NCAA President Says He's Ready To Explore Paying Athletes

• Prescott

  Just 24 hours after the airing of a FRONTLINE documentary investigating the role and distribution of money in college basketball, NCAA President Mark Emmert is changing his position. In contrast to his insistence that it would "be utterly unacceptable ... to convert students into employees," Emmert now says the idea of compensating student-athletes should be considered.
  
  Emmert told USA Today that a conversation about the issue will likely happen at an April NCAA board meeting, at which he "'will make clear ... that I want this to be a subject we explore.'" Changes in the rules might include small scholarship increases intended to help take care of normal college expenses and travel. The average scholarship falls about $3,000 short of covering these essential costs.
  
  Watch this clip, which explores the issue of money and scholarships for student-athletes, and view the full program, Money and March Madness, here.
  
  Read more: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/2011/03/ncaa-president-says-hes-ready-to-explore-paying-athletes.html?utm_campaign=homepage&utm_medium=feeds&utm_source=feeds#ixzz1IHY19Ufh
  
  
  I watched this report on PBS the other night and learned something that I found a little salty. When an athlete signs his name to a scholarship agreement the athlete is signing away the rights to his image and likeness.This means the NCAA receives all revenue from things like video games which feature college players. This revenue stream continues forever without any royalties being paid to the athletes.
• bigkahuna

  I'd be perfectly fine with increasing scholarship amounts. That's about as far as I'd go though. I just think it'd make things WAY to messy and have a steep incline on the slippery slope.
• lhslep134

  

  Prescott;730457 wrote: I watched this report on PBS the other night and learned something that I found a little salty. When an athlete signs his name to a scholarship agreement the athlete is signing away the rights to his image and likeness.This means the NCAA receives all revenue from things like video games which feature college players. This revenue stream continues forever without any royalties being paid to the athletes.

  
  
  A few things I found interesting that could be brought up in litigation. Bear with me on the 2nd one it's something that would never happen but COULD if someone realized they could get rich off it.
  
  1. So what about a walk-on's likeness being used in a video game?
  
  2. What about a 5 star athlete who elects not to accept a scholarship and starts right away and his jersey is sold in stores and he appears in NCAA 2012?
  
  Neither situation signed a scholly contract that gives away HIS rights to HIS image and likeness. I'm fairly certain they would have a legitimate court case.
• jordo212000

  

  I need more time to read up on this but I doubt it ever happens. Title IX is a huge hurdle and on top of that 95% of schools lose money on sports
• Prescott

  You can view the story here:
  
  http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/view/
• thavoice

  I think they should have the option of either giving out the scholarship or paying the individual the cash equivalent each year.
  
  The family can decide on what they want to do, take out loans for college and use all or part of the cash, or opt to have their college paid for.
  
  They can do it a few ways....pay the full amount in cash, or partial amount in cash and the rest toward the college tuition and take out a smaller loan.
  SOme could take all the cash, invest some, heck even some low interest checking and make a huge lump sum payment on the loan after they graduate or when the period of time passes when interest starts to accrue.
  
  BUt I know...that's not what they want. They want their college paid for A N D cash.