College Athletes being allowed to get paid

[dankil13]

Another interesting twist for golf is if you could get paid for your image and likeness, does that mean you could play in tour events on exemptions as a professional while maintaining your NCAA eligibility? Would it also push some of these younger ladies who jump straight to the LPGA tour into college golf since they could also earn money without the risks associated and the costs of playing on the tour?

[Sixcat]

> @dankil13 said:

> Another interesting twist for golf is if you could get paid for your image and likeness, does that mean you could play in tour events on exemptions as a professional while maintaining your NCAA eligibility? Would it also push some of these younger ladies who jump straight to the LPGA tour into college golf since they could also earn money without the risks associated and the costs of playing on the tour?

 

What about a situation like Lucy Li, Apple and the USGA. How would profiting and benefiting from your likeness and name affect USGA participation?

[dankil13]

> @Sixcat said:

> > @dankil13 said:

> > Another interesting twist for golf is if you could get paid for your image and likeness, does that mean you could play in tour events on exemptions as a professional while maintaining your NCAA eligibility? Would it also push some of these younger ladies who jump straight to the LPGA tour into college golf since they could also earn money without the risks associated and the costs of playing on the tour?

>

> What about a situation like Lucy Li, Apple and the USGA. How would profiting and benefiting from your likeness and name affect USGA participation?

 

The rule is pretty clear that a player would lose the amateur status from the USGA's perspective. But if they still maintain their NCAA status, would players decide to forgo big Am events in order to get paid? I know in Li's case, she was deemed to have violate the rules however the ad was removed 5 days after it was posted (once the USGA informed her it could impact her status) and I believe she didn't receive any monetary or non-monetary compensation.

[extrastiff]

> @Warrior42111 said:

> So based on how current cases on equality are going, all athletes at all college levels will get paid. Now if it's all the same amount will smaller schools be able to compete or will they lose their programs or have less scholarships?

> Now what if it's a sliding scale based on sport? Now athletes will be changing sport in hope of just making a few bucks. What if it's only the big schools that pay? Now you have kids going to a big school to sit on the bench and never play instead of playing at a smaller school.

> The amount of college athletes vs the superstars that may go pro or not is less than 1%. This pay to play is going to kill the smaller school and hurt the majority of college athletes / athletics.

>

 

where do u get your numbers about the 1 percent? Even the NCAA itself claims is less than 2 percent, and many agree even those numbers are inflated. sounds like more anecdotal or poorly sourced garbage to me.

 

and who give a hoot where "kids" are going. hurting college athletics sounds great, they exploit and marginalize groups that have limited alternatives. School should be about school, not using able bodies to make loads of money for entitled people that are rich enough already.

this thread sucks. surprise. . . a thread, posted on a site for a sport mostly enjoyed by entitled people, about a inherently patriarchal and exploitative political system, has devolved into speculation and rank denial. I'll see myself out, this site will never be the same lol

[Sixcat]

> @dankil13 said:

> > @Sixcat said:

> > > @dankil13 said:

> > > Another interesting twist for golf is if you could get paid for your image and likeness, does that mean you could play in tour events on exemptions as a professional while maintaining your NCAA eligibility? Would it also push some of these younger ladies who jump straight to the LPGA tour into college golf since they could also earn money without the risks associated and the costs of playing on the tour?

> >

> > What about a situation like Lucy Li, Apple and the USGA. How would profiting and benefiting from your likeness and name affect USGA participation?

>

> The rule is pretty clear that a player would lose the amateur status from the USGA's perspective. But if they still maintain their NCAA status, would players decide to forgo big Am events in order to get paid? I know in Li's case, she was deemed to have violate the rules however the ad was removed 5 days after it was posted (once the USGA informed her it could impact her status) and I believe she didn't receive any monetary or non-monetary compensation.

