04-13-2022, 09:50 AM
(04-13-2022, 08:17 AM)Genuine Realist Wrote: I think most SEC fans buy memorabilia in sizable quantities, which is what generates the revenue. Think of autograph shows. Of course, the opportunity doesn't exist until there is something to remember, which is why the potential for an untried schlarship athlete is limited.Yes, SEC fans (and other fans) buy things with player's names on them. The degree to which the player's name matters is pretty small IMHO. If you are selling insurance I doubt it is a factor that an athlete endorses your agent. Some of this will settle out. Manufactures of apparel and such may have a "real" reason and the ability to realize some benefit.
Quote:And while there will be boosters, if you believe that there is a whole universe of individuals willing to advance 7 figure sums on untried 17 year olds, with no hope of return, I have to disagree. You will undoubtedly see premiums paid, and appearance fees - 'come to my son's birthday party' - but not to the point of your speculation. Even in the Bad Old Days, there was some rationality.You don't need a whole universe, only enough. To the extent there was some "rationality" in the "bad old days", you seem to ignore the whale in the room that it was illegal to deliver such benefits and to do so risked severe punishment to all involved. At the very least, you didn't make such "gifts" for "goodwill" and "marketing" purposes! Remove those prohibitions and it is a whole new world, as we are seeing. Also, in the "bad old days" the "contract" probably wasn't written, as it was not enforceable anyway. In the model you propose the contract will have the full force of law. Further, unless some source of regulation (that you don't propose) on these contracts exists, you will have 18 year olds signing contracts that are not necessarily designed to be "fair". That may be fine, but it certainly isn't a risk-free situation. Look at student loans as an example. I think it is obvious that the opportunities for abuse of all kinds exists, including but not limited to paying athletes to attend a certain school.
Quote:My point, however, was different. The answer to whatever difficulties you do perceive is not to go back to a system in which kids are cut off from legitimate commercial opportunities (and these are legitimate). It's to abandon amateurism altogether, so that pro franchises and sponsor groups can make direct investments in an athlete's professional potential. You restrict the NCAA to issues of academic probity, transfer rules, and the like.Please! "No choice is required", "advance life on all fronts", "no downside"? What most 18 year olds need to discover IMHO is that in life choices ARE required and that essentially no course of action has no downsides. If it appears there are none, you haven't looked closely enough! While I don't disagree with the idea that allowing a student-athlete to sign contracts with "sponsor groups" and "pro franchises" can have significant upsides, the idea it has no downsides is hard to imagine. In almost all contracts it is an exchange of benefits. It may be a net positive, but it isn't free of all costs. Those costs need to be critically evaluated.
You create an environment in which an 18-year-old can advance his life on all fronts, where no choice is required, and where poor kids can actually do something for dependents while finding out something about themselves and the world, which is what ideally happens in college. There is no downside.
As I understand it, in you proposed system, colleges are not providing financial support to athletes? If they are still doing so, it is pretty IMHO obvious that there can be conflicts of interest between the colleges and other contracts the student athlete signs, especially if there are no limits on what the contract the student signs with others. OTOH, if the student has to pay for their own education, there may be many (most?) players who can't generate enough revenue via contracts to allow them to attend. Either approach IMHO appears to have significant problems.

