[cardcrimson]

Pac-12 players, led by some at Cal, are threatening to boycott the football season. Why? Sure, they want more Covid testing, but they're also demanding a 50/50 revenue share and 6 years of health insurance after they're done playing football.

https://247sports.com/Article/Pac-12-pla...149309979/

[cardcrimson]

Pac-12 players, led by some at Cal, are threatening to boycott the football season. Why? Sure, they want more Covid testing, but they're also demanding a 50/50 revenue share and 6 years of health insurance after they're done playing football.

https://247sports.com/Article/Pac-12-pla...149309979/

[Phogge]

Good for them but Twitter grammar sucks.

[Phogge]

Good for them but Twitter grammar sucks.

[Softball Fan]

This will likely fracture some of the teams' unity.  It's unlikely there will be universal agreement as to exactly what the players demand. 

I'm old school.  My preference would be to first discuss demands in private and then if dissatisfied tell the world you want to boycott the season if all your demands are not met.

[Softball Fan]

This will likely fracture some of the teams' unity.  It's unlikely there will be universal agreement as to exactly what the players demand. 

I'm old school.  My preference would be to first discuss demands in private and then if dissatisfied tell the world you want to boycott the season if all your demands are not met.

[Griffins78]

I support them in concept. I'm thrilled that they are exercising their power to demand things that are important to them and should be like more safety and insurance post play. I hope they don't limit to just football but use their power to demand the similar for all athletes, especially those with much less power.

[Griffins78]

I support them in concept. I'm thrilled that they are exercising their power to demand things that are important to them and should be like more safety and insurance post play. I hope they don't limit to just football but use their power to demand the similar for all athletes, especially those with much less power.

[akiddoc]

Pac-12 players, led by some at Cal, are threatening to boycott the football season. Why? Sure, they want more Covid testing, but they're also demanding a 50/50 revenue share and 6 years of health insurance after they're done playing football.

https://247sports.com/Article/Pac-12-pla...149309979/

50% revenue share is a non-starter. 

A percentage of profit sharing maybe, but it wouldn't be 50%, because that money funds the entire AD at most schools. I don't think the football program at Cal runs a profit, and it definitely won't once they start paying interest on that stadium loan.

[akiddoc]

Pac-12 players, led by some at Cal, are threatening to boycott the football season. Why? Sure, they want more Covid testing, but they're also demanding a 50/50 revenue share and 6 years of health insurance after they're done playing football.

https://247sports.com/Article/Pac-12-pla...149309979/

50% revenue share is a non-starter. 

A percentage of profit sharing maybe, but it wouldn't be 50%, because that money funds the entire AD at most schools. I don't think the football program at Cal runs a profit, and it definitely won't once they start paying interest on that stadium loan.

[2006alum]

Pac-12 players, led by some at Cal, are threatening to boycott the football season. Why? Sure, they want more Covid testing, but they're also demanding a 50/50 revenue share and 6 years of health insurance after they're done playing football.

https://247sports.com/Article/Pac-12-pla...149309979/

50% revenue share is a non-starter. 

A percentage of profit sharing maybe, but it wouldn't be 50%, because that money funds the entire AD at most schools. I don't think the football program at Cal runs a profit, and it definitely won't once they start paying interest on that stadium loan.

Perhaps the Cal Admins can counter-offer a 50/50 profit-loss sharing scheme... What will be revealed when all is said and done is that all but about 500-1000 NCAA D1 athletes are money losers. For every Katie Ledecky there are hundreds who cost their university more than they bring in. COVID is going to lay that bare very rapidly.

[2006alum]

Pac-12 players, led by some at Cal, are threatening to boycott the football season. Why? Sure, they want more Covid testing, but they're also demanding a 50/50 revenue share and 6 years of health insurance after they're done playing football.

https://247sports.com/Article/Pac-12-pla...149309979/

50% revenue share is a non-starter. 

A percentage of profit sharing maybe, but it wouldn't be 50%, because that money funds the entire AD at most schools. I don't think the football program at Cal runs a profit, and it definitely won't once they start paying interest on that stadium loan.

Perhaps the Cal Admins can counter-offer a 50/50 profit-loss sharing scheme... What will be revealed when all is said and done is that all but about 500-1000 NCAA D1 athletes are money losers. For every Katie Ledecky there are hundreds who cost their university more than they bring in. COVID is going to lay that bare very rapidly.

[teejers1]

Pac-12 players, led by some at Cal, are threatening to boycott the football season. Why? Sure, they want more Covid testing, but they're also demanding a 50/50 revenue share and 6 years of health insurance after they're done playing football.

https://247sports.com/Article/Pac-12-pla...149309979/

Sweet!  The Cal (and other) players should stick to their guns and boycott . . . then we have a shot at Big Game (if it's played). 