 

I completely understand the Li's situation with the USGA. The larger point is, in the near future this is going to affect other organizations than just the NCAA. I recall with great clarity, the push for Olympic athletes to be free to seek financial compensation. This process with the NCAA is taking a similar path. Eventually, this decision will have wider reaching affects than just college sports.

[heavy_hitter]

I personally feel like anyone that thinks the athletes should be paid are from generation millennial where everything is ME ME ME. If you want to be paid, then turn professional!!!

 

I think the NCAA needs to change how things are done, but I don't think it is paying the athletes.

 

A college football/basketball player is getting close to $100,000 a year right now. Not in cash, but in education, good and services.

 

Free Education at a state University (Alabama for instance) $10,000 for in state and $27,000 out of state.

Apartment $5000.00 a year Roughly $400.00 a month

Food/Training Table $5000.00 a year Roughly $100 a week.

Lifting Trainer twice a week $100.00 a pop. $9600.00 a year.

Mental Coach Every other week. $150.00 a pop. $3600.00 a year.

Certified Athletic Trainer Use. $150.00 a week. $3600.00 a year.

Free Gear $2500.00 a year.

Free Medical $1000.00 to $50,000.00 a year depending.

Free Coaching, priceless.

Traveling to away games. $5000.000 to $10000.00 a kid.

 

We are talking on the low end of them receiving $60,000.00 worth of education, goods, and services a year. I think that each kid should receive a $2000.00 stipend a semester for clothes and odds and ends. That puts them on the low end of $70,000.00 a year. What person can get out of high school and make that much money a year in the real world? To say they should get paid on top of what they get is ludicrous.

 

[Warrior42111]

> @extrastiff said:

> > @Warrior42111 said:

> > So based on how current cases on equality are going, all athletes at all college levels will get paid. Now if it's all the same amount will smaller schools be able to compete or will they lose their programs or have less scholarships?

> > Now what if it's a sliding scale based on sport? Now athletes will be changing sport in hope of just making a few bucks. What if it's only the big schools that pay? Now you have kids going to a big school to sit on the bench and never play instead of playing at a smaller school.

> > The amount of college athletes vs the superstars that may go pro or not is less than 1%. This pay to play is going to kill the smaller school and hurt the majority of college athletes / athletics.

> >

>

> where do u get your numbers about the 1 percent? Even the NCAA itself claims is less than 2 percent, and many agree even those numbers are inflated. sounds like more anecdotal or poorly sourced garbage to me.

>

> and who give a hoot where "kids" are going. hurting college athletics sounds great, they exploit and marginalize groups that have limited alternatives. School should be about school, not using able bodies to make loads of money for entitled people that are rich enough already.

> this thread sucks. surprise. . . a thread, posted on a site for a sport mostly enjoyed by entitled people, about a inherently patriarchal and exploitative political system, has devolved into speculation and rank denial. I'll see myself out, this site will never be the same lol

 

So yes the 2% came from the NCAA but is makes sense especially considering DI, II, and III and all the smaller sports like swimming, tennis, and since this is a golf forum golf. Yes some school make money off of sports but not all. A smaller DII school might make enough money in football to pay for their team to travel and to help out some of the zero profit sports maintain their team.

 

My next point, and I say this as a formed collegiate athlete is that being able to do both academics and athletics and a big bonus for the real world. I think we agree most are not going pro, so they're working on a degree. So going into a job interview, as previously posters have stated being able to show you had the work / life balance skills to juggle the two shows maturity above other job candidates, and being able to handle real world i.e time management skills. Also, schools nowadays are taking a real world approach to admissions in that it is just not based on test scores alone. They want to see well rounded people, because that is what the world needs.

 

DII has 312 schools and DIII has 443. Yes big schools are the rich get richer for those big DI programs, but I'm not going to punish the athletes at the 700+ schools for the problems of 50 big schools.

 

Finally, forcing a 17/18/19 year old to make the decision to go pro or go to school is a pretty difficult one. Everyone thinks their going pro or has an outside shot at that age. Playing collegiate sports is an eye opener in that yes you may be good but you should probably get that degree while you're here, so you can be a productive worker later.

