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PadrosWindup PadrosWindup OP
Sep 05, 2024 at 11:45 PM ET
Judge sending House case agreement back for rework
Per Ross Dellenger: "The issue — the prohibition of third-party booster payments — resulted in a more than 30-minute discussion between the judge, NCAA counsel Kilaru and the plaintiff attorneys, mostly Kessler. The conversation centered around what is one of the biggest questions related to the settlement: How will the NCAA and power leagues prohibit and then police third-party booster payments to athletes? Such payments are happening now as boosters and booster-led collectives are distributing millions of dollars in salary-like payments to retain and recruit athletes, many of them disguised as commercial and endorsement deals. The settlement would potentially reduce or eliminate such payments, instead permitting schools to directly pay their athletes within a salary-cap system. However, Wilken suggested that such a move may limit the pay that athletes are currently receiving — some of them “large sums,” she said — and she expressed skepticism that the NCAA could enforce, or should enforce, its policy prohibiting “pay-for-play.” In one of the more shocking moments, Wilken appeared to acknowledge that she entered the hearing with the understanding that the settlement permitted “pay-for-play” from third-party entities. The NCAA's prohibition on pay-for-play is “not going to be there anymore, right?” she asked Kilaru in one of the hearing’s most jarring exchanges." IMHO, The judge is right about NCAA's ability to enforce any play-for pay rules. The "NIL must be NIL agreement" simply will never work. For all the talk about donor fatigue, her are plenty of donors who love having their Jerry Jones moments, throwing money around to attract talent to Dear Ole U. They have tasted it the last 2 years, and aren't about to give it up. Let these guys coordinate with the coaching staffs on who gets paid what, make sure there are binding contracts in place, and make sure taxes are withheld. Don't keep trying to limit what you have never been able to limit. ** Edited by PadrosWindup at 9/5/2024, 11:45:48 PM

106 Replies

VictoryTurkey VictoryTurkey
I don't understand...can you opt out of this mess?
Obviously this stuff is going to be a bridge too far for many schools. The mission is not to have a professional sports program. But can you still have an amateur intercollegiate sports program without paying players? What triggers you to have to pay them? Is it enough that they can leave if they want and go play for pay somewhere else? Or if you have a certain amount of revenue you have to pay them? Seems crazy.
Atlee Hokie Atlee Hokie
Or make all collegiate sports DIII. Or like club sports.
VTHokie2000 VTHokie2000
Schools may have to no longer offer athletic scholarships and/or give up
their media contracts. Everyone is focused on what is going on at the NCAA DI level. While the answer to your question may reside with what happens at the NCAA DII, NCAA DIII, NAIA DI, NAIA DII, and JUCO levels. ** Edited by VTHokie2000 at 9/7/2024, 10:50:37 AM
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jboyhokie
Thanks for the update. Very interesting.
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LeadingEdge
The judge kicked the legs out from under the value proposition the NCAA was
seeking. They wanted a real cap. She effectively said no.
Femoyer Hokie Femoyer Hokie
Yep. She correctly pointed out trying to pull back something the players
already have and having no plan in how to enforce the pull back is a non-starter. Increasingly feels like the players being employees with collective bargaining is the best approach.
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daveinop
the problem is they will still be eligible for NIL, etc.
Lots of university employees have side gigs, small and large. Sometimes being a university employee is the side gig.
Femoyer Hokie Femoyer Hokie
True. But why is that a problem?
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daveinop
the problem I'm referring to
is one of maintaining some type of competitive balance. The judge is saying anyone can pay a player for whatever reason including incentivizing playing for one school versus another. That's the bomb she dropped (or re-dropped) this week. That means the only real competition is who can pay the most. The pros understand that loss of competitive balance means they have no viable product...people won't watch. That's why they have various limitations on pay. I think colleges will have the same problem with their TV contracts. I had viewed employing players as a way to keep some balance. But upon thinking about it a little more, since employees of universities can (and often do) have side hacks, then making the athletes employees solves nothing, especially for the revenue sports. Outside entities will still provide financial incentives to steer players where they want them to go. The only thing we're seeing now to counter that is that players with pro aspirations are moving around wholesale to get playing time. Miller Moss stayed put until he got his shot; but he is an exception, not the rule. ** Edited by daveinop at 9/8/2024, 1:50:16 PM
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VPI 1924
Have fun when they strike.
No season and they get paid.
HokieAl HokieAl
it's only a matter of time before it all goes over the edge
FrederickHokie FrederickHokie
That might actually be a good thing in the long run.
VTHokie2000 VTHokie2000
If players do become employees, then could the eligibility window be the
next thing to go?
