Paying Student-Athletes

[transfer2BGSU]

I thought that we had a post somewhere about the BC$ conferences wanting to pay their players a stipend that goes up to the Cost of Attendance (COA) at the respective schools.

For those who do not know what Cost of Attendance (COA) is - it is the amount of money that the university figures your financial aid on each year. It goes above tuition, room, and board to include books, travel expenses, lab fees, misc. expenses, etc.... For the upcoming 2011-12 school year, we use a COA of $21,404 for a residential student.

Anyway, the following question appeared on "Ask the Expert"

Q: What is the monthly monetary stipend that Ohio State's scholarship football players receive in addition to books and tuition, and what is it to be used for? - Jim Farrell, Reynoldsburg

A: Senior associate athletic director Ben Jay said that a full-scholarship athlete who lived off campus received a total of $12,465 for the 2010-11 school year - $7,470 for room and $4,995 for board. That was paid in 15 installments (five per quarter) of about $831 each. Football scholarship players who take classes in the summer receive $4,155 for room and board if they take classes in both summer sessions, or $2,077 for one session. Players who live in campus housing do not receive room and board checks; rather, the athletic department sends that money to Student Life. - Ken Gordon

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/sp ... p22-1.html

From the OSU website -

Tuition $9,420
Room and Board $10,164
TOTAL $19,584

So the OSU student-athlete is already getting an ADDITIONAL $2,301 if they reside off-campus. Also they get one meal a day paid by the department for training table.

Remember, they do not have to pay for books.
Remember, they get extra free tutoting.
Remember, OSU student-athletes do not pay for a parking pass (OSU provides one to ALL student-athletes)
Remember, OSU student-athletes are provided the NCAA maximum for athletic apparel
Remember, they work out in a state-of-the-art weight training facility
Remember the medical support they receive if injured.

Please explain to me how there is anything remaining up to the "Cost of Attendance". I think they already receive more than the "Cost of Attendance".

[MarkL]

All I can possibly come up with is that as players, they have limited abilities to get jobs. They don't have much time. Not all, but I'd say most students work at least a couple of semesters during college and earn some spending money. Many students work every semester. Football players simply do not have a great window of opportunity to do this and earn that side spending money. In my last six semesters of undergrad, I had a job each semester. Four of these was only a 10 hour per week campus job, one was a 12 hour per week or more job in Findlay with a VERY light courseload, and the other was 40 hours per week when I took the semester off as an intern. Other expenses not related to room / board / books / tuition / medical come up too, largely in the name of having fun in spare time. Let's be realistic here ... these guys are still college students, and they still deserve the opportunities to have some leisure time.

Quick thought ... in general, living off campus costs way less than living on campus. $7470 / year just for room expenses for the off campus student athletes? That's $622.50 / month. In the dorms, that makes sense. For the off campus students, that's a lot. Most players live with other players, and rent costs per person go down in general as you add more people. Each person living in a three bedroom apartment pays a lot less than one person living in a one bedroom apartment or a studio. Basically, I'm getting at that I believe there's a significant difference in the room stipend vs the room expenses for the off campus students, and I assume the players get to pocket that difference. I'm really not seeing where the money problems could originate. (Unless of course you count in getting several $1000+ tattoos as necessary expenses ...)

[transfer2BGSU]

And one additional thing - RIGHT NOW the student-athlete complaining about having no money can also apply for federal student aid and could possibly receive a PELL GRANT. Money that does not have to be repaid.

And someone that thinks they are going to be a first round draft pick can also take out a student loan if they are desperate for cash.

How many people on this board took out student loans?

Read that Lantern interview with Ray Small and he talks about his money problems trying to pay rent and a $600 per month car payment. HA!

[unfalconbelievable]

PAYING STUDENT ATHLETES = INSANITY


General students receiving academic scholarships have to maintain a certain GPA in order to retain the scholarship the following year as well as have no conduct unbecoming of a university student.

Student athletes often have no performanced bases for their scholarships, academically just have to remain eligible, and some get into trouble and don't get their scholarships recinded.

DOESN'T SEEM EQUAL TO ME, AND WE NEED TO PAY THEM WHY?

College degrees = Unlimited amounts of Income.

[BGSU33]

They are "college" athletes and not "professional" athletes for crying out loud!!! Enough said.

[jg4242]

The argument for paying student-athletes that is compelling to me is as follows: Universities earn revenue (sometimes millions of $) on the back of those student-athletes' on-field performances. If they are earning money for the University, why shouldn't they get a cut? Especially in the case of major-college football, student athletes are put under enormous pressure to perform, earn loads of money for the schools, and get nothing in return. Get rid of athletic scholarships, and make student-athletes student employees.

I find this argument compelling, but I'm not sure I completely agree. What do you folks think?

[transfer2BGSU]

Especially in the case of major-college football, student athletes are put under enormous pressure to perform, earn loads of money for the schools, and get nothing in return.

A college education is worth "nothing"?

