Tennessee preparing for the future with salaries for athletes.

[marcusluvsvols]

I am just glad that once again, Tennessee is on the cutting edge of doing the most for student athletes and getting them the best compensation available within the laws/rules.

After being in the "wilderness" for nearly a generation due to bad coaches and ADs...now we have consistently been out front and getting great press. From setting the market with the ~8 million contract for Nico to beating the NCAA foolishness in court, to now working to stay in front of future developments with athletes pay....UT is killing it when it comes to making Knoxville a GREAT place to play sports.

At the same time, we have EXCELLENT coaches in Football, Mens Basketball, baseball, and lots of other sports and are having unparalleled success in sports. We won the SEC award for most success (wins) across all sports last year...but perhaps more importantly the big draw and revenue sports of Football and Basketball are ready to challenge for Championships and I believe on the cusp of greatness. What a great time to be a VOL. I am very thankful for all the blessings and prosperity we currently enjoy. I truly believe both Coach Hype and Coach Barnes are close to peaking and capable of winning the ever elusive National Championships as well. GREAT job by AD Danny White and his staff. G0 VOLS

 

[Dougie_D]

Nope. If they become paid employees of the university, why would academics even factor into it?

I guess you never have heard of “paid internships”

 

[Carp]

The NIL is here to stay. There is nothing anyone can do about that.

Maybe the university pays them on top of that. But players have a right to make money off their name, image, and likeness if they want to.

 

[Mccage]

Not if college athletes become employees.
They could have the option to take classes, but it wouldn't necessarily be a requirement.

How can this be? If what you say is true will players play as long as want?

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

How can this be? If what you say is true will players play as long as want?

That's where the danger is in players becoming paid employees of the university.

Think about age discrimination laws. Why SHOULD an employee be limited to 4 years or have to attend school? Certainly, elite players can make more in the NFL, but guys not quite NFL level, but not bad at the "college" level or aging guys who can't quite cut the NFL anymore, why can't a team hire them even if they're 30?

Voluntarily bringing compensation into the schools is a HUGE mistake. Make the courts declare the players employees and delay it as long as possible because there's likely no way to enforce "eligibility" for employees.

 

[Other_Guy]

Danny white will go down as one of the greatest hires in UT history

 

[KTrain]

Not if college athletes become employees.
They could have the option to take classes, but it wouldn't necessarily be a requirement.

Well Dexter Manley graduated from Oklahoma State 1981 and it was found out later after the Super Bowl he couldn't read. 11 seasons in the NFL so I guess he made it through life without being able to read with a college diploma. So it's been a farce for long time, some special player/students defy and are studious students but the big schools now have major tutors and have a high GPA with high % of players, with a little help from their tutors, it is what it is.

 

[njvols]

Nope. If they become paid employees of the university, why would academics even factor into it?

Imagining HS kids becoming some of the highest salaried employees of the state...good stuff.

 

[Chad Powers]

Why are people still conflating NIL with salaries?

I DO have a legitimate question about this, y’all. Like @S.C. OrangeMan says, in my mind, NIL is a separate “thing”.

When I played, I couldn’t work - NCAA rules in place to avoid athletes receiving favors and preferential treatment from employers. I certainly couldn’t use my status as an athlete for any kind of marketing. Major compliance violation.

What if I had an academic scholarship majoring in forensic science and started a bomb podcast about solving mysteries. I leverage my relationship with UT’s forensics program b/c UT’s forensics program has status. I market myself as a UT academic scholar to build a following for my podcast.

The podcast grows and I monetize it, making money off third-party ads. Then, it leads to actually being in ads myself. This is profiting off my name, image, likeness by the definition put forth by the NCAA, but I wouldn’t lose my academic scholarship because there is no NCAA for academics. No “governing body” to keep things “fair” so that schools don’t gain a competitive advantage in attracting the best academic students for their programs.

In football, give them scholarships just like anyone else. BUT, like other scholarship students, allow the sports scholarship students to leverage their status as a UT football player to make $$ off their name, image, likeness. The ONLY thing stopping them is this governing body called the NCAA that doesn’t exist in any form (that I know of) with other scholarships.

If players don’t have the academics, they lose their scholarship. They lose their scholarship and go play JUCO ball, their name, image, likeness won’t be of value and money will dry up.

Motivates the athlete to stay academically involved - Lose the scholarship, lose your marketing value, lose money.

NIL is the “job”. Football gets you the job. No football, no more job.

I feel like there MUST be something I’m missing here.

 

[K-town Vol Fan]

Have they ever TRULY been anyway? The majority of these kids are banking on the NFL

Just not true. A very low percentage go on to NFL.

 

[VOLtaism]

Nope. If they become paid employees of the university, why would academics even factor into it?

They shouldn't. Some kid will sue a school for giving him bad grades and costing him millions. The schools are going to franchise their football and basketball operations to a 3rd party. The top 30 power schools who have huge investments in football will do the same and they will form a new professional football league, make their own rules and have their own playoff system. College football is dead.

