[needle]

Here's what an unknown number of players came up with as they seek change in college sports:

 I. Health & Safety Protections
COVID-19 Protections
Allow option not to play during the pandemic without losing athletics eligibility or spot on our team’s roster.
Prohibit/void COVID-19 agreements that waive liability.
Mandatory Safety Standards, Including COVID-19 Measures
Player-approved health and safety standards enforced by a third party selected by players to address COVID-19, as well as serious injury, abuse and death.
II. Protect All Sports
Preserve All Existing Sports by Eliminating Excessive Expenditures
Larry Scott, administrators, and coaches to voluntarily and drastically reduce excessive pay.
End performance/academic bonuses.
End lavish facility expenditures and use some endowment funds to preserve all sports.*
*As an example, Stanford University should reinstate all sports discontinued by tapping into their $27.7 billion endowment.

III. End Racial Injustice in College Sports and Society
Form a permanent civic-engagement task force made up of our leaders, experts of our choice, and university and conference administrators to address outstanding issues such as racial injustice in college sports and in society.
In partnership with the Pac-12, 2% of conference revenue would be directed by players to support financial aid for low-income Black students, community initiatives, and development programs for college athletes on each campus.
Form annual Pac-12 Black College Athlete Summit with guaranteed representation of at least three athletes of our choice from every school.
IV. Economic Freedom and Equity
Guaranteed Medical Expense Coverage
Medical insurance selected by players for sports-related medical conditions, including COVID- 19 illness, to cover six years after college athletics eligibility ends.
Name, Image, and Likeness Rights & Representation
The freedom to secure representation, receive basic necessities from any third party, and earn money for use of our name, image, and likeness rights.
Fair Market Pay, Rights, & Freedoms
Distribute 50% of each sport’s total conference revenue evenly among athletes in their respective sports.
Six-year athletic scholarships to foster undergraduate and graduate degree completion.
Elimination of all policies and practices restricting or deterring our freedom of speech, our ability to fully participate in charitable work, and our freedom to participate in campus activities outside of mandatory athletics participation.
Ability of players of all sports to transfer one time without punishment, and additionally in cases of abuse or serious negligence.
Ability to complete eligibility after participating in a pro draft if player goes undrafted and foregoes professional participation within seven days of the draft.
Due process rights

https://www.theplayerstribune.com/en-us/...all-season

Heard most of an ESPN Radio interview with one of the players taking part in this movement, Dallas Hobbs. He said it's all football players who came up with the list, and he declined to say how many came together to work on the statement.

[needle]

Here's what an unknown number of players came up with as they seek change in college sports:

 I. Health & Safety Protections
COVID-19 Protections
Allow option not to play during the pandemic without losing athletics eligibility or spot on our team’s roster.
Prohibit/void COVID-19 agreements that waive liability.
Mandatory Safety Standards, Including COVID-19 Measures
Player-approved health and safety standards enforced by a third party selected by players to address COVID-19, as well as serious injury, abuse and death.
II. Protect All Sports
Preserve All Existing Sports by Eliminating Excessive Expenditures
Larry Scott, administrators, and coaches to voluntarily and drastically reduce excessive pay.
End performance/academic bonuses.
End lavish facility expenditures and use some endowment funds to preserve all sports.*
*As an example, Stanford University should reinstate all sports discontinued by tapping into their $27.7 billion endowment.

