BATON ROUGE - Tiger Stadium (92,400)

[FloridaKnight]

Originally Posted by rantanamo

I personally think they should be paid just because of the revenue they produce for the larger schools. I think the problem though is, we tend to look at the LSUs or Texas or Ohio States of the NCAA and think of them as the norm. They are not. Many times, even within their own conference they are not. I've long advocated a smaller type NCAA league of the larger schools. Perhaps a 50,000 attendance average minimum or even 40,000 to seperate itself from the rest of the FBS that would allow paid rosters from the tv and stadium revenues of each team. If you don't do that, you end up with the Southwest Conference of the 80s.

Revenues from tv go to conference members. They have television deals that pay conference members either a percentage or an equal share. These are usually put directly back into the athletic program as many sports simply make no revenue, or at a school like Texas where multiple sports are easily in the black, funds are actually put into the school's general fund. It really is a tight margin type business for most schools. This causes another problem. There are several sports at each university, and at most schools, most of these are in the red. Would you have to pay them all? What if you aren't Texas with $125 million in the clear each year? So what they end up doing is having to allow a free education. I think they should be paid, but you'd likely have to lose Title XI and the NCAA would likely have to drop a ton of sports. College baseball would likely die. College basketball would probably die at some schools. College football would have to create smaller classifications like I said earlier.

It's tough because these athletes do bring in a lot of revenue to their schools, but like you say it isn't fair to the smaller schools who operate in the red (actually I think only 15 or so schools are in the black) to have to shell out money to their athletes to stay competitive. By the way, the $125 million is just the revenue, not their total after expenses and what not. I think after that they're closer to having $10-15 mil in cash.

And so if we have a system where some schools pay their athletes and some don't - then obviously that is going to play a part into where high school graduates are going to choose to take their talents too. That's what makes college sports so intriguing because its truly amateur and you dont have the teams like the Yankees who dominate the sport and take away the athletic integrity. It will basically turn into a cap-less pro league and totally goes against the spirit of collegiate sports.

The only way I might see this happening is if the NCAA standardizes an extra stipend that they fund and distribute to all student athletes regardless of school or sport. And hell, they make enough money (especially for a "non for profit organization") to be able to do something like that.

[Darloeye]

Is it the reggie bush "payment" your talking about ? but it does seem weird to have students playing a game that is being aired around the world but the kids can't even buy a ham burger lol

[slipperydog]

Many college players already do get stipends as part of their scholarships in addition to full tuition and room/board. So there should be no reason that they can't afford a hamburger. Should college students be driving around in Maybachs and Lambos like their professional counterparts? Not really. It's a slippery slope and it's why college players will never be paid. And I don't see the big deal in amateur sports being broadcasted worldwide. Ever heard of the Olympics?

The Reggie Bush situation was where a wanna-be agent bought Bush's parents a house and flew them around the country to USC away games in order to get him to sign with his 'agency', thus making Bush guilty of receiving 'extra benefits' not available to any college student and rendering his amateur status void.

[Bobby3]

Why don't they use those dorm rooms?

Originally Posted by Darloeye

Is it the reggie bush "payment" your talking about ? but it does seem weird to have students playing a game that is being aired around the world but the kids can't even buy a ham burger lol

When you find out how much the coaches and ADs at major programs are paid your head will literally explode.

[Darloeye]

Originally Posted by slipperydog

And I don't see the big deal in amateur sports being broadcasted worldwide. Ever heard of the Olympics?

The olympics being amateur ? Don't think you know what that word really means sure I seen lebron james playing in the last summer games and loads of nhl players playing in the winter games just gone.

Originally Posted by Bobby3

When you find out how much the coaches and ADs at major programs are paid your head will literally explode.

Yeah I heard how much some of them are on its bit shocking

[Anubis2051]

Set up for the saints:


Its amazing that theres no pictures of the inside of the dorm rooms when they were active

[en1044]

Originally Posted by Darloeye

The olympics being amateur ? Don't think you know what that word really means sure I seen lebron james playing in the last summer games and loads of nhl players playing in the winter games just gone.

The Olympics were, at one point, completely amateur, and it was still very popular.

[Darloeye]

Originally Posted by en1044

The Olympics were, at one point, completely amateur, and it was still very popular.

Was.... and it only happened every 4years

[JYDA]

Even "amateurs" at the Olympics are permitted to earn endorsement income. College athletes aren't even allowed that.

[en1044]

Originally Posted by Darloeye

Was.... and it only happened every 4years

That's not the point, but I don't even know what the point is supposed to be. College players don't get paid. I'm not really sure what the fuss is all about.

[mattec]

Originally Posted by rantanamo

I personally think they should be paid just because of the revenue they produce for the larger schools. I think the problem though is, we tend to look at the LSUs or Texas or Ohio States of the NCAA and think of them as the norm. They are not. Many times, even within their own conference they are not. I've long advocated a smaller type NCAA league of the larger schools. Perhaps a 50,000 attendance average minimum or even 40,000 to seperate itself from the rest of the FBS that would allow paid rosters from the tv and stadium revenues of each team. If you don't do that, you end up with the Southwest Conference of the 80s.

