NLRB: College athletes can unionize

[Steven_R]

They already get a free education and a chance at a multi million dollar career and that's not enough?

Ungrateful leeches if you want my opinion.

It's more than just that. The scholarship might not actually cover all expenses, so the athlete is forced to provide other funding. They can't work, so that means student loans. For the 1% that makes it to the NFL or NBA or NHL or MLB, that's no big deal, but for the rest they now have sports injuries and a degree in something like Sports Science or General Studies or something that is equally worthless in the job market. I have a scholarship and my department writes off my tuition, and I'm allowed to take a job off campus to help pay my bills. Players don't have that option during the school year.

Now let's say our player is able to find a summer job. Does he work his summer job and try to get a few bucks to cover his non-school expenses like clothes or car insurance or gas or even just a cup of non-cafeteria coffee...or does he go to the "voluntary" workouts and practices where attendance is take?

Now, let's look at what happens when this player is hurt. He's cut and his scholarship is revoked. Then what? A fair number of those players can barely read or write despite being "students" first. No one is on the hook for those injuries, even ones that may take decades to heal (if ever) because they aren't technically employees. If I get hurt in the lab, I'm covered for my injuries, rehab, whatever. If a football player gets hurt he can easily find himself out the door with nothing to support him.

The players don't even own their own images and likeness rights. The star players can't sign a jersey for a few bucks, but the NCAA and school can sell the jersey in the school bookstore for tons of cash and then sell pictures of the player and put the player in video games for perpetuity and the player doesn't get a dime. The coach gets kickbacks from the likes of Nike and Adidas and the player is forced to wear the gear. Maybe the Nike shoes don't fit the player's foot just right, but too bad because the coach signed a contract and the player will wear Nike.

I had an economics professor tell us in a lecture that happy employees don't form unions. What you have here is decades of the NCAA and the school exploiting players and making so much money off of them and giving nothing back under the illusion of the "student-athlete". This is a crisis of the NCAA's own making because they just refused to do the right thing time after time.

 

[ScreamingEagle]

wherever there is a revenue stream you can count on lefties to glom on and fuck it up for everybody...

the fact that the lefties in their ivory towers hate the great American game of football and they can cripple it in the process at many schools is a bonus for them....or even the purpose perhaps...?

ummm, not to get in the way of your rant, but it's THE PLAYERS who seek to unionize. But carry on.

guess who's been footing the legal bills for Kain Colter and his recently founded CAPA group (College Athletes Players Association) that sued for compensation....?

the UNITED STEELWORKERS UNION.....lefties by any other name....

 

[bendog]

wherever there is a revenue stream you can count on lefties to glom on and fuck it up for everybody...

the fact that the lefties in their ivory towers hate the great American game of football and they can cripple it in the process at many schools is a bonus for them....or even the purpose perhaps...?

ummm, not to get in the way of your rant, but it's THE PLAYERS who seek to unionize. But carry on.

guess who's been footing the legal bills for Kain Colter and his recently founded CAPA group (College Athletes Players Association) that sued for compensation....?

the UNITED STEELWORKERS UNION.....lefties by any other name....

So now, according to you, a leftist is anyone who'd support college athletes getting paid? Hell, it that's it, count me in with the hard hats. LOL

 

[ScreamingEagle]

ummm, not to get in the way of your rant, but it's THE PLAYERS who seek to unionize. But carry on.

guess who's been footing the legal bills for Kain Colter and his recently founded CAPA group (College Athletes Players Association) that sued for compensation....?

the UNITED STEELWORKERS UNION.....lefties by any other name....

So now, according to you, a leftist is anyone who'd support college athletes getting paid? Hell, it that's it, count me in with the hard hats. LOL

why not unionize the professors next....

 

[nodoginnafight]

yeah, but specifically we're talking Northwestern. And by extension, I assume, the Big Ten. Ironically, Northwestern is private, not public.

Yes. So if you accept a scholarship to attend a private university - should you expect that you're going to have to foot some of the bill for yourself?

But as far as labor law goes, I'm not sure the public university - private university distinction is very important is it?

no no no, that's not what I meant at all. Northwestern was more or less the athletic doormat, but academic champ. Northwestern has had some recent Div I football success, but we're talking a conference with Ohio State Penn St and Michigan and Mich St too. Throw in the rest of the huge public universities

Your point that I agreed with was that if we really wanted to talk about the issue, we'd have to stick with facts. Basically, how much does the Northwestern athletic program bring in, with what sports, what does it spend, etc.

And, if we're talking big ten, we're talking bigger programs that just Northwestern

Oh, I see. Sorry. I completely missed your point.

Agree

 

[bendog]

Yes. So if you accept a scholarship to attend a private university - should you expect that you're going to have to foot some of the bill for yourself?

