The coming BIG disruption in college sports

[AURex 1,996]

There is increasing pressure on universities to change the way college sports are treated. A recent ruling by the National Labor Relations Board in the New England area ruled that athletes are employees of the university, not amateur student athletes, and therefore they can unionize and can be paid for playing their sport.

 

The SEC and Big10 have joined up to draft new rules regarding college athletes in Power5 programs, especially in regards to NIL and athlete revenue sharing by the universities.

 

I think the old idea of student athletes and amateurism is going to completely disappear in the next few years. Schools with lots of money will pay athletes nice sums -- the better they perform, the more they earn. The schools with less money will have lower pay scales. But the one thing that NCAA and the federal government will require through Title IX is that athletes in all sports must receive a share of the money.

 

Gymnastics, golf, swimming, soccer, T&F, etc -- It's going to be complicated. And it will emphasize even more that college sports are a minor league prep ground for future pros in all sports.

 

I wonder how this would change the dynamic of sports on campuses over time. If the athletes are no longer invested with a university, able to jump from school to school at will, a constant churn of players who, from what I've seen, could play at the college level indefinitely, year after year after year after year at many different schools so long as they are taking classes -- this could be a real quagmire.

 

There would obviously need to be contracts involved, likely similar to pro sports, with base pay and performance incentives, buyouts for top athletes for changing schools, etc.

 

Would students, alumni and especially donors adjust to this new world of college athletics that is more like pro sports? I ask this because a lot of fans of college sports (including me) have little or no interest at all in pro sports. If your university baseball team is no different from your city minor league team, etc, will they be pumping dollars and excitement into the current team, which may be completelt different from last year's team and completely different from next year's team?

 

I don't know the answers to any of this stuff.

 

The way all of this sorts out is just speculation at this point, but there is one certainty. Change is coming and it is going to be disruptive. Just having a couple of new teams in the conference is nothing compared to what is coming down the road in the next few years.

 

 

[tigeraddikt 1,608]

Did AU include an H&R Block suite in the new football center?

[Mikey 16,592]

Thanks to NIL and the current transfer rules I've already lost a great deal of my interest in college sports. I suppose I'll always want Auburn to do well but my thoughts and money are already going elsewhere. What I'm giving to AU is completely on the academic side.

[aucanucktiger 1,794]

True, but it's equally simple to see the direction this will go. Whereas student-athletes were historically college cream of the crop (Rhodes Scholars, etc) now you'll have STUDENTS and student😆-ATHLETE$. 

[AURex 1,996]

14 minutes ago, Mikey said:

Thanks to NIL and the current transfer rules I've already lost a great deal of my interest in college sports. I suppose I'll always want Auburn to do well but my thoughts and money are already going elsewhere. What I'm giving to AU is completely on the academic side.

I have also been making my donations to Auburn to the academic programs for quite a long time, not athletics. I was a swimmer, but I was first of all a student and my primary reason for being at Auburn was education.

 

[aucom96 1,618]

8 hours ago, Mikey said:

Thanks to NIL and the current transfer rules I've already lost a great deal of my interest in college sports. I suppose I'll always want Auburn to do well but my thoughts and money are already going elsewhere. What I'm giving to AU is completely on the academic side.

Same here. I guess I've been fooling myself for better football for a long time, but what's the point in b-level pros? If I want that, I can go watch the Birmingham Stallions for a LOT cheaper. 

[1716AU 728]

9 hours ago, Mikey said:

Thanks to NIL and the current transfer rules I've already lost a great deal of my interest in college sports. I suppose I'll always want Auburn to do well but my thoughts and money are already going elsewhere. What I'm giving to AU is completely on the academic side.

I can't believe I am agreeing with you Mikey.

Hell must have frozen over...;)

[gctiger 931]

11 hours ago, AURex said:

I have also been making my donations to Auburn to the academic programs for quite a long time, not athletics. I was a swimmer, but I was first of all a student and my primary reason for being at Auburn was education.

 

I knew a few AU swimmers.  What years were you on the team?