P.S.  All kinds of "tone deaf" going on these days . . . gee, wonder why?

[teejers1]

Pac-12 players, led by some at Cal, are threatening to boycott the football season. Why? Sure, they want more Covid testing, but they're also demanding a 50/50 revenue share and 6 years of health insurance after they're done playing football.

https://247sports.com/Article/Pac-12-pla...149309979/

Sweet!  The Cal (and other) players should stick to their guns and boycott . . . then we have a shot at Big Game (if it's played). 

P.S.  All kinds of "tone deaf" going on these days . . . gee, wonder why?

[Giants]

Pac-12 players, led by some at Cal, are threatening to boycott the football season. Why? Sure, they want more Covid testing, but they're also demanding a 50/50 revenue share and 6 years of health insurance after they're done playing football.

https://247sports.com/Article/Pac-12-pla...149309979/

50% revenue share is a non-starter. 

A percentage of profit sharing maybe, but it wouldn't be 50%, because that money funds the entire AD at most schools. I don't think the football program at Cal runs a profit, and it definitely won't once they start paying interest on that stadium loan.

The football program does operate at a profit (similar to all other Power Five schools).  It would be hard not to considering the TV revenue.  However, the overall program runs at a deficit. 

One other note: The Athletic Dept. is no longer on the hook for all of the infrastructure improvements.  The campus General Fund is now responsible for almost all of the payments.

[Giants]

Pac-12 players, led by some at Cal, are threatening to boycott the football season. Why? Sure, they want more Covid testing, but they're also demanding a 50/50 revenue share and 6 years of health insurance after they're done playing football.

https://247sports.com/Article/Pac-12-pla...149309979/

50% revenue share is a non-starter. 

A percentage of profit sharing maybe, but it wouldn't be 50%, because that money funds the entire AD at most schools. I don't think the football program at Cal runs a profit, and it definitely won't once they start paying interest on that stadium loan.

The football program does operate at a profit (similar to all other Power Five schools).  It would be hard not to considering the TV revenue.  However, the overall program runs at a deficit. 

One other note: The Athletic Dept. is no longer on the hook for all of the infrastructure improvements.  The campus General Fund is now responsible for almost all of the payments.

[akiddoc]

Pac-12 players, led by some at Cal, are threatening to boycott the football season. Why? Sure, they want more Covid testing, but they're also demanding a 50/50 revenue share and 6 years of health insurance after they're done playing football.

https://247sports.com/Article/Pac-12-pla...149309979/

50% revenue share is a non-starter. 

A percentage of profit sharing maybe, but it wouldn't be 50%, because that money funds the entire AD at most schools. I don't think the football program at Cal runs a profit, and it definitely won't once they start paying interest on that stadium loan.

The football program does operate at a profit (similar to all other Power Five schools).  It would be hard not to considering the TV revenue.  However, the overall program runs at a deficit. 

One other note: The Athletic Dept. is no longer on the hook for all of the infrastructure improvements.  The campus General Fund is now responsible for almost all of the payments.

The general fund is picking up 50% ($9 mill) of the stadium payments officially. But because the athletic department is running such a big deficit, the general fund picked up an additional $24 million last year. Essentially that is a $33 million deficit. Once Cal starts paying principle on that loan, that will be a $43 million deficit. Much of that is coming from the football program. I'm not sure Cal football will be making anything.

[akiddoc]

Pac-12 players, led by some at Cal, are threatening to boycott the football season. Why? Sure, they want more Covid testing, but they're also demanding a 50/50 revenue share and 6 years of health insurance after they're done playing football.

https://247sports.com/Article/Pac-12-pla...149309979/

50% revenue share is a non-starter. 

A percentage of profit sharing maybe, but it wouldn't be 50%, because that money funds the entire AD at most schools. I don't think the football program at Cal runs a profit, and it definitely won't once they start paying interest on that stadium loan.

The football program does operate at a profit (similar to all other Power Five schools).  It would be hard not to considering the TV revenue.  However, the overall program runs at a deficit. 

One other note: The Athletic Dept. is no longer on the hook for all of the infrastructure improvements.  The campus General Fund is now responsible for almost all of the payments.

The general fund is picking up 50% ($9 mill) of the stadium payments officially. But because the athletic department is running such a big deficit, the general fund picked up an additional $24 million last year. Essentially that is a $33 million deficit. Once Cal starts paying principle on that loan, that will be a $43 million deficit. Much of that is coming from the football program. I'm not sure Cal football will be making anything.