III. End Racial Injustice in College Sports and Society
Form a permanent civic-engagement task force made up of our leaders, experts of our choice, and university and conference administrators to address outstanding issues such as racial injustice in college sports and in society.
In partnership with the Pac-12, 2% of conference revenue would be directed by players to support financial aid for low-income Black students, community initiatives, and development programs for college athletes on each campus.
Form annual Pac-12 Black College Athlete Summit with guaranteed representation of at least three athletes of our choice from every school.
IV. Economic Freedom and Equity
Guaranteed Medical Expense Coverage
Medical insurance selected by players for sports-related medical conditions, including COVID- 19 illness, to cover six years after college athletics eligibility ends.
Name, Image, and Likeness Rights & Representation
The freedom to secure representation, receive basic necessities from any third party, and earn money for use of our name, image, and likeness rights.
Fair Market Pay, Rights, & Freedoms
Distribute 50% of each sport’s total conference revenue evenly among athletes in their respective sports.
Six-year athletic scholarships to foster undergraduate and graduate degree completion.
Elimination of all policies and practices restricting or deterring our freedom of speech, our ability to fully participate in charitable work, and our freedom to participate in campus activities outside of mandatory athletics participation.
Ability of players of all sports to transfer one time without punishment, and additionally in cases of abuse or serious negligence.
Ability to complete eligibility after participating in a pro draft if player goes undrafted and foregoes professional participation within seven days of the draft.
Due process rights

https://www.theplayerstribune.com/en-us/...all-season

Heard most of an ESPN Radio interview with one of the players taking part in this movement, Dallas Hobbs. He said it's all football players who came up with the list, and he declined to say how many came together to work on the statement.

[SamuelMcF]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/wilnerhotline/status/1289931864166211585[/tweet]
Here is the media contact list. Treyjohn Butler is the Stanford name to know. Most prominent player is Oregon S Jevon Holland, a possible first-rounder in the upcoming draft.

[SamuelMcF]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/wilnerhotline/status/1289931864166211585[/tweet]
Here is the media contact list. Treyjohn Butler is the Stanford name to know. Most prominent player is Oregon S Jevon Holland, a possible first-rounder in the upcoming draft.

[OutsiderFan]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/wilnerhotline/status/1289931864166211585[/tweet]
Here is the media contact list. Treyjohn Butler is the Stanford name to know. Most prominent player is Oregon S Jevon Holland, a possible first-rounder in the upcoming draft.

Really adds credibility to have a player of Javon Holland's caliber as a leader of this movement. Where are the USC, Colorado, and Utah reps?  Anyone have any idea how many players are involved?  Will they be releasing a letter with signatures of all participants?

[OutsiderFan]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/wilnerhotline/status/1289931864166211585[/tweet]
Here is the media contact list. Treyjohn Butler is the Stanford name to know. Most prominent player is Oregon S Jevon Holland, a possible first-rounder in the upcoming draft.

Really adds credibility to have a player of Javon Holland's caliber as a leader of this movement. Where are the USC, Colorado, and Utah reps?  Anyone have any idea how many players are involved?  Will they be releasing a letter with signatures of all participants?

[BigJohn043]

This is just silly.  I am not sure where these players think their leverage comes from.  If you don't want to play, then give up your scholarship or transfer.

The Pac-12 will likely agree to some commission and a couple of other minor things.  I wonder if the commission is going to investigate the clear discrimination against white football players based on their under-representation?

[BigJohn043]

This is just silly.  I am not sure where these players think their leverage comes from.  If you don't want to play, then give up your scholarship or transfer.

The Pac-12 will likely agree to some commission and a couple of other minor things.  I wonder if the commission is going to investigate the clear discrimination against white football players based on their under-representation?

[2006alum]

I'm genuinely sympathetic to some of the players frustration, but it's getting to the point where I'm thinking the players and the schools deserve each other, because it's clear the schools exploit many of the players, but it's also clear to me many of the players don't realize they generate less value than the cost of their scholarships, athletic department salaries, plant construction and maintenance.

Take C.al, for example (where we have better data as a public school.) If C.al had neither a football team nor had rebuilt its stadium, it'd be a substantially better financial position -- it pays $18m in interest per year and that doesn't even touch the principle, which will balloon to first $26m and then $37m per year starting in the 2030s. Sure, it loses football revenue, some alumni donations, and a large chunk of the (meager) TV rights money. But even now, the department as a whole bleeds over $20m per year.

