House of Reps bill on NCAA issues

[t4pizza]

New bill in the House, not expected to prevail in the Senate, would be good news for many on here. Among other things, a prohibition against using student fees for athletics, antitrust exemption (probably partial), preemption of state law on NIL, and prohibition about student/athletes being employees (would kill any CBA ideas). Interesting to see what becomes of this.

https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/45 ... l-payments

[ASUTodd]

I'm not sure why athletes can't be employees..... I was an employee of the school as a student. I went to class as a student and worked at Legends as an employee.

[KentHogan]

I'm not sure why athletes can't be employees..... I was an employee of the school as a student. I went to class as a student and worked at Legends as an employee.

I think making them employees opens the door to a player filing a lawsuit saying that he shouldn’t be required to attend class as a student, he would argue that the cafeteria workers aren’t required to be students, I’m just hired to play football so you can’t force me to be a student.

I’m no lawyer but I have no doubt that argument would be made, whether it would prevail is an interesting question.

If it did prevail, then college sports are truly over.

[ASUTodd]

I'm not sure why athletes can't be employees..... I was an employee of the school as a student. I went to class as a student and worked at Legends as an employee.

I think making them employees opens the door to a player filing a lawsuit saying that he shouldn’t be required to attend class as a student, he would argue that the cafeteria workers aren’t required to be students, I’m just hired to play football so you can’t force me to be a student.

I’m no lawyer but I have no doubt that argument would be made, whether it would prevail is an interesting question.

If it did prevail, then college sports are truly over.

Part of my hiring to work at Legends was contingent on going to school at App. They can say that they were hired only for football and take it to court but if the contact they sign stipulates they must be enrolled and maintain a certain GPA, then they can be terminated. It's no diff than any other job. People treat these athletes like that are some superior being that can do what they want. If I don't go to my mandatory training each year the Sheriff's Training and Standards are going to pull my certificate and I'm going to get canned by the sheriff. Schools just need to draw the line. If you want to come to school, get an education, and play some sports....so be it. If you are only interested in money then go elsewhere.

[KentHogan]

I'm not sure why athletes can't be employees..... I was an employee of the school as a student. I went to class as a student and worked at Legends as an employee.

I think making them employees opens the door to a player filing a lawsuit saying that he shouldn’t be required to attend class as a student, he would argue that the cafeteria workers aren’t required to be students, I’m just hired to play football so you can’t force me to be a student.

I’m no lawyer but I have no doubt that argument would be made, whether it would prevail is an interesting question.

If it did prevail, then college sports are truly over.

Part of my hiring to work at Legends was contingent on going to school at App. They can say that they were hired only for football and take it to court but if the contact they sign stipulates they must be enrolled and maintain a certain GPA, then they can be terminated. It's no diff than any other job. People treat these athletes like that are some superior being that can do what they want. If I don't go to my mandatory training each year the Sheriff's Training and Standards are going to pull my certificate and I'm going to get canned by the sheriff. Schools just need to draw the line. If you want to come to school, get an education, and play some sports....so be it. If you are only interested in money then go elsewhere.

I agree with you and your argument is based in common sense. Unfortunately, the movement sweeping through college sports seems to be void of any common sense.

Not that long ago kids getting scholarships were considered the lucky ones. Now, we’re suppose to believe they were victims and are owed back money.

I think all of this is tied to a bigger movement within our culture that embraces victimhood and it’s finally gotten its claws into college athletics.

Anyway, I hope for the best but it’s just a giant mess, and certainly doesn’t feel the same. The spirit of the game is dying quickly.

And I don’t actually think any of this is good for the kids in the long run.

[AppfaninCAALand]

I'm not sure why athletes can't be employees..... I was an employee of the school as a student. I went to class as a student and worked at Legends as an employee.

I think making them employees opens the door to a player filing a lawsuit saying that he shouldn’t be required to attend class as a student, he would argue that the cafeteria workers aren’t required to be students, I’m just hired to play football so you can’t force me to be a student.

I’m no lawyer but I have no doubt that argument would be made, whether it would prevail is an interesting question.

If it did prevail, then college sports are truly over.

Part of my hiring to work at Legends was contingent on going to school at App. They can say that they were hired only for football and take it to court but if the contact they sign stipulates they must be enrolled and maintain a certain GPA, then they can be terminated. It's no diff than any other job. People treat these athletes like that are some superior being that can do what they want. If I don't go to my mandatory training each year the Sheriff's Training and Standards are going to pull my certificate and I'm going to get canned by the sheriff. Schools just need to draw the line. If you want to come to school, get an education, and play some sports....so be it. If you are only interested in money then go elsewhere.

Athletics should be considered a "work-study" program, like many other student employment opportunities on campus where you work in exchange for tuition breaks. I knew a girl when I at was school who worked afternoons in the Study Aboard Office, and, if I remember correctly, she had the choice to apply a substantial portion of her pay directly to tuition/room and board. I had an App wrestler once describe being an athlete like having a strict work-study, and I have always thought of athletics that same way since.