[Cardin Drake 1,826]

3 minutes ago, gctiger said:

I knew a few AU swimmers.  What years were you on the team?

Just ballpark it. A.D. or B.C. ?

[NWALA Tiger 3,535]

11 hours ago, tigeraddikt said:

Did AU include an H&R Block suite in the new football center?

I wondered if NIL earnings are taxed. If not,they will be soon. That will be interesting 

[mustache eagle 2,402]

Shoving money into amateur athletics was inevitably going to tarnish college sports.  The “adults” who have screwed it up will eventually become the ones who profit most - as usually happens.  University, admin, coaches, larger university overhead staff, lawyers, agents, union officials, player representatives and leaches throughout the process.

the 18-22 year old athletes will then truly be taken advantage of.  Because previous to all this the colleges would be advocating for amateur student athletes.  Once they become high paid employees- the bottom line will be the only thing that matters - winning and profit.

there will be contracts and therefore quick expectations.  All the kids will get enrolled in basket weaving classes because academics will no longer be important.  Only winning and profit.  
 

Once college football is ruined then it’ll drag down the other sports.  Why field womens soccer if it isn’t making money?  So let’s shite-can that sport and an equivalent men’s sport (you know … because of title IX) that doesn’t make money.  You’ll end up with men’s football and basketball and the equivalent number of women’s scholarship athletes that make money or lose the least money.

I'm disgusted by it all.  And it all started with “let’s just give the kids a little bit of money”.  The players should never have been given anything more than their scholarship and related benefits plus whatever aid was available to regular students.

state legislators should have enacted laws that followed along with recruiting regulations and allowed legal penalties for people breaking recruiting rules.  They left it to the ncaa - which is simply the university presidents … in other words the universities have no one to blame but themselves.

 …and I am slowly becoming more disinterested.  I apologize for the rant.  It was cathartic and I feel about 3% better.

[JuscAUse! 1,408]

37 minutes ago, mustache eagle said:

Shoving money into amateur athletics was inevitably going to tarnish college sports.  The “adults” who have screwed it up will eventually become the ones who profit most - as usually happens.  University, admin, coaches, larger university overhead staff, lawyers, agents, union officials, player representatives and leaches throughout the process.

the 18-22 year old athletes will then truly be taken advantage of.  Because previous to all this the colleges would be advocating for amateur student athletes.  Once they become high paid employees- the bottom line will be the only thing that matters - winning and profit.

there will be contracts and therefore quick expectations.  All the kids will get enrolled in basket weaving classes because academics will no longer be important.  Only winning and profit.  
 

Once college football is ruined then it’ll drag down the other sports.  Why field womens soccer if it isn’t making money?  So let’s shite-can that sport and an equivalent men’s sport (you know … because of title IX) that doesn’t make money.  You’ll end up with men’s football and basketball and the equivalent number of women’s scholarship athletes that make money or lose the least money.

I'm disgusted by it all.  And it all started with “let’s just give the kids a little bit of money”.  The players should never have been given anything more than their scholarship and related benefits plus whatever aid was available to regular students.

state legislators should have enacted laws that followed along with recruiting regulations and allowed legal penalties for people breaking recruiting rules.  They left it to the ncaa - which is simply the university presidents … in other words the universities have no one to blame but themselves.

 …and I am slowly becoming more disinterested.  I apologize for the rant.  It was cathartic and I feel about 3% better

It's not necessarily that bad. We still have the NCAA and the Federal Government that could step in and make everything make sense.

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Nevermind.

We're doomed.

[autigeremt 6,610]

It’s a new day. In some ways it might kick some of these athletes in the teeth. I believe Auburn will take care of its new employees but I could see college football shrinking because of it. Smaller schools are in trouble.  

[Quietmaninthecorner 1,945]

38 minutes ago, autigeremt said:

It’s a new day. In some ways it might kick some of these athletes in the teeth. I believe Auburn will take care of its new employees but I could see college football shrinking because of it. Smaller schools are in trouble.  