Revenues from tv go to conference members. They have television deals that pay conference members either a percentage or an equal share. These are usually put directly back into the athletic program as many sports simply make no revenue, or at a school like Texas where multiple sports are easily in the black, funds are actually put into the school's general fund. It really is a tight margin type business for most schools. This causes another problem. There are several sports at each university, and at most schools, most of these are in the red. Would you have to pay them all? What if you aren't Texas with $125 million in the clear each year? So what they end up doing is having to allow a free education. I think they should be paid, but you'd likely have to lose Title XI and the NCAA would likely have to drop a ton of sports. College baseball would likely die. College basketball would probably die at some schools. College football would have to create smaller classifications like I said earlier.

err.. yeah I hope that never happens, it sounds like it'd be terrible for real fans (program fans, not just one or two sport fans). Also, the Athletes are getting paid with a free education valued from $17,000 at a place like Louisiana Tech to $50,000 at a place like Duke per year.

[rantanamo]

Originally Posted by mattec

err.. yeah I hope that never happens, it sounds like it'd be terrible for real fans (program fans, not just one or two sport fans). Also, the Athletes are getting paid with a free education valued from $17,000 at a place like Louisiana Tech to $50,000 at a place like Duke per year.

Many students that don't produce revenues for the schools get scholarships too. Imagine working somewhere and not getting paid, but the company makes you the spokesperson of the company appearing in print ads and television commercials. Selling your likeness, etc. I love my school and college sports, but I can still see that they should probably be paid something more than normal.

[RaiderATO]

Originally Posted by rantanamo

Many students that don't produce revenues for the schools get scholarships too. Imagine working somewhere and not getting paid, but the company makes you the spokesperson of the company appearing in print ads and television commercials. Selling your likeness, etc. I love my school and college sports, but I can still see that they should probably be paid something more than normal.

Imagine working somewhere that feeds you, and give's you an apartment as payment for your work (on top of the free education, athletic exposure, training, etc.).

[rantanamo]

Originally Posted by RaiderATO

Imagine working somewhere that feeds you, and give's you an apartment as payment for your work (on top of the free education, athletic exposure, training, etc.).

like the military? They still get paid.

Imagine I'm making that somewhere millions of dollars from selling my image. Anywhere else in society that would be subject to lawsuit.

[slipperydog]

If it's the marketing of the players' image or jersey sales that worry you so much, I don't see how you can reconcile paying the starting quarterback the SAME as a scout team linebacker. Otherwise, since athletic departments only use a handful of players' 'images' to make their millions, Tim Tebow, Percy Harvin, and Jeff Demps would also get paid during college ON TOP of their lucrative NFL contracts, while the other 'non-marketable' players would get nothing. Both methods are unfair, and really just plain suck.

You're only looking at the big programs, which is not understanding the entire picture. Try telling Bowling Green they have to pay all 85 players the same rate as Oklahoma, Alabama, and Ohio State would. Most athletic departments are struggling just to operate in the black. To have that attitude, you must either a) not put much value on a college education, or b) you were brought up with lots of resources. For many Americans, just going to college is a huge deal, let alone paying for it. By giving players a full scholarship, you ARE paying them.

[mattec]

Originally Posted by rantanamo

Many students that don't produce revenues for the schools get scholarships too. Imagine working somewhere and not getting paid, but the company makes you the spokesperson of the company appearing in print ads and television commercials. Selling your likeness, etc. I love my school and college sports, but I can still see that they should probably be paid something more than normal.

If the potential college athlete really felt ripped off, then he could just not participate, or if he played basketball, go to europe and never be heard from again.

[Bobby3]

The system is kind of ridiculous, honestly. Technically if I give a player a hot dog, he's no longer able to play if someone reports it.

[RaiderATO]

Originally Posted by Bobby3

The system is kind of ridiculous, honestly. Technically if I give a player a hot dog, he's no longer able to play if someone reports it.

Where do you draw the line then? You set it at zero benefits, so there is no ambiguity. Even with this line drawn where it is, there is plenty of questions out there.

And to the military point, if the athlete feels that the military is a better option for them to make it professionally, they are welcome to head that route.

There are a HUGE minority (less than .01%) that individually earn money for the university. Most athletic programs operate in the red (or due to creative accounting exactly at even).

These athletes are getting a free education (valued at tens, to hundreds of thousands of dollars), free food, free housing, etc. etc. etc. These athletes are paid thousands of dollars in benefits. I might make my company millions of dollars, but I am only worth thousands.

[rantanamo]

Originally Posted by RaiderATO

Where do you draw the line then? You set it at zero benefits, so there is no ambiguity. Even with this line drawn where it is, there is plenty of questions out there.

And to the military point, if the athlete feels that the military is a better option for them to make it professionally, they are welcome to head that route.

There are a HUGE minority (less than .01%) that individually earn money for the university. Most athletic programs operate in the red (or due to creative accounting exactly at even). I earlier mentioned that athletic program vs individual programs within was a problem, and a paid system would likely have to seperate those sports, not only at the school level, but nationally. For example, just as 17,000+ avg attendance is required for FBS participation, perhaps a certain profit level would part of a new requirement.

These athletes are getting a free education (valued at tens, to hundreds of thousands of dollars), free food, free housing, etc. etc. etc. These athletes are paid thousands of dollars in benefits. I might make my company millions of dollars, but I am only worth thousands.

The military point is not that they should go to the military, but is rather another place in society where one is given the things you mention for free and still get paid.

You miss the point on who we are talking about. There is a large number of football and basketball programs that create revenue for their schools. Its the athletic programs that are in the red.

There are other students that get thousands in free benefits. The difference is, they are making large money. You "might" make your company millions, but there are athletes out there who have best selling jerseys or have their likeness used to make money. We are talking very specific calculations. I know everyone wants to put themselves with these people, but its a unique situation.

[pcw100]

All windows finally replaced in the north endzone




Found some other renovation renderings




Photos from http://www.preservedeathvalley.com/a...photo-gallery/