organized labor in college athletics to my attention.
Tony Barnhart, Mr. College Football, was recognized with the Distinguished Achievement in Cable and Broadcasting Award at the 44th Annual DiGamma Kappa Awards Banquet. The banquet, co-sponsored by Grady College and The Georgia Association of Broadcasters, was held at the University of Georgia Special Collections Libraries.
Pictures by Sarah E. Freeman and Stephanie Moreno.
Here’s an excerpt from our interview:
What are the most significant changes you’ve seen in college football during your career?
“Ha, the money. Everyone knew there was money in college football. Few thought the dollars would be this big.”
Speaking of money, what are your thoughts on paying college athletes?
“As I told a group the other day, I’m in favor of finding ways to get resources to college football players, but I’m opposed to giving them cash. For example, schools and boosters could pay travel expenses for families to attend bowl games, medical expenses, and other ancillary costs but compensating players with cash is a bad idea.
You see, once you start paying someone they turn into an employee. Employees can potentially organize and join a union, which means they could strike. “Auburn Players Strike On Eve of Alabama Game.” That would not be a good headline.”
Barnhart’s comments are right on target. With the assistance of alumni and boosters, colleges and universities could pool their contributions to provide premium health care through outside insurance plans. They could even fund travel expenses for family and friends to attend post-season tournaments.
Another idea is to increase the dollar amount of scholarships to cover other costs. Instead of creating an employer-employee relationship, athletes could be given stipends to cover additional living expenses. Let the boosters cover this part too. At least it would legalize what is already happening.
Legislative Bodies Advocate Paying College Athletes
In my home state of Tennessee, Sen. Brian Kelsey (R-Germantown) introduced Senate Joint Resolution 22. Although resolutions in Tennessee are not binding, this one “urges” the state’s public universities and colleges to work with their respective athletic conferences on a plan to compensate student-athletes. Similar bills have been filed in Washington State.
I’m interested in this resolution for many reasons. First, I once held the seat occupied by Sen. Kelsey. He’s a good friend, and I like and respect Brian a great deal. He obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a school nationally recognized not only for their basketball program but also for academics.
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In an exchange via text, Kelsey outlined his reasons for supporting payments to student-athletes.
“It’s an issue of both economic fairness and civil rights,” Kelsey wrote. “The top football and basketball athletes put their bodies and careers at risk, bring millions of dollars into their universities, and receive virtually nothing in return.”
“The quaint idea of the student-athlete is a memory from the distant past. College sports is big business, and these athletes deserve what they are worth in the free market just like pro athletes. Their jerseys (meaning those with their numbers and names) sometimes sell for 20 years into the future, and it’s just unfair that they don’t get a dime. Universities should stop taking advantage of them.”
I disagree with the notion that student-athletes receive nothing in return. If student-athletes take advantage of the educational opportunities given them, a degree from UNC or any other school can allow graduates to earn a good living throughout their career.
According to the University of North Carolina’s website, the cost of attendance for an in-state student is around $24,000, and about $52,000 for out-of-state students. Calculated over four years, that’s around $100,000 to $200,000 of value that tens of thousands of students would love to receive. A debt-free, college education is not a bad deal for anyone.
Implementing a Fair Compensation Structure Is Impossible
Besides, Kelsey’s non-binding resolution only applies to programs with major revenue sports such as football and basketball.
For example, what’s fair about paying the quarterback at the University of Alabama and not paying the quarterback at Rhodes College. And what about Vanderbilt’s quarterback? Vandy is indeed a well-to-do private university with an incredible endowment. Their football revenue in 2017 was $26.78 million (last in the conference), whereby the SEC’s top revenue-producing program, Tennessee, raked in $107.1 million.
How much money would each team’s quarterback deserve? And because Vandy beat the Vols 42-24 in 2017, one could certainly argue the Commodore’s quarterback deserves a more massive payday than Tennessee’s QB!
And what about a standout athlete on the women’s golf team at Maryville College? How long do you think it will take for America’s new socialist movement to engage the ACLU to file a lawsuit to expand Title IX (the federal law requires that women and men be provided equitable opportunities to participate in sports). Renaming the movement AOC-CIO might motivate advocates to push for more aggressive actions.
Using Licensing Revenue To Fund Health Insurance Plans
Are top colleges and universities earning millions from licensing of their sports apparel and memorabilia? Absolutely.
Through a licensing program conceived by former Tennessee Head Football Coach Bill Battle, some schools receive millions of dollars in revenue. Using a portion of those dollars to purchase health insurance for all student-athletes is something I would support.
Unions Will Destroy College Athletics
Some argue compensating college athletes would end the corruption in college sports. I disagree. At best, it would merely shift the corruption to the labor unions, who are salivating at the thought of organizing college athletes.
If you think the current system needs improvement, then wait until the labor goons infiltrate college athletics. Would organizers push to unionize programs in labor-friendly states? Would unions seek to limit practice hours or mandate athletes receive specific foods and privileges? Discrimination lawsuits would be the norm.
Northwestern Football – Would Players Strike If They Were Paid Employees?
Labor unions licked their chops in 2014 when a director with the National Labor Relations Board in Chicago ruled that Northwestern University’s men’s football team were able to vote on union representation. Thankfully, the full NLRB declined to address the issue, making it a moot point.
The fight isn’t over, and I’m confident unions are already laying the groundwork to continue their cause. No matter how you slice it, paying college athletes remains a terrible idea.