[Spiny_Norman]

Why don't we wait until there is an actual request/proposal on the table. I hesitate to take anything seriously that is only sourced from a series of tweets.

[Spiny_Norman]

Why don't we wait until there is an actual request/proposal on the table. I hesitate to take anything seriously that is only sourced from a series of tweets.

[BigJohn043]

This just strikes me as silly.  If these kids don't want to play they should feel free to give back their scholarships and we will find someone who wants to play.

The economics of college sports are so misunderstood.  First, the revenue sports don't make money for the schools.  They make money for the AD that is the then re-invested in other sports.  If we give the football team a bunch of money that just means fewer other sports.

But the even bigger issue in my mind is the idea of who is really making money here.  If the Columbus Buckeyes were playing the Ann Arbor Wolverines in a minor league football game no one would care.  No other minor sport in this country or really worldwide makes any significant money.  College sports are popular not because there is a brobdingnagian desire for minor league sports in this country, but because these schools have large alumni bases that make minor league sports work.  It isn't the athletes.  Someone needs to explain this to these kids.

[BigJohn043]

This just strikes me as silly.  If these kids don't want to play they should feel free to give back their scholarships and we will find someone who wants to play.

The economics of college sports are so misunderstood.  First, the revenue sports don't make money for the schools.  They make money for the AD that is the then re-invested in other sports.  If we give the football team a bunch of money that just means fewer other sports.

But the even bigger issue in my mind is the idea of who is really making money here.  If the Columbus Buckeyes were playing the Ann Arbor Wolverines in a minor league football game no one would care.  No other minor sport in this country or really worldwide makes any significant money.  College sports are popular not because there is a brobdingnagian desire for minor league sports in this country, but because these schools have large alumni bases that make minor league sports work.  It isn't the athletes.  Someone needs to explain this to these kids.

[Mick]

But the even bigger issue in my mind is the idea of who is really making money here.  If the Columbus Buckeyes were playing the Ann Arbor Wolverines in a minor league football game no one would care.  No other minor sport in this country or really worldwide makes any significant money.  College sports are popular not because there is a of immense proportions desire for minor league sports in this country, but because these schools have large alumni bases that make minor league sports work.  It isn't the athletes.  Someone needs to explain this to these kids.

To me, that's the crux of it.  And let's add in the fact that there are 130 schools playing D1 football out of 5,300 colleges and universities in the United States.  I went to far more Stanford football games when I was in college than SCU games, because the level of play was so high and my family put on a really great tailgate.

[Mick]

But the even bigger issue in my mind is the idea of who is really making money here.  If the Columbus Buckeyes were playing the Ann Arbor Wolverines in a minor league football game no one would care.  No other minor sport in this country or really worldwide makes any significant money.  College sports are popular not because there is a of immense proportions desire for minor league sports in this country, but because these schools have large alumni bases that make minor league sports work.  It isn't the athletes.  Someone needs to explain this to these kids.

To me, that's the crux of it.  And let's add in the fact that there are 130 schools playing D1 football out of 5,300 colleges and universities in the United States.  I went to far more Stanford football games when I was in college than SCU games, because the level of play was so high and my family put on a really great tailgate.

[OutsiderFan]

There is some smoke to this, but it is quite formative in nature as you'd expect. 

The only way the players will ever get what they want is to organize and withhold their labor.  Now is the perfect time to do that. They know schools are desperate to play games that can generate revenue. They have the pandemic crisis as a lever to justify "holding out" for better working conditions, irrespective of compensation concerns.

It's really tough for college athletes to organize given there are new classes each year. There are so many downstream impacts to how P5 college football players are compensated. Some will say they think the players have a good deal as it is. This may be true, but for me, the issue is that the players take the risk to generate the revenue and they right now have no say in their working conditions, or in how the revenue is allocated. They should have a say in and agree on both variables, IMO.

[OutsiderFan]

There is some smoke to this, but it is quite formative in nature as you'd expect. 

The only way the players will ever get what they want is to organize and withhold their labor.  Now is the perfect time to do that. They know schools are desperate to play games that can generate revenue. They have the pandemic crisis as a lever to justify "holding out" for better working conditions, irrespective of compensation concerns.

It's really tough for college athletes to organize given there are new classes each year. There are so many downstream impacts to how P5 college football players are compensated. Some will say they think the players have a good deal as it is. This may be true, but for me, the issue is that the players take the risk to generate the revenue and they right now have no say in their working conditions, or in how the revenue is allocated. They should have a say in and agree on both variables, IMO.

