Well, in my absence I’ve been forced to sit and watch the sports world deal out a string of news from every direction.
Right now the Lions are 1-1, the Tigers are 3 games away from another ALC Division title and the Red Wings are fixing to fix problems from last year with a new squad of players to lead them to their 22nd consecutive playoff appearance.
Given the headline that I have yet to have written in the 3rd paragraph in this story, you’re probably wondering what this has to do with my story.
Every Red Wing, Lion and Tiger has a jersey out there for sale. The team’s success determines the amount of those that get sold and thus can raise a players stock. Individual performance also plays heavily into this.
Professional athletes get their just dues. College athletes do not. Frankly there is no good argument saying that they do either.
The NCAA has made a killing profiteering off of college football players while the players don’t see a dime of it. Sure, they may get their name in the headlines, a college scholarship and a chance in the NFL but it still doesn’t add up.
First off, headlines don’t pay anything other than advertising. Yes that can help with selling a player to the NFL but it still only goes so far.
Next on my list is college tuition. Don’t get me wrong; if I could have had my tuition paid for I would have appreciated every dime of it. The thing is for the service that these kids are providing the school the tuition doesn’t make up for it. Let’s do some quick math.
The University of Alabama Crimson Tide football team pulls in approximately $77million in a year. They have a yearly expense of approximately $32 million and profit about $45 million. For four years of college at Alabama in-state tuition is about $48,000. For out of state it is right around $80,000.
For a conservative estimate lets say all of the players on the Crimson Tide are from out of state(yes I’m well aware that is not the case but just play my little game for a second). With around 105 players assuming that they all got full rides(also not the case) it would cost $8.4 million.
Collectively the entire Alabama Crimson Tide football team players cost the university less money in 4 years then what Joe Flacco costs the Baltimore Ravens in a year.
College football players arguably take a lot more risks and play a lot harder then their professional counterparts. All for a dream to play on the big stage in the NFL that might be an option based on talent and injury.
The NCAA can sell Alabama jerseys with the No. 10 on them and Texas A&M jerseys with the No. 2 on them and hold all the money to themselves but if AJ McCarron or Johnny Manziel sign their name on a Jersey and sell it they can’t collect a dime without suspension.
The NCAA needs to realize that these aren’t just college kids with a great opportunity. In the 21st century college football players are as famous or even more famous than NFL players. Texas A&M and Alabama fan bases go far and wide from their state of origin.
These guys are famous and the NCAA does whatever they can to take advantage of that and pad their own pockets while barring the players of any financial gain.
This takes us to the last “advantage” of college football, an opportunity in the NFL.
There have been many players that have lost that opportunity due to in game injuries and off field accidents. The former Lions Running Back Jahvid Best lost his career due to concussion issues and will more than likely never step on the field again.
The NFL dream is just that until it comes to fruition. Expecting college tuition and opportunity to pay the price of risking the body and mind while the schools and NCAA profit is wrong.
I say let the guys have the money that their name earns them. Let them take advantage of life while they still can. It must be a terrible thing to be worth millions and never see a dime of it.
