The end of LIVE college TV broadcasts?

[demosthenes]

Originally Posted by Gatorrick22

Minimum age limit, and three years out of high school..... Weak case for collusion.

There are other leagues that would take players if they didn't want to go the college football route, just like basketball. Of course they aren't glamorous...

[NoahBeanBizzel]

Originally Posted by GatorJeff

If fans know the outcome, they aren't likely to watch......unless it's their school and their team won the game.

Even then, what fun is that?

[g8rfan22]

Originally Posted by gatormoe1

Why live off campus? They are already getting paid to play sports. A free ride to college isn't free. Maybe they can get paid for rebroadcasts AFTER they get out of college but not before. They DO NOT deserve to be paid anymore money. Paying them will ruin the game.

I agree they shouldn't get paid.

[phatGator]

If I were the school I would argue that the player is an employee and has been compensated by the scholarship. I would argue that the employer owns the work product and any intellectual property, such as the media broadcasts, associated with it. Of course, then the schools would have to pay employment taxes. That might open up cases for worker's comp claims for injured players and unemployment claims for cut players. This might be solved by making them independent contractors. But then you could not make a player sit out if he transfers (something I don't like anyway).

I would also argue that the schools are entitled to a share of the players' future sports earnings, sort of like palimony, because the future earnings are a direct result of the coaching, training, and opportunities provided by the school. The players could counter that workers have free movement.

But then, what about non-scholarship players, who are not compensated? Pandora's box is transparent compared to this issue.

[corpgator]

Originally Posted by SmootyGator

Is it really the players that bring all of that money in? If all of the top level (say FBS) recruits could go pro or had a semi-pro league they could go into right out of high school, and FBS teams now had to recruit lower level (FCS) recruits, how much less money do you think the football program would make? I'm willing to be none, or not much less at all.

I guarantee you that viewership would go down. It was down during the years when all the good basketball players went straight to the NBA and that was only a small % of those available. If you lost all of the FBS players, people would stop watching.

[Gatorrick22]

Originally Posted by demosthenes

There are other leagues that would take players if they didn't want to go the college football route, just like basketball. Of course they aren't glamorous...

Yep, reinforces my/that position.

[nflgator]

How much do you pay the band, cheerleaders and others involved.

[phatGator]

Will Title 9 be used to demand that women athletes get equal pay?

[gatorbogey]

Originally Posted by theologator

After you deduct the cost of their scholarship, medical care. amenities, coaching, travel? If you're going to start down that road the discussion should be on net income, not gross revenues. The players get significant benefits and most of them seem to get lost in the discussion.

This would effectively destroy most other collegiate sports, since they are largely funded by the few revenue producing sports.

yeah, i think you do need to factor in all the costs - care and educational, room and board, trainer/medical/practice/coaching costs, uniform/equipment, etc etc...factor them all in. tv 'marketing' costs as well.

one thing that i don't think gets enough play in some of these discussion is that there is, to me, two sets of college fans: the alumni types, and then the general public type. alumni - like me, will watch and cheer for and attend the games regardless of the product, for the most part. you could have a bunch of frat boys out there running around, and i'd still be a gator fan. the general public type is attracted by the product - the pagentry and entertainment and product on the field - like an nfl fan.

to me, when they talk about the ncaa making millions/billion$ off the college player they need to realize the college fan has a different makeup from the pro fan. that you could shut down college football the way it is right now and we'd find a way to play georgia 'on the side' w/ a "club team" made up from the student body. we'd attend the game, in 'secret' and we'd cheer our gators on - likewise for the georgia fan. i'm saying, it's not about revenue generation at the root of it - as some would frame it, it's about the rivalry. it's about the competition. and the growth of the sport into what it is today, isn't necessarily about the players, but from the fans and at its root: pure bragging rights.

[MusicCityGator]

Originally Posted by SmootyGator

Is it really the players that bring all of that money in? If all of the top level (say FBS) recruits could go pro or had a semi-pro league they could go into right out of high school, and FBS teams now had to recruit lower level (FCS) recruits, how much less money do you think the football program would make? I'm willing to bet none, or not much less at all.

I have said for years that fans don't support individual players. That was seen in the failure of the fly by night attempts at showing off season football with these make believe leagues that last a year or two.

I would love to one day see the schools and ncaa drop all the concessions that have been made for these kids that don't really have any business in college and put real student athletes back on the field. Don't fool yourself. People are not pulling for the athlete, they are cheering for the school, jersey color, team that is represented. They will still watch, route, and cheer for the student that is representing their school and wearing the school colors.

[gatorbogey]

Originally Posted by MusicCityGator

I have said for years that fans don't support individual players. That was seen in the failure of the fly by night attempts at showing off season football with these make believe leagues that last a year or two.

I would love to one day see the schools and ncaa drop all the concessions that have been made for these kids that don't really have any business in college and put real student athletes back on the field. Don't fool yourself. People are not pulling for the athlete, they are cheering for the school, jersey color, team that is represented. They will still watch, route, and cheer for the student that is representing their school and wearing the school colors.

i'm exactly in-tune w/ this. problem is, this aspect isn't presented in the media - especially in metropolitan areas like miami that view the game as an extension of the pro's. i wonder if that would impact how a judge would see the issue in terms of the law. but i think they may be biased by the revenue-aspects that 'players' bring to the schools [that's how you see it being presented in the media]...and not the fan support of the school aspect. the alumni and a great deal of the college fanbase will support the game regardless of who's on the field - as long as they are in a gator or auburn or buckeye, etc jesey, we'll be in the stands or tuning in to watch the game.

[NoahBeanBizzel]

So, lost in the debate about whether or not they should be paid, how do you guys see this impacting live broadcasting? I mean, I can't see that happening. Not for at least a few years, anyway. But it's a valid question.