[tiger1873]

> @heavy_hitter said:

> I personally feel like anyone that thinks the athletes should be paid are from generation millennial where everything is ME ME ME. If you want to be paid, then turn professional!!!

>

> I think the NCAA needs to change how things are done, but I don't think it is paying the athletes.

>

> A college football/basketball player is getting close to $100,000 a year right now. Not in cash, but in education, good and services.

>

> Free Education at a state University (Alabama for instance) $10,000 for in state and $27,000 out of state.

> Apartment $5000.00 a year Roughly $400.00 a month

> Food/Training Table $5000.00 a year Roughly $100 a week.

> Lifting Trainer twice a week $100.00 a pop. $9600.00 a year.

> Mental Coach Every other week. $150.00 a pop. $3600.00 a year.

> Certified Athletic Trainer Use. $150.00 a week. $3600.00 a year.

> Free Gear $2500.00 a year.

> Free Medical $1000.00 to $50,000.00 a year depending.

> Free Coaching, priceless.

> Traveling to away games. $5000.000 to $10000.00 a kid.

>

> We are talking on the low end of them receiving $60,000.00 worth of education, goods, and services a year. I think that each kid should receive a $2000.00 stipend a semester for clothes and odds and ends. That puts them on the low end of $70,000.00 a year. What person can get out of high school and make that much money a year in the real world? To say they should get paid on top of what they get is ludicrous.

>

 

With having paid atheletes I don't think it a generational thing at all. With the amount of money these schools make on Football basketball is just plain crazy. If we are honest the coaches and faculty are also keeping more then their fair share of money and many of these schools are state funded. Meanwhile the actual talent is flat broke and can't afford to buy a hamburger. It just seems not fair. I think though it sets a bad precedent to have players end up making different amounts of money. Nothing wrong with 100k for every player.

 

It really though only football and basketball that what everyone is focusing on. I suspect the end result is college athletics departments are going to get less money in other sports. Plus if you got a golf sponsorship that is worth any amount of money you probably will turn pro anyways.

 

[dankil13]

 

> With having paid atheletes I don't think it a generational thing at all. With the amount of money these schools make on Football basketball is just plain crazy. If we are honest the coaches and faculty are also keeping more then their fair share of money and many of these schools are state funded. Meanwhile the actual talent is flat broke and can't afford to buy a hamburger. It just seems not fair. I think though it sets a bad precedent to have players end up making different amounts of money. Nothing wrong with 100k for every player.

>

> It really though only football and basketball that what everyone is focusing on. I suspect the end result is college athletics departments are going to get less money in other sports. Plus if you got a golf sponsorship that is worth any amount of money you probably will turn pro anyways.

>

Its such a misconception that these athletes are flat broke - they get a stipend every month for cost of living expenses. Not to mention all of their food is paid for on campus and while traveling (and its unlimited). All of their clothing and equipment is provided to them. So other than gas for the car, going to the movies or hitting the club for a few drinks they shouldn't have much in terms of expenses.

 

[GSDriver]

Kommiefornia trying to meddle where they don't belong. If free education (well, for those 'athlete students' who supposedly care about an education) isn't enough compensation for a 18 year old kid, then go to the D League or whatever.

[leezer99]

LOL

 

[https://youtu.be/Ej1XBA8UnT4](https://youtu.be/Ej1XBA8UnT4 "https://youtu.be/Ej1XBA8UnT4")

[MK7Golf21]

I think there is an issue with how much money people involved are making and the amount of money some of the coaches make, in the millions. There is a disconnect there because they are making the money off the students and rely on the to perform when they aren't getting compensated like a pro does. IMO, only way to resolve this would be make them non for profit organizations and pay the coaches less.