But as far as labor law goes, I'm not sure the public university - private university distinction is very important is it?

no no no, that's not what I meant at all. Northwestern was more or less the athletic doormat, but academic champ. Northwestern has had some recent Div I football success, but we're talking a conference with Ohio State Penn St and Michigan and Mich St too. Throw in the rest of the huge public universities

Your point that I agreed with was that if we really wanted to talk about the issue, we'd have to stick with facts. Basically, how much does the Northwestern athletic program bring in, with what sports, what does it spend, etc.

And, if we're talking big ten, we're talking bigger programs that just Northwestern

Oh, I see. Sorry. I completely missed your point.

Agree

I was unclear.

 

[Nutz]

Incidentally, just because they unionize, it doesn't necessarily mean compensation. There are many other ways a union can suck the life out of the institutions. I'm thinking they are looking for lifetime health coverage, paid travel benefits, the right to benefit monetarily from their participation (paid for autographs, commercials, etc), and perhaps royalties from video games, jersey sales, etc.

 

[Steven_R]

guess who's been footing the legal bills for Kain Colter and his recently founded CAPA group (College Athletes Players Association) that sued for compensation....?

the UNITED STEELWORKERS UNION.....lefties by any other name....

So now, according to you, a leftist is anyone who'd support college athletes getting paid? Hell, it that's it, count me in with the hard hats. LOL

why not unionize the professors next....

Because universities don't have decades of screwing over professors as part of their track record.

It was a real simple choice: either kick something back to the players or end up with unionized players and lawsuits. The NCAA dragged its heels to the point that students finally said enough. Instead of fixing the problems they've known about for year, the NCAA just refused to do anything.

What we should do is simply stop pretending schools with huge D1 football and basketball teams are recruiting players based on academic ability and let the NFL and NBA establish a school- based farm system. The boosters get to keep cheering, the NCAA and schools keep the cash cow, players get paid something for their work and likeness rights and are covered for injuries.

 

[ScreamingEagle]

So now, according to you, a leftist is anyone who'd support college athletes getting paid? Hell, it that's it, count me in with the hard hats. LOL

why not unionize the professors next....

Because universities don't have decades of screwing over professors as part of their track record.

It was a real simple choice: either kick something back to the players or end up with unionized players and lawsuits. The NCAA dragged its heels to the point that students finally said enough. Instead of fixing the problems they've known about for year, the NCAA just refused to do anything.

What we should do is simply stop pretending schools with huge D1 football and basketball teams are recruiting players based on academic ability and let the NFL and NBA establish a school- based farm system. The boosters get to keep cheering, the NCAA and schools keep the cash cow, players get paid something for their work and likeness rights and are covered for injuries.

the ruling was only for private schools.....what about public schools....?

 

[Avatar4321]

Looks like the left is trying to destroy college sports. Sad.

 

[nodoginnafight]

Looks like the far right just can't kick the habit of exploiting others for their own person gain.

Sad.

 

[Steven_R]

why not unionize the professors next....

Because universities don't have decades of screwing over professors as part of their track record.

It was a real simple choice: either kick something back to the players or end up with unionized players and lawsuits. The NCAA dragged its heels to the point that students finally said enough. Instead of fixing the problems they've known about for year, the NCAA just refused to do anything.

What we should do is simply stop pretending schools with huge D1 football and basketball teams are recruiting players based on academic ability and let the NFL and NBA establish a school- based farm system. The boosters get to keep cheering, the NCAA and schools keep the cash cow, players get paid something for their work and likeness rights and are covered for injuries.

the ruling was only for private schools.....what about public schools....?

It will be extended to public schools simply because of the problems that go along with having private schools on a schedule and in conferences with public schools. Short of the NCAA setting up private schools in one division an public in another.

 

[Avatar4321]

Looks like the far right just can't kick the habit of exploiting others for their own person gain.

Sad.

Who is being exploited? The athletes get a free education and a place to show off to get a position in professional sports. Not to mention they get all the perks of a college athlete.

Not to mention the left runs the universities.

 

[Remodeling Maidiac]

They already get a free education and a chance at a multi million dollar career and that's not enough?

Ungrateful leeches if you want my opinion.

It's more than just that. The scholarship might not actually cover all expenses, so the athlete is forced to provide other funding. They can't work, so that means student loans. For the 1% that makes it to the NFL or NBA or NHL or MLB, that's no big deal, but for the rest they now have sports injuries and a degree in something like Sports Science or General Studies or something that is equally worthless in the job market. I have a scholarship and my department writes off my tuition, and I'm allowed to take a job off campus to help pay my bills. Players don't have that option during the school year.

Now let's say our player is able to find a summer job. Does he work his summer job and try to get a few bucks to cover his non-school expenses like clothes or car insurance or gas or even just a cup of non-cafeteria coffee...or does he go to the "voluntary" workouts and practices where attendance is take?