This is clearly not sustainable, and schools like Brown, Dartmouth, George Washington, and yes, our alma mater, are beginning to cop to it. There are going to be so many more dominoes to fall before this is over.

[2006alum]

I'm genuinely sympathetic to some of the players frustration, but it's getting to the point where I'm thinking the players and the schools deserve each other, because it's clear the schools exploit many of the players, but it's also clear to me many of the players don't realize they generate less value than the cost of their scholarships, athletic department salaries, plant construction and maintenance.

Take C.al, for example (where we have better data as a public school.) If C.al had neither a football team nor had rebuilt its stadium, it'd be a substantially better financial position -- it pays $18m in interest per year and that doesn't even touch the principle, which will balloon to first $26m and then $37m per year starting in the 2030s. Sure, it loses football revenue, some alumni donations, and a large chunk of the (meager) TV rights money. But even now, the department as a whole bleeds over $20m per year.

This is clearly not sustainable, and schools like Brown, Dartmouth, George Washington, and yes, our alma mater, are beginning to cop to it. There are going to be so many more dominoes to fall before this is over.

[BostonCard]

Distribute 50% of each sport’s total conference revenue evenly among athletes in their respective sports.

and

Preserve All Existing Sports by Eliminating Excessive Expenditures

Are pretty much mutually incompatible. There is certainly athletic department bloat, but it doesn’t account for >50% of the revenue. You could not share 50% revenue and keep any sports beyond football and basketball and the minimum number of women’s sports to remain title IX compliant, and even then I suspect the AD runs a substantial deficit.

BC

[BostonCard]

Distribute 50% of each sport’s total conference revenue evenly among athletes in their respective sports.

and

Preserve All Existing Sports by Eliminating Excessive Expenditures

Are pretty much mutually incompatible. There is certainly athletic department bloat, but it doesn’t account for >50% of the revenue. You could not share 50% revenue and keep any sports beyond football and basketball and the minimum number of women’s sports to remain title IX compliant, and even then I suspect the AD runs a substantial deficit.

BC

[Softball Fan]

It's unclear to me how they want the 50% of the revenue to be distributed.  Are they asking that every athlete in every sport get the same amount so for example the football players and soccer players would get the same amount regardless of how much revenue the respective sports bring in.  

I don't think they understand about endowments.  Almost all donations have a defined use specified; can not be used for anything else.  Plus most donations are given so they endure over a long time if not in perpetuity. The annual interest or investment income is to be used to cover the expenses.  You can't just go spending principle on a whim or the endowment will eventually get exhausted.

[Softball Fan]

It's unclear to me how they want the 50% of the revenue to be distributed.  Are they asking that every athlete in every sport get the same amount so for example the football players and soccer players would get the same amount regardless of how much revenue the respective sports bring in.  

I don't think they understand about endowments.  Almost all donations have a defined use specified; can not be used for anything else.  Plus most donations are given so they endure over a long time if not in perpetuity. The annual interest or investment income is to be used to cover the expenses.  You can't just go spending principle on a whim or the endowment will eventually get exhausted.

[BobK]

Appears washington State just released a player for standing up for We Are United

[BobK]

Appears washington State just released a player for standing up for We Are United

[gailtate]

It took the first pandemic in a century combined with the worst racial strife in a half-century, but the money-bloated circus that college football (and all professional sports) has become has us at the tipping point. Young men, just few years out of high school, full of themselves, are "speaking truth to power" (gag) with their newfound voice(s). And I say bless 'em all. I love the agitation and the heartburn/discomfort this must be causing certain oblivious people (Hello, Larry?) right now. People including all the shills in and out of the media and money-grubbers in and out of academia lost in their delusional pipe dreams of the Big Paydays of Saturday Night Lights. Shut down these meaningless, hollow games and defeat this virus. THIS is the only victory worth fighting for in 2020.

