Has paying players legally changed your

[Mose Phillip's Watch]

Excitement & desire to follow Tennessee football this coming season?

I'm all for reasonable amount given to athletes but the unlimited amount just ruins the feeling of college sports going forward. Turns it into who has the most money & best marketing programs for players

 

[golfballs]

Not really going to have much bearing on this season. I think people are moreso concerned with how it will alter college sports over time.

 

[Milehigh_Vol]

Dump truck money for the Manning boy

 

[rjd970]

Excitement & desire to follow Tennessee football this coming season?

I'm all for reasonable amount given to athletes but the unlimited amount just ruins the feeling of college sports going forward. Turns it into who has the most money & best marketing programs for players

It’s been over a decade since I’ve been excited for Tennessee football.

 

[manUTe__VOL]

There must be a collective bargaining agreement, whether it be national or conference wide, there has to be a protection against exactly what you stated.

Otherwise athletes who run track, play softball, or play soccer and devote an equal amount of their time to being an athlete as well as a student won’t be compensated fairly for their time. And yes, college soccer players should get more than the federal minimum wage - there is plenty money to go around for this.

Makes me think that sports programs have operated at such a profit because they weren’t paying athletes, and if it isn’t a tax-free profit then how will the funding and budgeting of athletic departments change due to this. All questions that are looking for answers in the near future.

 

[BigOrangeAl 1979]

This def opens up Pandora’s box as to what college football will look like in 5 years it’s going to get real slimy and sleazy no doubt and anything goes. I expect the rich to get richer such as Bama, Ohio St, Clemson and the Georgia’s of the world.

 

[manUTe__VOL]

This def opens up Pandora’s box as to what college football will look like in 5 years it’s going to get real slimy and sleazy no doubt and I expect the rich to get richer such as Bama, Ohio St, Clemson and the Georgia’s of the world.

The exact problem that collective bargaining could help mitigate. The problem being that all of the programs you listed are in areas where CBAs are scoffed at as corrupt ….. or whatever those DHs say

 

[hog88]

Not for this upcoming season but I do think collegiate sports are in the death spiral.

 

[Brave Volunteer]

Players have always gotten paid. The only difference is now people no longer have to pretend they don't. As for the OP's question, I'd say the last 12 years of crappy football has lessened my excitement for the upcoming season more than players getting paid.

 

[GAVol]

Players have always gotten paid. The only difference is now people no longer have to pretend they don't. As for the OP's question, I'd say the last 12 years of crappy football has lessened my excitement for the upcoming season more than players getting paid.

I marvel at the denial that many seem to be in about this. Whether it’s creative Pell Grants or under the table, it’s been happening since at least the 80s and probably longer.

 

[knoxvol16]

They've just turned college sports into a professional league. As others have stated above, this is about to get really messy. And, as others have already stated, while the whole of college sports tries to clean up the mess, the rich will get richer, etc.

UT Football has already been in a similar situation for nearly 20 years. Before CPF was fired, the landscape was changing. So, while UT was trying to find their way out of a darkness that they created for themselves, the other powerhouses were building, which left UT to fall further and further behind the pack.

Paying players is about to add yet another wrinkle to the landscape that UT sports isn't ready to handle. This will not go well for UT. Therefore, no, I'm not excited.

 

[Eastknox865]

Regardless of how messy it gets the players should be paid. A free education stopped being enough in my opinion when they started paying coaches 5 to 10 million a year to do something they would do for free. Athletic directors owning yachts and having beach front properties mainly from the work of football players. It would be different if these guys made a good living and the rest of those millions went back to the schools. But that's not the case yes the schools get some money spreaded out but these coaches and administrators pocket entirely too much money.

 

[hog88]

The NBA and NFL need to develop true minor league systems like MLB. Systems where guys can choose (if drafted) between college and the minors out of HS, many of the problems collegiate sports have today would go away.

 

[Doberman]

I don't see it going anywhere good (for me as a fan).

 

[LSU-SIU]

The big money sports will most likely collapse, although that could take until all the payments are in place for a bit. Some schools are not going to play this game, others locked in... meaning expenses on facilities and coaches contracts. TV contracts will go down drastically because of the wide spread of talent will probably get worse.

Get ready to see 77-0 games on prime time TV in about a year.

 

[utvolpj]

Excitement & desire to follow Tennessee football this coming season?

I'm all for reasonable amount given to athletes but the unlimited amount just ruins the feeling of college sports going forward. Turns it into who has the most money & best marketing programs for players

How is this any different than it ever was?

 

[Elhanan]

UT football hasn’t given us a single reason to be excited for years.

However I think this gives us a fair shot. Assuming the admin still cares about winning. I’m not 100% sure that is the case though.

 

[wmcovol]

Only a matter of time before players organize.

 

[99gator]

I don’t think it will change as much as people think.

It’s like finding out a celebrity had an extramarital affair. It’s been going forever it just wasn’t out in the public

 

[stevenrich2003]

Now the boosters can pay it directly to the schools instead of under the table to the kids.

 

[VolsSportsFan]

Excitement & desire to follow Tennessee football this coming season?

I'm all for reasonable amount given to athletes but the unlimited amount just ruins the feeling of college sports going forward. Turns it into who has the most money & best marketing programs for players

No because if you thought money wasn't involved for years already, you're pretty naive. It's just now going to be out in the open.

 

[VolsSportsFan]

I marvel at the denial that many seem to be in about this. Whether it’s creative Pell Grants or under the table, it’s been happening since at least the 80s and probably longer.

This. If you're clutching your pearls over this, then I hate to break it to you but major college sports hasn't been for you for a LONG time.

 

[Rasputin]

I believe this will turn the transfer portal into more of a free agent market open to the highest bidder. Big boosters will dangle advertising contracts to players in smaller markets that have "blossomed" leading to a larger drain on the smaller schools. To the point of the thread, this will lead to college football at the upper levels being even more of a minor league pro football league.

 

[Skullbone]

I think it'll bankrupt a lot of schools and ruin college sports forever before it's all said and done. This is just the beginning.

 

[OrangeBeachVol]

Agree with Rasputin post above. Between the pay and and the now wide open portal, recruiting will be changed forever. See whether its for better or worse. May cut back on the cheating in recruiting but the portal transfers will become a part of coaches holding back schollies for transfers instead of signing HS kids.