Now, let's look at what happens when this player is hurt. He's cut and his scholarship is revoked. Then what? A fair number of those players can barely read or write despite being "students" first. No one is on the hook for those injuries, even ones that may take decades to heal (if ever) because they aren't technically employees. If I get hurt in the lab, I'm covered for my injuries, rehab, whatever. If a football player gets hurt he can easily find himself out the door with nothing to support him.

The players don't even own their own images and likeness rights. The star players can't sign a jersey for a few bucks, but the NCAA and school can sell the jersey in the school bookstore for tons of cash and then sell pictures of the player and put the player in video games for perpetuity and the player doesn't get a dime. The coach gets kickbacks from the likes of Nike and Adidas and the player is forced to wear the gear. Maybe the Nike shoes don't fit the player's foot just right, but too bad because the coach signed a contract and the player will wear Nike.

I had an economics professor tell us in a lecture that happy employees don't form unions. What you have here is decades of the NCAA and the school exploiting players and making so much money off of them and giving nothing back under the illusion of the "student-athlete". This is a crisis of the NCAA's own making because they just refused to do the right thing time after time.

While there is some merit to your points I don't see a union being the answer.
The students FREELY accept the offer to play sports for a subsidized education. They could always, ya know, PAY for their education like the rest of us had to.
I played ball for fun when I was in school. Should the league I was in have been responsible if I was injured? Should they have paid for my education?

Sports is a CHOICE.

 

[ScreamingEagle]

Because universities don't have decades of screwing over professors as part of their track record.

It was a real simple choice: either kick something back to the players or end up with unionized players and lawsuits. The NCAA dragged its heels to the point that students finally said enough. Instead of fixing the problems they've known about for year, the NCAA just refused to do anything.

What we should do is simply stop pretending schools with huge D1 football and basketball teams are recruiting players based on academic ability and let the NFL and NBA establish a school- based farm system. The boosters get to keep cheering, the NCAA and schools keep the cash cow, players get paid something for their work and likeness rights and are covered for injuries.

the ruling was only for private schools.....what about public schools....?

It will be extended to public schools simply because of the problems that go along with having private schools on a schedule and in conferences with public schools. Short of the NCAA setting up private schools in one division an public in another.

that's all we need.....another fucking government union....

so who's on the hook for their big salaries.....fans or the taxpayers...?

 

[DGS49]

"Fixing" Division I sports is like refining your wife-beating technique.

Easy solution: eliminate all athletic scholarships. ALL ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIPS! Prohibit schools from lowering standards for athletic prowess. Any coach trying to influence the admissions process is immediately fired.

Cap coaching staff salaries to a level that ensures only part-timers can coach.

Expel cheaters, then shoot them.

Odd concept: Students from one school playing students from another school!

Jesus Fucking Christ! Why didn't anyone think of that before?

In primitive countries like, say, Germany, the very idea of an athletic scholarship is unheard of. That's why they are so backward as a nation, and no good professional athletes come from Germany.

 

[Unkotare]

Not to mention they get all the perks of a college athlete.

.

What perks are you referring to?

 

[WinterBorn]

"Fixing" Division I sports is like refining your wife-beating technique.

Easy solution: eliminate all athletic scholarships. ALL ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIPS! Prohibit schools from lowering standards for athletic prowess. Any coach trying to influence the admissions process is immediately fired.

Cap coaching staff salaries to a level that ensures only part-timers can coach.

Expel cheaters, then shoot them.

Odd concept: Students from one school playing students from another school!

Jesus Fucking Christ! Why didn't anyone think of that before?

In primitive countries like, say, Germany, the very idea of an athletic scholarship is unheard of. That's why they are so backward as a nation, and no good professional athletes come from Germany.

Student athletes have to meet general admission criteria in order to be admitted.

The money invested in coaching and athletic programs can pay huge dividends to the schools.

As an example, since Nick Saban took over the head coaching gig at Alabama, the university has made millions of dollars and seen a significant increase in student enrollments.

Perhaps you dislike the games or whatever, but thinking it should be completely removed is simply nonsense.

 

[Unkotare]

"Fixing" Division I sports is like refining your wife-beating technique.

Easy solution: eliminate all athletic scholarships. ALL ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIPS!

Looks like Poindexter's about to go into his anti-sports diatribe again...

 

[Remodeling Maidiac]

They already get a free education and a chance at a multi million dollar career and that's not enough?

Ungrateful leeches if you want my opinion.

Yeah, a whole lot of those lacross players are looking at multi-million dollar career????

And what percentage of the football, basketball, baseball, hockey players are gonna land that multi-million $ career????

Anyway - I say cover the FULL COST of attendance and we don't have to worry about a union

Next step

Free college for all

Why is it so hard for you liberals to justify paying for your own shit?