[Falconfreak90]

Especially in the case of major-college football, student athletes are put under enormous pressure to perform, earn loads of money for the schools, and get nothing in return.

A college education is worth "nothing"?

It is at tsun.

[jpfalcon09]

They do get paid, and they get a leg up on every normal college kid who leaves school in debt up to their ass. So what if the university makes money off them? That's the trade-off for getting a free education. I wouldn't give two craps if BG used my likeness to make a profit if it meant I didn't have to face the prospect of $20,000 in student loans. If I had it my way, athletic scholarships wouldn't even be allowed, I think it promotes these kids to think they're better than everyone else and makes them think they're invincible.

[unfalconbelievable]

I think it promotes these kids to think they're better than everyone else and makes them think they're invincible.

Welcome to America, Where people who play sports and are good are given more opportunities and have more doors opened for them.

[Drago]

The argument for paying student athletes is only relevant for schools where they make money in revenue sports. Football players in the SEC play in front of sold out crowds of 75k. The athletes at these schools know that the university makes big money, and they want some of it. The number one problem is that 90% of D1 universities wouldn't be able to afford to pay an extra 500 bucks a semester to their athletes.
I mean BGSU already loses a ton of money just from football and hockey. The competitive disadvantage would become too wide for the haves and have nots. We draw 4,000 people for some football games, (and half of those people got free tickets lol), BG would be forced to drop to IAA along with everyone else who isn't in the big 6 conferences. Don't forget you'd have to pay all the sports including the women.

[jg4242]

The value of a college education is ever-dropping. Especially with some of the degrees athletes take... how many sport management majors does the world really need? Even a teaching degree has become far less valuable since our good governor just made it possible to get a license with ANY diploma and a 5 week summer course.

Further, at a school like OSU or Texas, where those players are bringing in millions and millions of dollars,I fail to see how $21,000 a year (in benefits, no less) is fair compensation.

Drago, you've nailed my reservations about this on the head. It's not an easy topic!

[daspollak]

Pay the kids. A student on an academic scholly is allowed to work and earn additional spending money. A student on an athletic scholly usually has to be at practice, training, or study tables. This limits their ability to earn addtional cash.

Don't forget living off campus includes more expenses than many kids realize. Electric and gas bills, phone bills, cable bills, food, gas, and many other things. Once all of those are paid most athletes have few dollars to enjoy their college lives. OSU football brought in well over $20 million last year. This was because people are willing to pay to see them put players like Pryor, Herron, and others on the field. Yet we ask them to sacrifice their bodies and potential futures in the sport for a $30,000 scholarship. Seems to me that the school is making out pretty well on this one.

One last point. I know that most of the football money goes to fund non-profit sports, but I believe in capitalism. If a sport doesn't make money there should be no point in the university keeping it. I know there is Title IX, and I think it is a dumb rule for college athletics. A sport that can cost millions to run and doesn't bring in a cent, should be cut. It would in the "real world" and needs to be done in college. Football players bring in the money and they should be entitled to a slice of the pie, not just crumbs left over from the school.

[hammb]

Pay the kids. A student on an academic scholly is allowed to work and earn additional spending money. A student on an athletic scholly usually has to be at practice, training, or study tables. This limits their ability to earn addtional cash.

Don't forget living off campus includes more expenses than many kids realize. Electric and gas bills, phone bills, cable bills, food, gas, and many other things. Once all of those are paid most athletes have few dollars to enjoy their college lives. OSU football brought in well over $20 million last year. This was because people are willing to pay to see them put players like Pryor, Herron, and others on the field. Yet we ask them to sacrifice their bodies and potential futures in the sport for a $30,000 scholarship. Seems to me that the school is making out pretty well on this one.

One last point. I know that most of the football money goes to fund non-profit sports, but I believe in capitalism. If a sport doesn't make money there should be no point in the university keeping it. I know there is Title IX, and I think it is a dumb rule for college athletics. A sport that can cost millions to run and doesn't bring in a cent, should be cut. It would in the "real world" and needs to be done in college. Football players bring in the money and they should be entitled to a slice of the pie, not just crumbs left over from the school.

Well then by your argument BG shouldn't field any sports, and the only college sports that would exist anywhere would be Football & Basketball.

I'm all for the NCAA giving additional money to the student athletes if the funding is there, but I think that money should be an equal sum to all student athletes at all schools and in all sports. They all deal with the same restrictions/hassles, so they should all get equal treatment in that regard.

If you want to talk just paying football players, I'd be fine with that, but I think that money should come from the NFL. It still needs to be evenly distributed among all athletes at all D1 schools, but the NFL should foot the bill. They've had their free minor league system for decades now, and they laugh their asses off in their private meetings about it, I'm sure. If you want to pay an additional stipend to football players, let them foot the bill.

[daspollak]

Hammb I'm actually for boosters footing the bill. If they want to have their schools succeed why not? Second, is the other benefits they recieved. I just laugh at those rules, especially since many high ranking NCAA officials have received gifts and other benefits from potential sponsors. The NCAA is non-profit in name only.