[JohnR34231]

I've always thought that if accepting a scholarship and playing college football is such a bad deal, why do so many HS players spend all the time and money working out, attending camps, hiring special coaches and the like in hopes of getting one and playing? Also, if they are duped and don't realize what a bad deal it is until they get there, why don't more of them quit?

Anyway I had two sons who played college football, and, although they didn't go on to NFL riches, I think they were glad they played. So I can speak from a little bit of experience.

[JohnR34231]

I've always thought that if accepting a scholarship and playing college football is such a bad deal, why do so many HS players spend all the time and money working out, attending camps, hiring special coaches and the like in hopes of getting one and playing? Also, if they are duped and don't realize what a bad deal it is until they get there, why don't more of them quit?

Anyway I had two sons who played college football, and, although they didn't go on to NFL riches, I think they were glad they played. So I can speak from a little bit of experience.

[BostonCard]

I do think that student athletes looking at ever increasing coaching salaries and sprawling athletic department bureaucracies supported by revenues they generate have a right to be pissed off about it.  I also think that players seeing a thinly veiled player of their likeness in a video game and being denied royalties from the use of their likeness also have a right to be upset.

But again, my proposal is to move towards a more amateur model of college sports (taking a lot of the big money out of it) and returning to its more provincial roots with fewer games total, played at times more conducive towards athlete health rather than TV viewer convenience, and fewer post-season games, and really do away with close facsimiles of players on video games.  Neverr going to happen, though.

But players playing a dangerous sport with long term consequences are right to demand better health insurance.

BC

[BostonCard]

I do think that student athletes looking at ever increasing coaching salaries and sprawling athletic department bureaucracies supported by revenues they generate have a right to be pissed off about it.  I also think that players seeing a thinly veiled player of their likeness in a video game and being denied royalties from the use of their likeness also have a right to be upset.

But again, my proposal is to move towards a more amateur model of college sports (taking a lot of the big money out of it) and returning to its more provincial roots with fewer games total, played at times more conducive towards athlete health rather than TV viewer convenience, and fewer post-season games, and really do away with close facsimiles of players on video games.  Neverr going to happen, though.

But players playing a dangerous sport with long term consequences are right to demand better health insurance.

BC

[winflop]

The revenue share is preposterous and a non-starter, and gives the entire thing a lack of seriousness. I would expect the schools/conference to not even respond to this ridiculous demand. Figures that it would come out of Weenieville.

Is the 6 years of health insurance after leaving school or is it including the cost of it while enrolled in the school for up to 6 years? Why wouldn't the latter already be part of the scholarship?

[winflop]

The revenue share is preposterous and a non-starter, and gives the entire thing a lack of seriousness. I would expect the schools/conference to not even respond to this ridiculous demand. Figures that it would come out of Weenieville.

Is the 6 years of health insurance after leaving school or is it including the cost of it while enrolled in the school for up to 6 years? Why wouldn't the latter already be part of the scholarship?

[OutsiderFan]

Winflop, your post demonstrates one of the great problems in our society in 2020. That is the visceral need  so many people have to judge things as thumbs up or thumbs down, even when ideas are formative. 

How are young people who have never grappled with the issues they face, going to have the answers when first contemplating how to address changing their circumstances? Even putting aside their lack of life experience, all new initiatives go through iteration and never end up exactly as originally dreamed. There are so many dependencies and obstacles to changing the way established systems operate, yet people want silver bullet, immediate solutions, or the whole idea of changing is a non-starter.

Expecting college football players to have answers right off the bat is unrealistic. They haven’t gone public with any statement, yet are being judged based on what some people have reported is going on. How’d you like your thesis graded two days after starting it? 

At the end of the day, when you want to change the world, just start doing it. Don’t ask for permission. Learn by doing and you will get better. A journey of 1,000 miles starts with one step, but only those committed to the objective will achieve it.

[OutsiderFan]

Winflop, your post demonstrates one of the great problems in our society in 2020. That is the visceral need  so many people have to judge things as thumbs up or thumbs down, even when ideas are formative. 

How are young people who have never grappled with the issues they face, going to have the answers when first contemplating how to address changing their circumstances? Even putting aside their lack of life experience, all new initiatives go through iteration and never end up exactly as originally dreamed. There are so many dependencies and obstacles to changing the way established systems operate, yet people want silver bullet, immediate solutions, or the whole idea of changing is a non-starter.

Expecting college football players to have answers right off the bat is unrealistic. They haven’t gone public with any statement, yet are being judged based on what some people have reported is going on. How’d you like your thesis graded two days after starting it? 

At the end of the day, when you want to change the world, just start doing it. Don’t ask for permission. Learn by doing and you will get better. A journey of 1,000 miles starts with one step, but only those committed to the objective will achieve it.