[gailtate]

It took the first pandemic in a century combined with the worst racial strife in a half-century, but the money-bloated circus that college football (and all professional sports) has become has us at the tipping point. Young men, just few years out of high school, full of themselves, are "speaking truth to power" (gag) with their newfound voice(s). And I say bless 'em all. I love the agitation and the heartburn/discomfort this must be causing certain oblivious people (Hello, Larry?) right now. People including all the shills in and out of the media and money-grubbers in and out of academia lost in their delusional pipe dreams of the Big Paydays of Saturday Night Lights. Shut down these meaningless, hollow games and defeat this virus. THIS is the only victory worth fighting for in 2020.

[needle]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/ConnorWedington/status/1290067800812212225]twitter.com/ConnorWedington/status/1290067800812212225[/tweet]

[needle]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/ConnorWedington/status/1290067800812212225]twitter.com/ConnorWedington/status/1290067800812212225[/tweet]

[BigJohn043]

Appears washington State just released a player for standing up for We Are United

Good for WSU.  Not sure why these players think they are in a position to make threats without consequences.  Grow up.

[BigJohn043]

Appears washington State just released a player for standing up for We Are United

Good for WSU.  Not sure why these players think they are in a position to make threats without consequences.  Grow up.

[SamuelMcF]

Appears washington State just released a player for standing up for We Are United

Good for WSU.  Not sure why these players think they are in a position to make threats without consequences.  Grow up.

I'm pretty sure they know there may be consequences.

Wazzu may take an absolute beating in recruiting if this continues. (They already don't recruit well in the first place.)

[SamuelMcF]

Appears washington State just released a player for standing up for We Are United

Good for WSU.  Not sure why these players think they are in a position to make threats without consequences.  Grow up.

I'm pretty sure they know there may be consequences.

Wazzu may take an absolute beating in recruiting if this continues. (They already don't recruit well in the first place.)

[OutsiderFan]

Appears washington State just released a player for standing up for We Are United

Good for WSU.  Not sure why these players think they are in a position to make threats without consequences.  Grow up.

I'm pretty sure they know there may be consequences.

Wazzu may take an absolute beating in recruiting if this continues. (They already don't recruit well in the first place.)

If true, WSU is going to be in big trouble. You don't F with guys standing up for their rights and interests in the climate we are now in vis-a-vis athlete empowerment and equality movements. Not only will current players refuse to participate to protect their own, recruits will be turned off too.

[OutsiderFan]

Appears washington State just released a player for standing up for We Are United

Good for WSU.  Not sure why these players think they are in a position to make threats without consequences.  Grow up.

I'm pretty sure they know there may be consequences.

Wazzu may take an absolute beating in recruiting if this continues. (They already don't recruit well in the first place.)

If true, WSU is going to be in big trouble. You don't F with guys standing up for their rights and interests in the climate we are now in vis-a-vis athlete empowerment and equality movements. Not only will current players refuse to participate to protect their own, recruits will be turned off too.

[Phogge]

They may not recruit well but they beat the hell out of Stanford.

[Phogge]

They may not recruit well but they beat the hell out of Stanford.

[chrisk]

If some schools move toward more professionalization of college football (and sports in general), I think Stanford may be strongly inclined to moved toward an Ivy League type model. Some of the other P5 and G5 private schools would have an incentive to do the same. Some of the lower-tier public schools in the P5 may also decide to deemphasize as well, leaving about 20-30 schools competing among themselves.

[chrisk]

If some schools move toward more professionalization of college football (and sports in general), I think Stanford may be strongly inclined to moved toward an Ivy League type model. Some of the other P5 and G5 private schools would have an incentive to do the same. Some of the lower-tier public schools in the P5 may also decide to deemphasize as well, leaving about 20-30 schools competing among themselves.

[French Rage]

Appears washington State just released a player for standing up for We Are United

Coug-ed it!

[French Rage]

Appears washington State just released a player for standing up for We Are United

Coug-ed it!

