The Atlantic: The Shame of College Sports

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2011/10/the-shame-of-college-sports/8643/

“I’m not hiding,” Sonny Vaccaro told a closed hearing at the Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C., in 2001. “We want to put our materials on the bodies of your athletes, and the best way to do that is buy your school. Or buy your coach.”

Vaccaro’s audience, the members of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, bristled. These were eminent reformers—among them the president of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, two former heads of the U.S. Olympic Committee, and several university presidents and chancellors. The Knight Foundation, a nonprofit that takes an interest in college athletics as part of its concern with civic life, had tasked them with saving college sports from runaway commercialism as embodied by the likes of Vaccaro, who, since signing his pioneering shoe contract with Michael Jordan in 1984, had built sponsorship empires successively at Nike, Adidas, and Reebok. Not all the members could hide their scorn for the “sneaker pimp” of schoolyard hustle, who boasted of writing checks for millions to everybody in higher education

.

“Why,” asked Bryce Jordan, the president emeritus of Penn State, “should a university be an advertising medium for your industry?”

Vaccaro did not blink. “They shouldn’t, sir,” he replied. “You sold your souls, and you’re going to continue selling them. You can be very moral and righteous in asking me that question, sir,”

Vaccaro added with irrepressible good cheer, “but there’s not one of you in this room that’s going to turn down any of our money. You’re going to take it. I can only offer it.”

How hopelessly corrupt and screwed up are college sports? Read and find out. This is a remarkable article.

[Corcaigh]

100%. They steal from the athletes.

I'll give a damn what university presidents have to say when they explain how their 'student athletes' are allowed to graduate by taking classes that don't require basic literacy.

[Dan T.]

100%. They steal from the athletes.

I'll give a damn what university presidents have to say when they explain how their 'student athletes' are allowed to graduate by taking classes that don't require basic literacy.

I heard a couple weeks ago about a study that figured out how much collegiate football and basketball players are worth in potential salary, figuring income generated by those sports for the NCAA and using the collective bargaining agreements of the NFL and the NBA as revenue sharing guidance.

Collegiate basketball players would earn a yearly $125,000 piece of the pie, and collegiate basketball players $250,000.

I'll see if I can source this. Like I said I heard it quoted on a radio show. Sounds about right though.

Edit: Here's an article about the study

http://www2.wspa.com/news/2011/sep/13/4/study-college-football-and-basketball-players-shou-ar-2403421/

And a link to the study, conducted by the National College Players Association and the Drexel University Department of Sport Management:

http://www.ncpanow.org/research?id=0024

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

This is fascinating. I did not know this.

“We crafted the term student-athlete,” Walter Byers himself wrote, “and soon it was embedded in all NCAA rules and interpretations.” The term came into play in the 1950s, when the widow of Ray Dennison, who had died from a head injury received while playing football in Colorado for the Fort Lewis A&M Aggies, filed for workmen’s-compensation death benefits. Did his football scholarship make the fatal collision a “work-related” accident? Was he a school employee, like his peers who worked part-time as teaching assistants and bookstore cashiers? Or was he a fluke victim of extracurricular pursuits? Given the hundreds of incapacitating injuries to college athletes each year, the answers to these questions had enormous consequences. The Colorado Supreme Court ultimately agreed with the school’s contention that he was not eligible for benefits, since the college was “not in the football business.”

The concept of the student-athlete was nothing but a scam from the very beginning.

[Redskins Diehard]

I've thought a lot about this topic and haven't come to a conclusion I am comfortable with. While the Basketball and Football players at some schools may be worth what is listed above I think it is pretty obvious that not all athletes at all schools are making more money than they cost. Hard to imagine that even athletes from the same sports at different schools in the same conference are worth the same.

[NavyDave]

They have always been corrupt as far as I'm concerned and use sports scholarships to shield them from being charged with violating labor laws.

