[Goose]

I agree it's pointless to speculate on what the future holds, but that's one of the reasons for the existence of message boards.

And I agree that is exactly what we do on this board, so all is well!

The only way I foresee a system of paid college sports workers existing is if all the stake holders agree there will be one set compensation package across the board for all athletes.  I suspect that won't hold up to legal challenges.

I agree, and that is why I think that legislation is required to make this have any chance of happening. Further, I am pretty sure that one set compensation for all athletes isn't going to fly either. Football brings in the bucks most places. How can field hockey players expect the same reward as those who risk their health to "earn" the money? NOTE: (This isn't my position, but I am sure it will be the position of many others. My position is that they are amateurs and get no conpensation for playing other the "joy" of it. If they get an NFL contract or a cute spouse out of the deal, good on them but that isn't university provided.)

In the opposite direction if no restrictions are put on the upper limit of compensation for college athletes that will signal the beginning of the end for college sports.

I think that isn't the beginning of the end. It is the end. Universities will drop sports as if they were radioactive. Nobody can justify such an arrangement as an adjunct to a college. It is a fully professional sports "job".

[Goose]

I agree it's pointless to speculate on what the future holds, but that's one of the reasons for the existence of message boards.

And I agree that is exactly what we do on this board, so all is well!

The only way I foresee a system of paid college sports workers existing is if all the stake holders agree there will be one set compensation package across the board for all athletes.  I suspect that won't hold up to legal challenges.

I agree, and that is why I think that legislation is required to make this have any chance of happening. Further, I am pretty sure that one set compensation for all athletes isn't going to fly either. Football brings in the bucks most places. How can field hockey players expect the same reward as those who risk their health to "earn" the money? NOTE: (This isn't my position, but I am sure it will be the position of many others. My position is that they are amateurs and get no conpensation for playing other the "joy" of it. If they get an NFL contract or a cute spouse out of the deal, good on them but that isn't university provided.)

In the opposite direction if no restrictions are put on the upper limit of compensation for college athletes that will signal the beginning of the end for college sports.

I think that isn't the beginning of the end. It is the end. Universities will drop sports as if they were radioactive. Nobody can justify such an arrangement as an adjunct to a college. It is a fully professional sports "job".