[tiger1873]

> @Redjeep83 said:

> I think there is an issue with how much money people involved are making and the amount of money some of the coaches make, in the millions. There is a disconnect there because they are making the money off the students and rely on the to perform when they aren't getting compensated like a pro does. IMO, only way to resolve this would be make them non for profit organizations and pay the coaches less.

 

I know a few people who played in the NFL and went to a big college program. They all felt like they were exploited to make other people rich. The risk of injury is high and some their team mates never really got a good education and many never made any money. Meanwhile everyone else involved made a fortune. The amount of money in college sports like football is in the billions so you would expect the people who everyone watches would get a little of this money.

 

The NCAA just needs to figure out a salary that every play can get paid on top of they already get. If every football player on the team made say made 100k the issue probably goes away. Maybe that figure is too high or maybe it is too low. The amount though should be something every sport figures out. When it comes to golf though it's not going to matter because there isn't the money there is in other sports and if your truly good enough to get endorsements you just turn pro.

[leezer99]

> @tiger1873 said:

> When it comes to golf though it's not going to matter because there isn't the money there is in other sports and if your truly good enough to get endorsements you just turn pro.

 

That's why the NCAA should be splitting the profits equitably across all sports.

[BloctonGolf11]

> @tiger1873 said:

> > @heavy_hitter said:

> > I personally feel like anyone that thinks the athletes should be paid are from generation millennial where everything is ME ME ME. If you want to be paid, then turn professional!!!

> >

> > I think the NCAA needs to change how things are done, but I don't think it is paying the athletes.

> >

> > A college football/basketball player is getting close to $100,000 a year right now. Not in cash, but in education, good and services.

> >

> > Free Education at a state University (Alabama for instance) $10,000 for in state and $27,000 out of state.

> > Apartment $5000.00 a year Roughly $400.00 a month

> > Food/Training Table $5000.00 a year Roughly $100 a week.

> > Lifting Trainer twice a week $100.00 a pop. $9600.00 a year.

> > Mental Coach Every other week. $150.00 a pop. $3600.00 a year.

> > Certified Athletic Trainer Use. $150.00 a week. $3600.00 a year.

> > Free Gear $2500.00 a year.

> > Free Medical $1000.00 to $50,000.00 a year depending.

> > Free Coaching, priceless.

> > Traveling to away games. $5000.000 to $10000.00 a kid.

> >

> > We are talking on the low end of them receiving $60,000.00 worth of education, goods, and services a year. I think that each kid should receive a $2000.00 stipend a semester for clothes and odds and ends. That puts them on the low end of $70,000.00 a year. What person can get out of high school and make that much money a year in the real world? To say they should get paid on top of what they get is ludicrous.

> >

>

> With having paid atheletes I don't think it a generational thing at all. With the amount of money these schools make on Football basketball is just plain crazy. If we are honest the coaches and faculty are also keeping more then their fair share of money and many of these schools are state funded. Meanwhile the actual talent is flat broke and can't afford to buy a hamburger. It just seems not fair. I think though it sets a bad precedent to have players end up making different amounts of money. Nothing wrong with 100k for every player.

>

> It really though only football and basketball that what everyone is focusing on. I suspect the end result is college athletics departments are going to get less money in other sports. Plus if you got a golf sponsorship that is worth any amount of money you probably will turn pro anyways.

>

 

Coaches yes, faculty no. The vast majority of college faculty see very little benefit from the influx of cash in the athletic departments.

 

[heavy_hitter]

> @BloctonGolf11 said:

> > @tiger1873 said:

> > > @heavy_hitter said:

> > > I personally feel like anyone that thinks the athletes should be paid are from generation millennial where everything is ME ME ME. If you want to be paid, then turn professional!!!

> > >

> > > I think the NCAA needs to change how things are done, but I don't think it is paying the athletes.

> > >

> > > A college football/basketball player is getting close to $100,000 a year right now. Not in cash, but in education, good and services.

> > >

> > > Free Education at a state University (Alabama for instance) $10,000 for in state and $27,000 out of state.