[Pikapp79]

I'm not sure why athletes can't be employees..... I was an employee of the school as a student. I went to class as a student and worked at Legends as an employee.

I think making them employees opens the door to a player filing a lawsuit saying that he shouldn’t be required to attend class as a student, he would argue that the cafeteria workers aren’t required to be students, I’m just hired to play football so you can’t force me to be a student.

I’m no lawyer but I have no doubt that argument would be made, whether it would prevail is an interesting question.

If it did prevail, then college sports are truly over.

Too late. It’s already over for many of us.

[Bigdaddyg1]

When is the last time the NCAA “cracked down” on a school or athletic program? Long time. The stuff schools and programs used to get in trouble for seem long gone. If a booster flat out hands a star football player an envelope of cash does anything even remotely happen?

Is the term student/athlete still used? I generally like to use the term one percenters when discussing certain topics. If you take the sum total of all college athletes at every level in reality how many legitimately are at highly paid level in terms of being must see? Right off the top eliminate virtually all D3,D2 and FCS football. Eliminate virtually all lower level basketball, baseball and Olympic sports. Now at the G5 level knock out probably 99%. To me all of this uncontrolled garbage is really for the sake of a precious few who exist every year, the small percent who will go on to get paid. Don’t you guys still think that a huge majority of college athletes still covet the traditional scholarship and free education?

[bcoach]

When is the last time the NCAA “cracked down” on a school or athletic program? Long time. The stuff schools and programs used to get in trouble for seem long gone. If a booster flat out hands a star football player an envelope of cash does anything even remotely happen?

Is the term student/athlete still used? I generally like to use the term one percenters when discussing certain topics. If you take the sum total of all college athletes at every level in reality how many legitimately are at highly paid level in terms of being must see? Right off the top eliminate virtually all D3,D2 and FCS football. Eliminate virtually all lower level basketball, baseball and Olympic sports. Now at the G5 level knock out probably 99%. To me all of this uncontrolled garbage is really for the sake of a precious few who exist every year, the small percent who will go on to get paid. Don’t you guys still think that a huge majority of college athletes still covet the traditional scholarship and free education?

Outside of football and basketball yes I do.

[AtlAppMan]

This ESPN article shows where this is heading with all the money being contemplated going into college athletics. I have long said there is a major contradiction between amateur college athletics and professional athletics. The colleges can’t run it like a business and be not for profit.

This article demonstrates that issue. It will come to a head.

https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/4 ... uity-risks

[mike87]

I suppose making them an employee opens up the world of workers compensation and other benefits. That would be interesting.

[canes_mj]

I suppose making them an employee opens up the world of workers compensation and other benefits. That would be interesting.

Worker's comp/benefits is exactly how and why the NCAA invented the "student-athlete" concept...a couple of cases from the 1950s....Univ of Denver vs Nemeth, from 1953...Nemeth was injured and the court ruled eligible for payment; so the NCAA did their thing and in 1955 a player named Ray Dennison died and when his case went to court, brought by his widow, he lost because he was a "student-athlete".

[bcoach]

Well if we pay them they are either employees or contract workers. Due to the fact they can't be contract workers, they are employees. So yes there should be workmans comp and everyhing else pertaining to employing people. Need to set witholding and make sure all benifits like tuition, tutors etc. are taxed just like you and me. The athletic department needs to be set up as a business, maybe a corporation, and file taxes. This paying players more than we already were,was such a great idea.

[bcoach]

I suppose making them an employee opens up the world of workers compensation and other benefits. That would be interesting.

Worker's comp/benefits is exactly how and why the NCAA invented the "student-athlete" concept...a couple of cases from the 1950s....Univ of Denver vs Nemeth, from 1953...Nemeth was injured and the court ruled eligible for payment; so the NCAA did their thing and in 1955 a player named Ray Dennison died and when his case went to court, brought by his widow, he lost because he was a "student-athlete".

My guess is "student athlete" will be eliminated as they become employees.

[AtlAppMan]

That will solve the issue between the athlete and the university and make it employee/employer but the Bigger issue is what is suggested in the article and will be a HUGE tax and other financial implication with the windfalls of these private equity groups intermingled with non-profit state owned entities. That is a whole nother unknown can of worms.

[AppWyo]

I'm not sure why athletes can't be employees..... I was an employee of the school as a student. I went to class as a student and worked at Legends as an employee.

I think making them employees opens the door to a player filing a lawsuit saying that he shouldn’t be required to attend class as a student, he would argue that the cafeteria workers aren’t required to be students, I’m just hired to play football so you can’t force me to be a student.

I’m no lawyer but I have no doubt that argument would be made, whether it would prevail is an interesting question.

If it did prevail, then college sports are truly over.

Too late. It’s already over for many of us.

I believe some thought the end would be when they started giving scholarships to players. When they started allowing blacks to play. Title IX. It is not ending, it is just changing.

[Saint3333]

The era of developing players and loyalty to a program has ended.

What we have now is a semi-pro league not an amateur one.