New NCAA ruling

[MarkL]

ICYMI, the NCAA ruled yesterday that athletes can profit from their likeness. Obviously there is an entire book worth of bylaws to be worked out so this is early. This is a major change with uncharted territory.

I'm curious of people's take on how this will impact BG athletics. I'm really not sure.

The one thing I think at first is I would not expect a new NCAA football game anytime soon. That would require either individual contracts for each player with Electronic Arts, or a student athlete union. The former is a logistical nightmare, the latter seems too big a move too fast.

[jpfalcon09]

I feel like this will have a bigger impact at bigger schools and specifically the big name athletes in the major sports. I don't see it affecting the MAC very much besides the local footprint of each school.

[mbenecke]

It may be a ways off, but I'm excited to rock a Caleb Bright jersey.

[BG71]

Could someone kindly post all the free benefits the scholarship players receive? Please forget. I Googled it.

[Siborg]

I haven't put much thought into it but I'll blurt out some thoughts. I don't know it would affect BG. I'd think the top P5 teams will be interesting to watch.

If one player gets notoriety and now $$$, how much of it is the player, the team or the school. Think of Ohio St, is it the brand or the player. And what about the rest of the team. If a QB is getting big $$$, imagine his O Line wanting some of that cash. Everyone will want their cut.

A recruiter recruited him, a coach coached him, a doctor healed him.........etc......they'll all want a cut.

What if a #12 jersey for said bucks is making money for Fields. What about the defensive guy with #12 or the next offensive #12 player after Fields leaves? Who gets the money.

Who knows, but I suspect its a Pandora's box.

I'd prefer we stop acting like sports are special when in fact they have massive professional leagues. A kid should be able to take whatever job he can get right out of high school if he so chooses. Stop the sham of forcing kids thru college for various pro sports. If he wants to go to school, do it. If he wants to get a job as a football player, do it. If he wants to be a student athlete, then do it. Playing football is not as dangerous as many other jobs and no one is forcing them to 'mature' before letting them work. The NFL would have to hire and train young athletes just like other business must train their new hires. Same with the NBA.

[Lord_Byron]

A couple of thoughts on this. It's basically just capitalism and free markets at work.

It generally will take what's going on surreptitiously, and make it visible. The traditional powers will continue to get the top-shelf athletes, only now they will get compensation directly from boosters who will have them sign autographs, endorse car dealerships, etc. A longer term side effect will probably be a curtailment of the "facilities race" among the giants. The donations to build a new football or basketball training facility may dry up as boosters direct their donations to athletes instead.

Outside the main revenue sports, there actually is quite a bit of merit to it. For example, now a volleyball player or lacrosse player can return to his/her hometown in the off-season, get together with some other players and charge to put on a camp for kids. Or give private lessons, etc. No real harm there, and it beats some of the other summer jobs they could get.

Bottom line is, it will cost colleges nothing since the money comes from outside. The free-market will determine the value of the players. Individuals will be free to pay whatever athlete they want for working for them.

As far as scholarships go, this is no different than an accounting major on an academic scholarship getting a job in a local accounting firm filling out 1040 EZs.

[roguewarrior]

In the end, who cares if a kid gets a check once a year from Nike or whomever, if they sell his name?!

I am wondering how recruiting will be altered now, for the top echelon guys...??? Schools won’t have to buy his momma a car. It might become driven by what school sells the most gear ... wonder if that will change the landscape? Time will tell...

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

If I'm a mid-echelon guy choosing between a P5 school where I'm just another number on the depth chart or a MAC school where I can be king of the hill and possibly make some scratch, I'm at least thinking hard about the choice.

More importantly, does this mean I can hand Brandon Kruse a brat at a tailgate?

[MarkL]

More importantly, does this mean I can hand Brandon Kruse a brat at a tailgate?

[Dayons_Den]

Teams need to be careful on this, as I could see "Come to Uptown Tonight as it's a party hosted by BGSU WR Joe Schmo".

I remember right after Josh Harris got drafted he did a signing at the Woodland Mall. Shoot, the union bookstore was selling "Heisman Hopeful #5" t shirts and jerseys - they could have paid him to do an autograph signing and stipulate the only thing he'd sign would be t-shirts or prints purchased from the store. I know everyone sees this as big time school stuff but if I was operating a business in BG I'd see this as an opportunity, when it happens, to pay athletes to make appearances to stimulate stuff- I mean who wouldn't have shown up to Brewster's on a Wednesday night for Shuffleboard with Cole Magner?

[Falconwriter]

I think the ultimate effect of this will be to widen the gap between the haves and the have-nots, particuarly in the P5 conferences. Those schools that have elite programs will be able to find ways to compensate top players without any problems, while the lower programs won't be able to do that. As far as mid majors like BG...I don't see this having much effect at all.

[mbenecke]

Teams need to be careful on this, as I could see "Come to Uptown Tonight as it's a party hosted by BGSU WR Joe Schmo".

I remember right after Josh Harris got drafted he did a signing at the Woodland Mall. Shoot, the union bookstore was selling "Heisman Hopeful #5" t shirts and jerseys - they could have paid him to do an autograph signing and stipulate the only thing he'd sign would be t-shirts or prints purchased from the store. I know everyone sees this as big time school stuff but if I was operating a business in BG I'd see this as an opportunity, when it happens, to pay athletes to make appearances to stimulate stuff- I mean who wouldn't have shown up to Brewster's on a Wednesday night for Shuffleboard with Cole Magner?

This is a great point, but I'm not entirely sure if that's how things are anymore. Sure, I know most of the athletes by name and by face, but I don't think the vast majority of students at BG care that much anymore to really get to know them. So I think it would be awesome to meet people (because I really am just a fan), but I don't think it would have that big of a draw anymore at a small school like ours.

[kdog27]

Teams need to be careful on this, as I could see "Come to Uptown Tonight as it's a party hosted by BGSU WR Joe Schmo".

I remember right after Josh Harris got drafted he did a signing at the Woodland Mall. Shoot, the union bookstore was selling "Heisman Hopeful #5" t shirts and jerseys - they could have paid him to do an autograph signing and stipulate the only thing he'd sign would be t-shirts or prints purchased from the store. I know everyone sees this as big time school stuff but if I was operating a business in BG I'd see this as an opportunity, when it happens, to pay athletes to make appearances to stimulate stuff- I mean who wouldn't have shown up to Brewster's on a Wednesday night for Shuffleboard with Cole Magner?

This is a great point, but I'm not entirely sure if that's how things are anymore. Sure, I know most of the athletes by name and by face, but I don't think the vast majority of students at BG care that much anymore to really get to know them. So I think it would be awesome to meet people (because I really am just a fan), but I don't think it would have that big of a draw anymore at a small school like ours.

That's because we have been terrible for your entire college years. Not saying they were huge stars but everyone on campus knew who Josh Harris was.

[mbenecke]

I totally get that, and that's another fair point. We haven't had a Josh Harris-type since I've been on campus.

Who was our last true star player? Matt Johnson? I know Andrew Clair has the potential to be that kind of guy, but he isn't there yet.

[Schadenfreude]

So is Justin Turner going to brag about the cheeseburgers at Al-Mar Lanes instead of Dan Dakich? Is that how this is going to work?