> > > Apartment $5000.00 a year Roughly $400.00 a month

> > > Food/Training Table $5000.00 a year Roughly $100 a week.

> > > Lifting Trainer twice a week $100.00 a pop. $9600.00 a year.

> > > Mental Coach Every other week. $150.00 a pop. $3600.00 a year.

> > > Certified Athletic Trainer Use. $150.00 a week. $3600.00 a year.

> > > Free Gear $2500.00 a year.

> > > Free Medical $1000.00 to $50,000.00 a year depending.

> > > Free Coaching, priceless.

> > > Traveling to away games. $5000.000 to $10000.00 a kid.

> > >

> > > We are talking on the low end of them receiving $60,000.00 worth of education, goods, and services a year. I think that each kid should receive a $2000.00 stipend a semester for clothes and odds and ends. That puts them on the low end of $70,000.00 a year. What person can get out of high school and make that much money a year in the real world? To say they should get paid on top of what they get is ludicrous.

> > >

> >

> > With having paid atheletes I don't think it a generational thing at all. With the amount of money these schools make on Football basketball is just plain crazy. If we are honest the coaches and faculty are also keeping more then their fair share of money and many of these schools are state funded. Meanwhile the actual talent is flat broke and can't afford to buy a hamburger. It just seems not fair. I think though it sets a bad precedent to have players end up making different amounts of money. Nothing wrong with 100k for every player.

> >

> > It really though only football and basketball that what everyone is focusing on. I suspect the end result is college athletics departments are going to get less money in other sports. Plus if you got a golf sponsorship that is worth any amount of money you probably will turn pro anyways.

> >

>

> Coaches yes, faculty no. The vast majority of college faculty see very little benefit from the influx of cash in the athletic departments.

>

>

 

The Faculty doesn't see a dime. Many of the Universities are actually broke. The money that comes in is spent on building new facilities.

[BloctonGolf11]

@heavy_hitter Bingo, PhD's still can't find tenure track jobs and many academic buildings are awful. Administrators and Coaches see that money, faculty definitely do not.

[blaird]

Theres only two ways I can get on board with paying a college athlete

 

1) take away scholarship and put a cap on salaries...make them use their money to pay for the schooling, pay for the trainers, doctors, their own health insurance, food, housing, etc...You blew thru that money already and cant afford to pay for your classes? Oh well good bye...You havent been playing as well as wed like and we are gonna pay a freshman to come in and take your spot, sorry but youre out of school...oh you got hurt and cant play ever again? Sorry not gonna pay for you to come do nothing (most scholarships would still be honored and the kid could work as a GA or student assistant if this happened)

 

2) bring back NCAA Basketball and Football...thought those were better than any other sports games out anyways.

[tiger1873]

> @heavy_hitter said:

> > @BloctonGolf11 said:

> > > @tiger1873 said:

> > > > @heavy_hitter said:

> > > > I personally feel like anyone that thinks the athletes should be paid are from generation millennial where everything is ME ME ME. If you want to be paid, then turn professional!!!

> > > >

> > > > I think the NCAA needs to change how things are done, but I don't think it is paying the athletes.

> > > >

> > > > A college football/basketball player is getting close to $100,000 a year right now. Not in cash, but in education, good and services.

> > > >

> > > > Free Education at a state University (Alabama for instance) $10,000 for in state and $27,000 out of state.

> > > > Apartment $5000.00 a year Roughly $400.00 a month

> > > > Food/Training Table $5000.00 a year Roughly $100 a week.

> > > > Lifting Trainer twice a week $100.00 a pop. $9600.00 a year.

> > > > Mental Coach Every other week. $150.00 a pop. $3600.00 a year.

> > > > Certified Athletic Trainer Use. $150.00 a week. $3600.00 a year.

> > > > Free Gear $2500.00 a year.

> > > > Free Medical $1000.00 to $50,000.00 a year depending.