As anti Union as I am, allegedly, I wish all of the "Student Athletes" (Football and Basketball) would organize and sitout games until there is an agreement that allows them to get a piece of the pie.

It makes me laugh how talking heads on sports channels and at Universities have nothing to say about colleges leaving conferences to form super conferences for the all mighty dollar then lose their minds if a kid trades a jersey for a tattoo or some cash as though they committed a felony.

[Redskins Diehard]

This is fascinating. I did not know this.

The concept of the student-athlete was nothing but a scam from the very beginning.

I think there are many cases where student-athlete is legitimate. Sure none of them may have been on ESPN last night...but there are a LOT of people out there getting a college education and not making their university a single penny

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

I think there are many cases where student-athlete is legitimate. Sure none of them may have been on ESPN last night...but there are a LOT of people out there getting a college education and not making their university a single penny

Look, it's fairly obvious that there are about 70 to 80 schools that "professional" athletics by nearly any definition except one. Those are the schools that matter in this discussion.

[Redskins Diehard]

Look' date=' it's fairly obvious that there are about 70 to 80 schools that "professional" athletics by nearly any definition except one. Those are the schools that matter in this discussion.[/quote']I think you way over estimate. And even if we go with the 70-80 universities(out of how many NCAA institutions?) they each have one, MAYBE, 2 sports where the athletes produce more money than they cost. I wonder if anyone is advocating we start charging those that aren't making their colleges money?

[Corcaigh]

I wonder if anyone is advocating we start charging those that aren't making their colleges money?

Absolutely. I don't see how my daughter's education is enhanced by a more competitive volleyball, soccer, cross country or softball team.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

Okay. For those of you who claim that athletes DO get compensated in the form of scholarships, shouldn't that make them eligible for other benefits? Especially since they can apparently be fired as an at-will employee?

When you dream about playing in college,” Joseph Agnew told me not long ago, “you don’t ever think about being in a lawsuit.” Agnew, a student at Rice University in Houston, had been cut from the football team and had his scholarship revoked by Rice before his senior year, meaning that he faced at least $35,000 in tuition and other bills if he wanted to complete his degree in sociology. Bereft of his scholarship, he was flailing about for help when he discovered the National College Players Association, which claims 7,000 active members and seeks modest reforms such as safety guidelines and better death benefits for college athletes. Agnew was struck by the NCPA scholarship data on players from top Division I basketball teams, which showed that 22 percent were not renewed from 2008 to 2009—the same fate he had suffered.

[PleaseBlitz]

Too many people think guys like Terrell Pryor and, well, a large portion of the Miami Hurricanes football team are the rule rather than the exception.

The fact is, there are over 100,000 NCAA schollarship athletes, and 99% of them are doing exactly what they are supposed to be doing.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

I think you way over estimate. And even if we go with the 70-80 universities(out of how many NCAA institutions?) they each have one, MAYBE, 2 sports where the athletes produce more money than they cost. I wonder if anyone is advocating we start charging those that aren't making their colleges money?

Basketball and football players should be paid. Period.

The University of Texas made $60 million off football last year - more than most pro teams. Let's say the average salary for their team was $100,000. That means they would make $52 million off football. I think they could figure out way to survive on $52 million in profits each year.

[China]

If you think things will change meaningfully you're fooling yourself. These types of shenanigans have been going on for 100 years. There's too much money and too many people involved who like it the way it is. Many supposed reform efforts have been made over the last century and still we have corruption. What is it they say is the definition of insanity, doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

Too many people think guys like Terrell Pryor and, well, a large portion of the Miami Hurricanes football team are the rule rather than the exception.

The fact is, there are over 100,000 NCAA schollarship athletes, and 99% of them are doing exactly what they are supposed to be doing.

I saw those commercials too. No on gives a **** about swimmers because swimmers don't make money.

Terrel Pryor made OSU literally tens of millions of dollars. He got an education he did not want and some tattoos out of it.

