Northwestern players file paperwork to unionize...

[MrTitleist]

..and be considered employees. This will be fascinating to watch.
http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/ ... abor-union" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[WYCowboy]

..and be considered employees. This will be fascinating to watch.
http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/ ... abor-union" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I've been wondering when this would happen. The seed was planted with the big 5 conferences.

[zappinpoke]

Well if they want to be employee's then what ever they get will now be taxable income, where as of now that free ride is free

[Wyovanian]

Well if they want to be employee's then what ever they get will now be taxable income, where as of now that free ride is free

Yep, just wait until they get assessed for the full value of their scholarships to Northwestern.

[WestWYOPoke]

The part that makes me laugh the most is when a Big 5 conference athlete starts spouting off "we make the NCAA billions of dollars, we should get some". As if the NCAA is just pocketing all this money for profit. Besides their obvious operating costs, the money generated by D1 football and basketball goes to paying for ALL of the post-season tournaments of every sport D1, D2, and D3. So while Jadaveon Clowney may be making the NCAA a lot of money, that money is going to send a D2 women's lacrosse team to their post-season tourney. Is that necessarily fair...maybe not, but if you don't like it then quit.

[MrTitleist]

The NCAA signed a $6 billion dollar deal with CBS to host their tournament.. I'd say the NCAA is rolling in money.

[WestWYOPoke]

The NCAA signed a $6 billion dollar deal with CBS to host their tournament.. I'd say the NCAA is rolling in money.

It was actually $10.8 billion spread out over a 14 year span. So yes, the NCAA has money, but they are spending the vast majority of it. The NCAA sponsors 23 sports, 13 of which have both Men and Women's making essentially 36 sports. Now if even half of those are sponsored in all 3 divisions, you have 72 sports all with their own postseason tournament. And the NCAA pays for EVERY team's expenses (travel, room & board) in those tournaments. That's a lot of coin.

[VisorHair]

This is just the beginning of a dark time for college athletics. This is happening at NW of all schools nonetheless! If only these kids could swap schollies with guys from a program of a non member conference of the Big 5.. They'd be shocked at the resource negligence difference.

[joshvanklomp]

Well if they want to be employee's then what ever they get will now be taxable income, where as of now that free ride is free

Yep, just wait until they get assessed for the full value of their scholarships to Northwestern.

This is the biggest gripe I have with people who think college athletes should be paid. They are essentially getting free years of college, which is not cheap at some universities.

If they want to get paid cash, they shouldn't get free rides to college. Maybe they'd understand how good they actually have it.

[OrediggerPoke]

Agreed with most of what people have said!

I also find it funny that it is Northwestern players bringing the claim. I would imagine that the cost of a Northwestern education is far more than what any of the Northwestern players are worth in terms of them as paid employees.

[WestWYOPoke]

Per the following link, Northwestern tuition is just over $45,000 a year. Throw in books and room & board and a full-ride scholarship is coming in at over $60,000 a year. If you redshirt, they just gave you an education valued at over $300,000; not to mention the added earnings that a degree from Northwestern can earn you.

http://www.ugadm.northwestern.edu/finan ... enses.html

[ragtimejoe1]

When we calculate how much revenue a football team brings the University, is that revenue minus ALL costs (electricity, stadium rental, all of the labor, depreciation of resources, practice facility maintenance, tutors, etc.?). If not, then could it be argued that taxpayer money and student fees support components of football?

If that is the case and with miserable graduation rates, it could be argued that taxpayers are funding the NFL's minor league rather than supplementing academics.

Pandora's Box might be opening with all of this. All of the different angles are mind boggling.

[WestWYOPoke]

Despite the massive costs of operating a football team, most (if not all) FBS schools football (and basketball) programs turn a large profit. However, once you use that income to pay for your other 12-20 sports, many athletic departments run in the red even with student fees.

[BackHarlowRoad]

Despite the massive costs of operating a football team, most (if not all) FBS schools football (and basketball) programs turn a large profit. However, once you use that income to pay for your other 12-20 sports, many athletic departments run in the red even with student fees.

Indeed. Only the best of the best make money off of athletics.

http://www.businessinsider.com/ncaa-rev ... ort-2011-6" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Older article but I'm sure it hasn't changed much.

[Pokes Forever]

So does mean High School players are next?

[Aaron]

This is poop. The liberal mantra of everyone gets their fair share in full effect. Well fair share unless you don't play football. Then as far as they are concerned you can go f-word yourself

[ZapPoke]

Hostile and Abusive! A free ride would be great if they actually got an education. Too many really do not, they do just enough to get by hoping they hit it big in the NFL or NBA.

Fighting Sioux forever!

and Go Pokes!

[VisorHair]

Despite the massive costs of operating a football team, most (if not all) FBS schools football (and basketball) programs turn a large profit. However, once you use that income to pay for your other 12-20 sports, many athletic departments run in the red even with student fees.

Member schools in the MWC for instance truly only make money off season ticket sales and the attached donations particularly from FB. Schools like SDSU and UNLV thrive with successful MBB programs. The $$ made from FB & MBB do NOT cover other sports entirely. Think $3,000 budget for Softball for an entire year. Not one school in the MWC has their student-athelete scholarships 100% paid for. Now, member of the Big 5. - that's another story. SA schollies are the biggest setback for an athletic department.. Especially summer school (which is most popular because it's easier to graduate kids on-time when putting them through summer school) IE: APR!

[Hayduke]

Hostile and Abusive! A free ride would be great if they actually got an education. Too many really do not, they do just enough to get by hoping they hit it big in the NFL or NBA.

Fighting Sioux forever!

and Go Pokes!

As a UND graduate, I am all for anything like this to get under the NCAA's skin.

[SnowyRange]

The unionization is an interesting idea. Most here seem to focus on the "pay" issue -- which there is a lot to say about -- but equally interesting are all the other things a union would negotiate about....essentially, the "work rules."