 

[livefaith]

Go ahead and take the entire group off campus and make them similar to a minor league sports league with each team having a tie in / agreement with the university to use their name and title. That way you get the players AWAY from the campus and let students use it to further actual education based on merit and scholarship. The students still get the benefit of the games and student life, while the citizens still get thier sports pride and players / coaches / staff get their payday.

 

[bigorangepoppa]

So under the employee status, they wouldn't have to take classes? I don't see how that makes any sense. Attending class would almost certainly have to be a condition of employment, otherwise, college football would not be college football. It would basically become a minor league for the NFL. I would never want to see that become college football.

 

[a vol n tears]

They still have to get into college. Academics will matter as much or as little as it matters now.

Only if their desire is to get a degree. Some may just look at it as a 4 year job after high school is over, and always the possibility of making a pro league.

 

[a vol n tears]

So under the employee status, they wouldn't have to take classes? I don't see how that makes any sense. Attending class would almost certainly have to be a condition of employment, otherwise, college football would not be college football. It would basically become a minor league for the NFL. I would never want to see that become college football.

BINGO

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

I DO have a legitimate question about this, y’all. Like @S.C. OrangeMan says, in my mind, NIL is a separate “thing”.

When I played, I couldn’t work - NCAA rules in place to avoid athletes receiving favors and preferential treatment from employers. I certainly couldn’t use my status as an athlete for any kind of marketing. Major compliance violation.

What if I had an academic scholarship majoring in forensic science and started a bomb podcast about solving mysteries. I leverage my relationship with UT’s forensics program b/c UT’s forensics program has status. I market myself as a UT academic scholar to build a following for my podcast.

The podcast grows and I monetize it, making money off third-party ads. Then, it leads to actually being in ads myself. This is profiting off my name, image, likeness by the definition put forth by the NCAA, but I wouldn’t lose my academic scholarship because there is no NCAA for academics. No “governing body” to keep things “fair” so that schools don’t gain a competitive advantage in attracting the best academic students for their programs.

In football, give them scholarships just like anyone else. BUT, like other scholarship students, allow the sports scholarship students to leverage their status as a UT football player to make $$ off their name, image, likeness. The ONLY thing stopping them is this governing body called the NCAA that doesn’t exist in any form (that I know of) with other scholarships.

If players don’t have the academics, they lose their scholarship. They lose their scholarship and go play JUCO ball, their name, image, likeness won’t be of value and money will dry up.

Motivates the athlete to stay academically involved - Lose the scholarship, lose your marketing value, lose money.

NIL is the “job”. Football gets you the job. No football, no more job.

I feel like there MUST be something I’m missing here.

You're missing the greed of the school and the desire to be competitive.

Nico signed his NIL making him a millionaire before ever taking a college snap or a college class. Why? Because UT wanted him to excel at UT. Bryce Young was similar at Bama, I think, though he signed his NIL after commiting but before playing a snap.

The money won't dry up if the players have elite talent. The schools NEED DESPERATELY to win and have paid guys for decades to win, regardless of their academic issues or off field craziness.

If a kid can help UT win, they don't give a dang now if he goes to class except to satisfy the NCAA. We've jumped the shark on academics when it comes to players a LONG, LONG time ago.

All that matters is winning. Not the scholarship, not the academics, nothing but talent matters.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

You're missing the greed of the school and the desire to be competitive.

Nico signed his NIL making him a millionaire before ever taking a college snap or a college class. Why? Because UT wanted him to excel at UT. Bryce Young was similar at Bama, I think, though he signed his NIL after commiting but before playing a snap.

The money won't dry up if the players have elite talent. The schools NEED DESPERATELY to win and have paid guys for decades to win, regardless of their academic issues or off field craziness.

If a kid can help UT win, they don't give a dang now if he goes to class except to satisfy the NCAA. We've jumped the shark on academics when it comes to players a LONG, LONG time ago.

All that matters is winning. Not the scholarship, not the academics, nothing but talent matters.

Here's an NCAA rule that the NIL court cases have not affected one bit:

14.01.2 Academic Status. To be eligible to represent an institution in intercollegiate athletics competition, a student-athlete shall be enrolled in at least a minimum full-time program of studies, be in good academic standing and maintain progress toward a baccalaureate or equivalent degree. (Revised: 5/29/08)

I don't see that changing. Ever. As long as colleges and universities are colleges and universities, the athletes representing them will be students in good standing (taking real courses, passing those real courses).

Doesn't matter how greedy the universities are. They're never gonna get together and nix that part of the NCAA rule book. Because they don't collectively want to, when there's no individual advantage to it.

And the Sherman Anti-Trust Act doesn't have any bearing on it.


source: Legislative Services Database - LSDBi

 

[S.C. OrangeMan]

How can this be? If what you say is true will players play as long as want?

That would be great. What Vol fan wouldn't have liked to see Peyton Manning suit up for 15 more years in Neyland?