MP4VT2004 MP4VT2004
One can hope. I'd love to see Cartoons Plural in a VT uniform for life. TIC
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VPI 1924
That’s an ugly creature
Pylons Pylons
I doubt they'd be students any longer if they became employees.
Why bother at that point? So "eligibility" would no longer be a thing. Not that I believe that will happen. ** Edited by Pylons at 9/6/2024, 6:28:46 PM
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daveinop
might be the only viable approach
if whatever league(s) that come about aren't competitive, there is no product to sell. at that point you fold up the tent.
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VT ChemE 1986
I wonder when the really important questions will be answered
How will money be allocated across sports? Do all players need to be paid the same? How will Title IX compliance be achieved? These questions and many others will determine if any college sports other than FB and BB survive. At this stage it seems like folks are just arguing about moving the deck chairs on the Titanic.
Vienna_Hokie Vienna_Hokie
I think the answer to Title IX sets the stage to answer the others
any pay plan that does not first get settlement of Title IX will be bounced back and forth through the courts.
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Strider2
Why would Title IX apply to "Employees..."?
It seems to me the purpose behind Title IX goes away is they aren't student athletes with a scholarship but are now paid professionals. It should only now apply - if at all - to any remaining student athletes on scholarship.
Pylons Pylons
Because Title IX is about gender equity in general at
federally-funded educational institutions. People think of it as a sports thing because that's the only context in which the general public ever hears the term, but athletics are never even directly addressed in Title IX. The "purpose" for Title IX had zero to do with athletic scholarships. I've taken Title IX training multiple times at multiple universities. Never had an athletics job.
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33laszlo99
Title IX requires that funding is distributed in a way that creates equal
opportunity for both men and women to participate in sports (among other purposes). Pay every athlete the same amount and, "mission accomplished." That also simplifies the bargaining relationship between the school and the union.
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VT ChemE 1986
Would love to see that
I guess the football players will throw a fit because of all the money they think they deserve subsidizing the other athletes on campus.
Pylons Pylons
Title IX actually never even mentions sports.
Vienna_Hokie Vienna_Hokie
It also doesn't say anything about scholarships or require equal numbers
what is more important is how it has been interpreted. Equal opportunity has been interpreted to mean an equal number of scholarships. Now that the question is direct payments to athletes, that could easily be interpreted to mean equal payouts. Unfortunately, we live in a society where equality of opportunity and outcome are too often interpreted to mean the same thing. In today's world, there are still more male athletes because only a small percentage of them get scholarships outside football and basketball. How are they going to balance the payouts without cutting male athletes from participating if all players that participate get paid?
Pylons Pylons
Equitable, not equal.
And an NIL payment is potentially treated differently from a scholarship opportunity. Just as employee salaries are not treated like they have to be *equal* between genders.
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33laszlo99
I've never read Title IX, Pylons. My only interest in it is how it comes
to bear on college sports. The explanation you posted pops up on realignment boards from time to time; maybe from you. But, thanks.
Pylons Pylons
It also wouldn't require that every athlete be paid the same
Like you said, it's more about *opportunity* It's about non-financial things as well, fwiw
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33laszlo99
My original idea for equal pay across the board was to avoid the impossible
calculation of which athletes are worth more? What is a football player worth vs a golfer? How about a Heisman winning QB vs below average golfer? How about a National Champion golfer vs a backup punter? All MBB players not are worth more than all tennis players. The job description is generally the same, representing the school in intercollegiate sports. Labor organizations tend to seek equal treatment for all members. Keep it simple.
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2hhoop3
I get the simplicity goal........
and on one hand I agree but, your solution points up the total hypocrisy of the situation in granting athletes the revenue they have a hand in generating and then to turn around and allocate the award equally to all. The other reality is a lot of these kids will earn more from sports in college than they will likely ever earn in a professional league. NIL is a CF and the pending House arrangement is a CF X 100 but, as long as the lawyers get paid it's all good.
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33laszlo99
The possibility of successfully evaluating the payment deserved by each
sports team at a school is daunting, at the least. And if we attempt that and succeed, will individuals in each sport seek to be paid in comparison to their teammates? Moving away from equal pay opens the door to endless calculations and, almost certainly, more lawsuits.
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2hhoop3
Agreed.......
it is in reality a life size game of whack-a-mole, solve one issue and likely create another.
Pylons Pylons
I hear you...certainly nice in theory, but
a big part of how we got here is "the players don't get to share in all the revenue they generate." If you then turn around and treat revenue-generators the same as non-, it's kind of an odd solution.
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33laszlo99
Right. If this becomes the solution, it will be because "the players" will
mean "the players" collectively, not as individuals. I think these lawsuits have been class-actions, if that carries any weight.
Femoyer Hokie Femoyer Hokie
True. None of those things happens until this case is decided is the way
I see it.