> > > > Free Coaching, priceless.

> > > > Traveling to away games. $5000.000 to $10000.00 a kid.

> > > >

> > > > We are talking on the low end of them receiving $60,000.00 worth of education, goods, and services a year. I think that each kid should receive a $2000.00 stipend a semester for clothes and odds and ends. That puts them on the low end of $70,000.00 a year. What person can get out of high school and make that much money a year in the real world? To say they should get paid on top of what they get is ludicrous.

> > > >

> > >

> > > With having paid atheletes I don't think it a generational thing at all. With the amount of money these schools make on Football basketball is just plain crazy. If we are honest the coaches and faculty are also keeping more then their fair share of money and many of these schools are state funded. Meanwhile the actual talent is flat broke and can't afford to buy a hamburger. It just seems not fair. I think though it sets a bad precedent to have players end up making different amounts of money. Nothing wrong with 100k for every player.

> > >

> > > It really though only football and basketball that what everyone is focusing on. I suspect the end result is college athletics departments are going to get less money in other sports. Plus if you got a golf sponsorship that is worth any amount of money you probably will turn pro anyways.

> > >

> >

> > Coaches yes, faculty no. The vast majority of college faculty see very little benefit from the influx of cash in the athletic departments.

> >

> >

>

> The Faculty doesn't see a dime. Many of the Universities are actually broke. The money that comes in is spent on building new facilities.

 

That is the problem rank and file faculty get nothing. Each department has their own little empires going on including athletics. The heads of departments in almost all colleges are way overpaid and in many cases making easily 7 figures. In a lot cases the staff has no clue they make as much as they do.

[tungstenplug]

My college golf coach made $50k a year (mid-level D1). There was no budget for an assistant coach, some guy at our home course did it as a volunteer just so he could travel with us and play practice rounds. Meanwhile our basketball coach made over $250k. I understand basketball brings way more money in to the University, but how do you justify paying coaches this big of a difference at the same school? It makes sense that better players in more popular sports should get more money but why the difference for coaches?

[blaird]

> @kevinscott22 said:

> My college golf coach made $50k a year (mid-level D1). There was no budget for an assistant coach, some guy at our home course did it as a volunteer just so he could travel with us and play practice rounds. Meanwhile our basketball coach made over $250k. I understand basketball brings way more money in to the University, but how do you justify paying coaches this big of a difference at the same school? It makes sense that better players in more popular sports should get more money but why the difference for coaches?

 

Its all about how much money you bring in. Golf, outside of donors or fundraisers, brings in nothing, basketball brings in a good chunk.

[dankil13]

> @GSDriver said:

> Kommiefornia trying to meddle where they don't belong. If free education (well, for those 'athlete students' who supposedly care about an education) isn't enough compensation for a 18 year old kid, then go to the D League or whatever.

 

The problem when they go to the G League or overseas is they have to pay for their own food, housing, etc and don't get to play in front of as many people, nor play in as nice facilities. They prob make significantly more money playing at a top notch D1 program...

[dankil13]

> @kevinscott22 said:

> My college golf coach made $50k a year (mid-level D1). There was no budget for an assistant coach, some guy at our home course did it as a volunteer just so he could travel with us and play practice rounds. Meanwhile our basketball coach made over $250k. I understand basketball brings way more money in to the University, but how do you justify paying coaches this big of a difference at the same school? It makes sense that better players in more popular sports should get more money but why the difference for coaches?

 

Krzyzewski makes $7+M a year at Duke. I'm not sure if the other HCs at Duke make that much combined. Of course Duke basketball probably funds all of those other sports.

[tungstenplug]

True I guess a hedge fund manager at a more successful firm gets compensated way more than that at a mid-level firm. I'm just trying to figure out how it will translate to the athletes. For example, will it be more lucrative to be a bench player on the Alabama football team than a starter at UC Irvine?