[2006alum]

It took the first pandemic in a century combined with the worst racial strife in a half-century, but the money-bloated circus that college football (and all professional sports) has become has us at the tipping point. Young men, just few years out of high school, full of themselves, are "speaking truth to power" (gag) with their newfound voice(s). And I say bless 'em all. I love the agitation and the heartburn/discomfort this must be causing certain oblivious people (Hello, Larry?) right now. People including all the shills in and out of the media and money-grubbers in and out of academia lost in their delusional pipe dreams of the Big Paydays of Saturday Night Lights. Shut down these meaningless, hollow games and defeat this virus. THIS is the only victory worth fighting for in 2020.

Couldn't agree with you more. They started to lose me with CTE and this feels like a "pox on all your houses" turning point. Was I the only one watching the hundreds of "just about all D1 athletes will be going pro in something other than sports" ads? There is no free market for the vast, vast majority of these athletes. If there were, it would already exist. There's not even space for a secondary pro football league. Sheesh.

[2006alum]

It took the first pandemic in a century combined with the worst racial strife in a half-century, but the money-bloated circus that college football (and all professional sports) has become has us at the tipping point. Young men, just few years out of high school, full of themselves, are "speaking truth to power" (gag) with their newfound voice(s). And I say bless 'em all. I love the agitation and the heartburn/discomfort this must be causing certain oblivious people (Hello, Larry?) right now. People including all the shills in and out of the media and money-grubbers in and out of academia lost in their delusional pipe dreams of the Big Paydays of Saturday Night Lights. Shut down these meaningless, hollow games and defeat this virus. THIS is the only victory worth fighting for in 2020.

Couldn't agree with you more. They started to lose me with CTE and this feels like a "pox on all your houses" turning point. Was I the only one watching the hundreds of "just about all D1 athletes will be going pro in something other than sports" ads? There is no free market for the vast, vast majority of these athletes. If there were, it would already exist. There's not even space for a secondary pro football league. Sheesh.

[SamuelMcF]

Couldn't agree with you more. They started to lose me with CTE and this feels like a "pox on all your houses" turning point. Was I the only one watching the hundreds of "just about all D1 athletes will be going pro in something other than sports" ads? There is no free market for the vast, vast majority of these athletes. If there were, it would already exist. There's not even space for a secondary pro football league. Sheesh.

The bummer here is I truly believe the XFL would've survived had it not been for Covid.

[SamuelMcF]

Couldn't agree with you more. They started to lose me with CTE and this feels like a "pox on all your houses" turning point. Was I the only one watching the hundreds of "just about all D1 athletes will be going pro in something other than sports" ads? There is no free market for the vast, vast majority of these athletes. If there were, it would already exist. There's not even space for a secondary pro football league. Sheesh.

The bummer here is I truly believe the XFL would've survived had it not been for Covid.

[Phogge]

Would there be that big a hit in alumni giving if the school just decided it wasn’t worth the trouble and dropped football? I like the Ivy model but who can you play? There are not a lot of West Coast D 2 and 3 programs left.

[Phogge]

Would there be that big a hit in alumni giving if the school just decided it wasn’t worth the trouble and dropped football? I like the Ivy model but who can you play? There are not a lot of West Coast D 2 and 3 programs left.

[winflop]

Even in a "normal" year these demands would be ridiculous as a whole. There are some nuggets that could make sense but they are buried by a set of overarching, preposterous demands.

When you combine it with the current state of things, it shows a mind-numbing level of entitlement and ignorance.

If you don't like the deal, transfer out of the conference, and don't let the door hit you on the way out.

[winflop]

Even in a "normal" year these demands would be ridiculous as a whole. There are some nuggets that could make sense but they are buried by a set of overarching, preposterous demands.

When you combine it with the current state of things, it shows a mind-numbing level of entitlement and ignorance.

If you don't like the deal, transfer out of the conference, and don't let the door hit you on the way out.