Smaller school's football programs are in trouble.  Likely Basketball and maybe baseball.   I am thinking there will come a day when the "smaller school's" shut down their football program completely  and put 100% of NIL into other less followed sports.  Like: Wrestling, Rugby, equestrian etc.   

Can you imagine if you took your "small" football NIL and  put it all  into swim team recruits?   I see a future where a lot of "smaller" schools becoming very competitive in the one or two "smaller" sports by dropping football altogether.

Edited February 6 by Quietmaninthecorner

[cctiger 571]

1 hour ago, mustache eagle said:

I'm disgusted by it all.  And it all started with “let’s just give the kids a little bit of money”.  The players should never have been given anything more than their scholarship and related benefits plus whatever aid was available to regular students.

"You are so right" mustache.

[Gowebb11 9,321]

2 hours ago, NWALA Tiger said:

I wondered if NIL earnings are taxed. If not,they will be soon. That will be interesting 

Definitely taxed. Most (hopefully all) NIL collectives are reportedly providing education to the recipient athletes on this. I know OTV does. 

[aubiefifty 16,786]

i do not like how things are going but i will never give up on or quit pulling for my mighty tigers!

[NWALA Tiger 3,535]

7 minutes ago, Gowebb11 said:

Definitely taxed. Most (hopefully all) NIL collectives are reportedly providing education to the recipient athletes on this. I know OTV does. 

So they getting 1099s and going and getting taxes filled out?

[toddc 13,194]

1 hour ago, JuscAUse! said:

It's not necessarily that bad. We still have the NCAA and the Federal Government that could step in and make everything make sense.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Nevermind.

We're doomed.

Scariest nine words you’ll ever hear

are, “ I’m from a government and I’m here to help “..

The Late Great Ronald Reagan 

Edited February 6 by toddc

[Gowebb11 9,321]

1 hour ago, NWALA Tiger said:

So they getting 1099s and going and getting taxes filled out?

No idea about the mechanics. But it is taxable for sure. 

Edited February 6 by Gowebb11

[NWALA Tiger 3,535]

24 minutes ago, Gowebb11 said:

No idea about the mechanics. But it is taxable for sure. 

Just wait till some don't file. IRS will have a field day

[Gowebb11 9,321]

10 minutes ago, NWALA Tiger said:

Just wait till some don't file. IRS will have a field day

And that will almost certainly happen. 

[gr82be 14,423]

14 minutes ago, Gowebb11 said:

And that will almost certainly happen. 

And for the portal players they’ll be filing in multiple states. Fun times await these athletes. 

[Gowebb11 9,321]

7 minutes ago, gr82be said:

And for the portal players they’ll be filing in multiple states. Fun times await these athletes. 

Great point. So maybe a kid picks Tennessee or Florida over Georgia or Auburn because of no state tax. Good times indeed. 

[AURex 1,996]

5 hours ago, Gowebb11 said:

Great point. So maybe a kid picks Tennessee or Florida over Georgia or Auburn because of no state tax. Good times indeed. 

State legislatures will be tripping over each other rushing to make university athletes exempt from state taxes.

Up until now, it is the coaching staff, especially head coaches, who have benefited. Just look at the base salaries, incentives, and buy outs for these guys. They are mega-multi-millionaires just for walking into the building.

This will have to change. If you are paying coaches a gazillion dollars a year, where are you going to get another gazillion dollars to buy a roster of 4 and 5 star athletes? Yes, there are deep-pocket donors. But are their pockets so deep that they pay a coaching staff $15 Million a year and then have to pony up another $15 Million or more for athletes?

From what I've seen proposed, the typical athletes are not going to be paid much to begin with. Like $30k per year. But you know that is not going to last. You want a Olympic Gold Medalist like Suni Lee on your gymnastics team? You want a Kessler or Jabari on your BB team? You want a real QB on your FB team? That is not small change, and at some point the deep-pocket donors are going to step back and say "enough is enough."

I don't know where this is going, but I do know the world of college sports is headed for a really big change.

 

Edited February 7 by AURex