[Oldboy]

there are stories of college students that can't afford to feed themselves and we know about the college loan debt crisis, which is bigger than credit card debt i believe .. but hey college football/basketball coaches make millions and the NCAA ..we don't even know how much they're raking in do we? possibly only FIFA is more corrupt an organization.. it just aint right

[heavy_hitter]

> @kevinscott22 said:

> My college golf coach made $50k a year (mid-level D1). There was no budget for an assistant coach, some guy at our home course did it as a volunteer just so he could travel with us and play practice rounds. Meanwhile our basketball coach made over $250k. I understand basketball brings way more money in to the University, but how do you justify paying coaches this big of a difference at the same school? It makes sense that better players in more popular sports should get more money but why the difference for coaches?

 

Because that is how the way of the world works. I love golf, but they bring no money into the school and that is the reason every kid doesn't get a scholarship. Basketball and Football revenue pays for Golf to exist and every D1 University. You don't have to justify it. It is called Capitalism. Sounds like something you didn't learn about in school. What you are talking about is Socialism which fails. If your coach wanted to be paid more, he should have signed up to be the basketball coach.

[heavy_hitter]

> @Oldboy said:

> there are stories of college students that can't afford to feed themselves and we know about the college loan debt crisis, which is bigger than credit card debt i believe .. but hey college football/basketball coaches make millions and the NCAA ..we don't even know how much they're raking in do we? possibly only FIFA is more corrupt an organization.. it just aint right

 

hmmmm.... sounds like you don't like Capitalism. I think it is great. They can do with their money as they see fit. If the athletes don't like it, they can turn professional.

[dankil13]

> @Oldboy said:

> there are stories of college students that can't afford to feed themselves and we know about the college loan debt crisis, which is bigger than credit card debt i believe .. but hey college football/basketball coaches make millions and the NCAA ..we don't even know how much they're raking in do we? possibly only FIFA is more corrupt an organization.. it just aint right

 

College students on scholarship receive unlimited meals, plus a monthly stipend. I highly doubt any of them are starving. Now this may be different for sports that don't offer full scholarships, but chances are those coaches aren't making any where near millions of dollars per year either.

[dankil13]

> @kevinscott22 said:

> True I guess a hedge fund manager at a more successful firm gets compensated way more than that at a mid-level firm. I'm just trying to figure out how it will translate to the athletes. For example, will it be more lucrative to be a bench player on the Alabama football team than a starter at UC Irvine?

 

Wait until the 6th man on Duke earns more than the All-American forward on Duke's Women's BBall team. Then it will be about wage inequality. Of course, if the NCAA runs it and pools the money that is distributed to the players then those will again complain that star athletes are being exploited while their coaches are overpaid.

[PostandGhost]

It isn't feasible for public institutions to pay athletes because of Title IX, which will never be modified. Let the student athletes have the ability to hire agents, let the agents pay or loan money to the student athletes they deem qualified (because the agents aren't handcuffed by Title IX compliance), and have the NCAA audit the payments by the agents. I would probably have the agents be required to be licensed and register with the NCAA as well, for complete transparency. Heck, let the NCAA take a small percentage as a cut of the action because you know they want some of that money too. The sleazy agents take all the risk on paying the student athletes. The schools, coaches, athletic directors, presidents get to keep their money so rich tyrannical people are not adversely affected. The student athletes that are marketable get paid a fair value. The government gets to tax more income and revenue. It's a win/win/win/win/win/win/win for everyone.

 

Another benefit that I think you would see is a trickle down effect, like what you see in the NFL when a QB makes the pro-bowl and takes his entire offensive line and their families on vacation. Student athletes will have pressure to share money they make with teammates that help contribute to their success. There are only two negatives to this entire process I can think of. One would be super teams, but that could be avoided by having the NCAA limit the number of student athletes being compensated by one particular agent for each team. The second would be pressure on the student athletes to leave school early and turn pro as quick as possible, but some will argue that is currently happening with the existing college sports structure.