[PleaseBlitz]

Okay. For those of you who claim that athletes DO get compensated in the form of scholarships' date=' shouldn't that make them eligible for other benefits? Especially since they can apparently be fired as an at-will employee?[/quote']

They do get other benefits. Ever been on an athletic scholly? I have. You get tons of ****.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

By the way, I actually recommend reading the article before commenting. That would help.

[Redskins Diehard]

Absolutely. I don't see how my daughter's education is enhanced by a more competitive volleyball, soccer, cross country or softball team.

So your argument is against all extracurricular activities? Because I don't think it is even about a "more competitive" version of those teams. But really about having those teams, and many others, at all.

[PleaseBlitz]

I saw those commercials too. No on gives a **** about swimmers because swimmers don't make money.

Terrel Pryor made OSU literally tens of millions of dollars. He got an education he did not want and some tattoos out of it.

The smimmers care a lot about their free tuition to Stanford, I can assure you.

Terrell Pryor did not by himself make OSU "literally tens of millions of dollars." The OSU athletci department will make EXACTLY the same amount of revenue with or without Terrell Pryor.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

They do get other benefits. Ever been on an athletic scholly? I have. You get tons of ****.

They do not get Workers Comp insurance. They do not get social security. They do not get 401K benefits.

When I refer to "benefits," I mean "benefits" - not access to the gym or soft serve ice cream.

Read the article please.

[Redskins Diehard]

Basketball and football players should be paid. Period.

The University of Texas made $60 million off football last year - more than most pro teams. Let's say the average salary for their team was $100' date='000. That means they would make $52 million off football. I think they could figure out way to survive on $52 million in profits each year.[/quote']

Well your mind is obviously made up. No point and having a discussion with you.

---------- Post added September-16th-2011 at 03:43 PM ----------

They do not get Workers Comp insurance. They do not get social security. They do not get 401K benefits.

When I refer to "benefits' date='" I mean "benefits" - not access to the gym or soft serve ice cream.

Read the article please.[/quote']

Have you ever been on scholarship? If you think it is about a gym and ice cream you must have been at a pretty small time school....and probably not making your school a dime in revenue

[PleaseBlitz]

By the way' date=' I actually recommend reading the article before commenting. That would help.[/quote']

I read it, i think it is pure bull****. OMG COLLEGE SPORTS IS BIG BUSINESS! IT MUST BE EVIL!

[EersSkins05]

This article was absolutely phenomenal. Frank Deford said that it "may well be the most important article ever written about college sports."

I understand the concerns of those above saying that the volleyball team would have to be compensated if it was through the university. I just don't understand why the athletes at these money-making top-tier schools need to be compensated by the schools. Seems there's a line of people waiting to give them endorsements and financial aid with NO involvement from the University. Just go to an Olympic model, let them make what they can on their own, and be done with it. Nothing immoral or illegal about it.

[PleaseBlitz]

They do not get Workers Comp insurance. They do not get social security. They do not get 401K benefits.

When I refer to "benefits' date='" I mean "benefits" - not access to the gym or soft serve ice cream.

Read the article please.[/quote']

Again, i read the article, and again, I have BEEN on an athletic scholarship. No, you dont get social security or a 401(k). You do get food, cash (yes, cash), books, clothes, and tons of other stuff that Jimmy the unionized dirtfarmer will never see.

[Redskins Diehard]

This article was absolutely phenomenal. Frank Deford said that it "may well be the most important article ever written about college sports."

I understand the concerns of those above saying that the volleyball team would have to be compensated if it was through the university. I just don't understand why the athletes at these money-making top-tier schools need to be compensated by the schools. Seems there's a line of people waiting to give them endorsements and financial aid with NO involvement from the University. Just go to an Olympic model, let them make what they can on their own, and be done with it. Nothing immoral or illegal about it.

It seems the argument is...do away with college sports. And if you don't have the grades or mom and dad don't have the means....then don't bother with college.