 

[S.C. OrangeMan]

Here's an NCAA rule that the NIL court cases have not affected one bit:

14.01.2 Academic Status. To be eligible to represent an institution in intercollegiate athletics competition, a student-athlete shall be enrolled in at least a minimum full-time program of studies, be in good academic standing and maintain progress toward a baccalaureate or equivalent degree. (Revised: 5/29/08)

I don't see that changing. Ever. As long as colleges and universities are colleges and universities, the athletes representing them will be students in good standing (taking real courses, passing those real courses).

Doesn't matter how greedy the universities are. They're never gonna get together and nix that part of the NCAA rule book. Because they don't collectively want to, when there's no individual advantage to it.

And the Sherman Anti-Trust Act doesn't have any bearing on it.


source: Legislative Services Database - LSDBi

College athletics are headed toward being paid employees, at least in Division 1 football and basketball. That will obliterate the rule you cited.

Real classes??? Bwahahaha. You obviously missed in the investigation to UNC where the basketball players never had to attend classes. UNC refused to cooperate with the investigation and nothing came of it.

Real classes? Like the South Carolina WBB recruit that was going elsewhere because SC didn't have the easy, sports oriented major she wanted? So, coach Staley got the University to create saud major for her.

As for the Sherman Act, ANYTHING that interferes with athletes' ability to make NIL money can be construed as a Sherman Act violation.

Hide and watch.

 

[butchna]

Danny white will go down as one of the greatest hires in UT history

As will the Chancellor who hired him.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

Here's an NCAA rule that the NIL court cases have not affected one bit:

14.01.2 Academic Status. To be eligible to represent an institution in intercollegiate athletics competition, a student-athlete shall be enrolled in at least a minimum full-time program of studies, be in good academic standing and maintain progress toward a baccalaureate or equivalent degree. (Revised: 5/29/08)

I don't see that changing. Ever. As long as colleges and universities are colleges and universities, the athletes representing them will be students in good standing (taking real courses, passing those real courses).

Doesn't matter how greedy the universities are. They're never gonna get together and nix that part of the NCAA rule book. Because they don't collectively want to, when there's no individual advantage to it.

And the Sherman Anti-Trust Act doesn't have any bearing on it.


source: Legislative Services Database - LSDBi

If the players are declared employees, which the NCAA is just daring the courts to do and Justice Kavanaugh told them the court would likely do, it will be extremely difficult for the schools/NCAA to argue: these employees of the school need to go to classes because _____.

WHY do they need to go to class if they are athletes employed by the school?

 

[a vol n tears]

Come on, who actually thinks an athlete’s name, image, or likeness is worth big money. Do you honestly think Nico’s name image or likeness was worth a $1M a year coming out of HS. Certainly very very few in Tenn could have picked his picture out of a group of 5 pictures. I’m a Vol fan and I still couldn’t tell you any product or business he represents. Stop acting like the NIL was ever anything other than code for paying players. The big 3 college sports are going to be leagues, just not called NFL, NBA, or MLB. They will be paid based on revenue sharing of TV contracts. Collectives are / were a short term bridge to get there.

 

[uncle chewii]

I have mixed feelings on this. I think this is what the idea behind NIL should have been. I think these kids should get paid by the schools for playing and making them money but have a set salary that way the smaller schools could still have a chance to land a big recruit because we all know these kids play for the coaches now and not the school and if pay is involved then it will be like the NFL. They should get a base pay and sign a contract for that school that way they can be held responsible for grades, actions, and performance on and off the field. You could even set up bonuses to incentivize the kids. Let the kids get endorsements which is what the NIL really should be. If schools can set their own price then the disparity in college football will become more prevalent. It can work with student athletes and not ruin college football or make the minor leagues of the NFL if done right. They should be able to get paid like any other student that has a job and can work a regular job after classes.

 

[butchna]

If the players are declared employees, which the NCAA is just daring the courts to do and Justice Kavanaugh told them the court would likely do, it will be extremely difficult for the schools/NCAA to argue: these employees of the school need to go to classes because _____.

WHY do they need to go to class if they are athletes employed by the school?

Well the universities are going to insist on maintaining the AUSPICE of students working in an academic environment and they will succeed because they own the STAGE. The infrastructure, fanbase, STADIUMS, marketing, training facilities, employment of coaches and support staff…he’ll even food and lodging. “Go to class or go start your own ******* league! Ask the USFL, XFL, WFL et al how easy that is from scratch!”

 

[Chad Powers]

You're missing the greed of the school and the desire to be competitive.

Nico signed his NIL making him a millionaire before ever taking a college snap or a college class. Why? Because UT wanted him to excel at UT. Bryce Young was similar at Bama, I think, though he signed his NIL after commiting but before playing a snap.

The money won't dry up if the players have elite talent. The schools NEED DESPERATELY to win and have paid guys for decades to win, regardless of their academic issues or off field craziness.

If a kid can help UT win, they don't give a dang now if he goes to class except to satisfy the NCAA. We've jumped the shark on academics when it comes to players a LONG, LONG time ago.

All that matters is winning. Not the scholarship, not the academics, nothing but talent matters.

Thanks for replying! Just trying to educate myself and get legitimate thoughts on this issue. Especially since I carry my own experience baggage from years ago.