Texas to pay players 10K

[lakeman74]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/college-sports/headlines/20141021-texas-athletic-director-with-new-rules-longhorns-will-pay-each-player-10000.ece

The University of Texas will spend nearly $6 million a year to comply with a string of recent legal rulings requiring colleges to be more generous to their scholarship athletes.

That won’t break the bank, Athletic Director Steve Patterson said Tuesday at a forum on the fast-changing business of college sports. But even rich programs like UT’s will be forced to make tough choices in the future if momentum in the courts continues to push colleges to treat their players like employees or semi-pros, he said.

 

[bcherry168]

If all of that stands up, it is going to bust a lot of the lesser FBS schools. It will definitely cut into the number of sports they can offer. Some of them really can't quite keep up as it is.

Sad that it has come to this, but there is so much money washing around big time football and basketball that it was probably inevitable. Scholarships certainly should be more generous with spending money for the kids, but paying them extra benefits will open up a real can of worms, I think.

I fear it will have a real bad effect on the non-revenue sports.

 

[monarch]

i think that this is a wonderful achievement!  real minds are finally getting things accomplished upon the 40 acres.  superb strategy steve!

 

[streettopeschel]

If all of that stands up, it is going to bust a lot of the lesser FBS schools. It will definitely cut into the number of sports they can offer. Some of them really can't quite keep up as it is.

Sad that it has come to this, but there is so much money washing around big time football and basketball that it was probably inevitable. Scholarships certainly should be more generous with spending money for the kids, but paying them extra benefits will open up a real can of worms, I think.

I fear it will have a real bad effect on the non-revenue sports.

 good points as usual. the gap between the haves and have-nots will certainly become bigger and there will be 'semi-pro' colleges and the other guys.

as you said, with all the money involved, it was inevitable but the college sports i grew up with are sure gone for good and it's kind of sad i think. maybe they've been gone and i just didn't want to admit it.

 

[Juan]

Will UT --

-- report as "income" to the IRS? (I say yes)

-- withhold taxes? (I say maybe)

Even if we did not initially, the IRS would/will probably force the issue

Which takes this relationship ever closer to employer/employee, which raises another entire wave of legal issues

 

[Matt Cotcher]

Just to make sure we're all on the same page (since that report is purposefully obtuse)...

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[Juan]

Ooops

 

[streettopeschel]

oh. well. nevermind.

 

[Juan]

— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011

 

[Juan]

We got a bit of a smart ass on our hands

— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011

 

[Juan]

— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011

 

[bcherry168]

— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011

Makes more sense. They have to set a number that everyone can pay, or the bidding contests will get out of hand. But the kids DO need spending money.

 

[Juan]

— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011

— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011

 

[Juan]

— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011

— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011

— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011

— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011

— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011

 

[Juan]

— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011

— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011




One part of our past comments on something that should be a part of our past (yet isn't) --

 

[HornNdriftwood]

Makes more sense. They have to set a number that everyone can pay, or the bidding contests will get out of hand. But the kids DO need spending money.

Cost of attendance will necessarily be a sliding scale. Different cities have different cost of living. Cost of attendance will include rent, eating out, etc.

 

[dillohorn]

This kind of crap will end up ruining college football.

 

[Juan]

Dont forget the Title IX implications

 

[Orangebred]

Although I am against any sort of pay-for-play, allowing players to charge for their autograph, etc, I was very much for total cost of attending.  And frankly, I was surprised it wasn't already a part of a scholarship a long time ago.  If you're going to offer a student a full scholarship then give them a FULL scholarship.  It's only right.

And for those concerned about the slippery slope, the cost of attending (COA) amount is set by others and reported to the Dept of Education.  Every school that participates in any federal financial aid (read: all of them) are required to publish a COA that must be audited and approved by the DOEd.  This amount has major implications on scholarships, financial aid and federal funding across the board for all students.  A college would not play with this number to help them recruit a football player at the risk of breaking federal law.

And to be clear, it is the amount FAFSA uses to determine Pell grants and any federal financial aid.  SO if that amount is considered the baseline for normal student financial aid, why has it not been considered the baseline for student-athletes?  Should have been all along and glad it is now.