Via @TheSportsBros A recent episode of HBO’s “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel” took an inside look at the multi billion dollar empire that is the NCAA and the practice of paying recruits to attend certain colleges. The information divulged in the report was not surprising. The average college football or basketball fan has no clue or doesn’t care what a university can bring in terms of revenue during one season. But if you knew the numbers, and considered the sacrifices and strict rules these collegiate athletes have to adhere to once they sign on the dotted line to attend some of these schools, it would not be far fetched to call collegiate sports modern day slavery.
Let’s do it like this. Your son or daughter is a great athlete. Universities are sending letters, making phone calls, and paying visits to convince your child that their school is the one they need to attend. They want them so bad, that a booster affiliated with the institution will do the “money handshakes” or deliver bags full of money to that student. On recruitment trips, they’ll show them a good time, get them some girls (or boys) and woo them with the college life. “Come play for us and get the exposure you need to take it to the next level (NFL or NBA)” they say.
Your child says yes. And in 3 years later at a top SEC football powerhouse, that child and his team mates help that school bring in $165 million. Or at a perennial basketball champion in the ACC, that child helped bring in $27 million (in one year). Or $94 million in one year in Big 10 football. In return that child gets exposure, and an education? And if they don’t make it to the next level to make millions, then they just get the paper in their hand that says “I graduated”, if they don’t drop out first.
I’m in no way trying to diminish the value of an education. A wealthy mind is more valuable than a Bentley or a yacht. But I’m also a believer in making the NCAA give back more than just the education to these athletes. I don’t have the solution, just suggestions. Create a payback system for those who graduate and move on. Give them a monthly stipend, and if you do it already raise it. Put the money from jersey sales in some sort of investment or escrow. Do something else for these kids. Don’t just have them bleed, sweat and cry on your field or court for 2-4 years, win you championships and accolades, make you millions of dollars, and at the end of it all say “Thanks..here’s your degree”. Doesn’t this sound eerily similar to what happened in this country from 1619-1865?
Our friend and sports columnist Jason Whitlock said “the system is broke and it needs to be fixed”. The question is, does the NCAA want to fix it. I’ll bet the $750 million they make annually that they don’t want it fixed.
Listen to Ed and Jeff, The Sports Brothers weekdays from 1p-3p on 790 the Ticket (.com). email us at sportsbrothers@790theticket.com
