Indianapolis – Tonight, the 68th men’s Division I college basketball champion will be crowned. Either Florida or UCLA claims the title with millions around the world watching. With the RCA Dome stuffed with nearly 45,000 fans.
The NCAA benefits from its $6 billion TV contract. Each school’s conference gains another $164,000 for its team playing in one more tournament game. Add a few more hundred million for the NCAA and the schools in revenue gained from ticket sales, endorsement deals, jersey sales and radio broadcasting deals.
And the players, the real show? You have your tuition, room, books and board. You live with your cut. We will live with ours.
This is the message the NCAA continues to spout – that financial equity exists quite nicely. Players should be happy to be a part of this grand spectacle and the education they receive. That those benefits and residual ones that simply come from the experience are plenty enough. Their message, in essence, is you are lucky to have us more than we are to have you.
What a sham.
The NCAA is steadfast in its position that it will not become a pay-for-play entity. It will always keep its “amateurism” in sports, it insists. Anything else turns the college game into a pro game. Into a business more than fun and games.
The fact is the NCAA Tournament is business, big business. And it is high time players receive an extra stipend – some have called for anywhere from $1,000 to $3,000 – to cover other out-of-pocket college costs such as laundry or a movie or other social activities that should be a part of any college student’s life.
This is a testy, twisting issue that you hear more double talk from the NCAA than on any other. It is an issue that will play its way out in courts. But it should not come to that.
All college athletes should receive the stipend. The NCAA says most of its schools’ athletic departments already operate in the red. That it already has three separate funds set aside to assist athletes in emergency travel and special cases for extra clothing and special needs.
The point is with so much money being generated by these athletes, a fairer share directly to them is only right.
NCAA president Myles Brand believes money derived from TV contracts is via the NCAA’s appeal, not the students. But the NCAA’s appeal is the students.
You do not have to look far for disparaging views on this issue.
Florida is coached by Billy Donovan. The Florida athletic director is Jeremy Foley.
Donovan said: “I think there should be some type of stipend for players. Not paying players, but a stipend for dinner or movie or laundry for players would go a long way. At the very least, players could have their parents’ air fare paid for when their kids are playing in a national championship game. With the type of money kicked around, that seems reasonable.”
Foley offered: “I am not in favor of stipends. Too many schools could not afford it. Your pay is you graduate from school. The players have a proper system in place to get help when needed.”
What is more American, more a product of a capitalistic society than the people generating income gaining at least a fair share of that income? The current setup is not fair and neither would be a stipend. But, at least, it would close the gap in the huge discrepancy.
The Florida athletic budget is roughly $66 million. The UCLA athletic budget is roughly $45 million.
“That is a lot of dollars,” UCLA guard Jordan Farmar said. “We care. I don’t know if people understand what it is like living in Los Angeles compared with other college cities. It is expensive. Sometimes it gets tough for some players. I think if something like this, a fair stipend for everyone, was done, it would be appreciated. But players are careful when they talk about this. It’s a tough call and I’m glad I’m not the one making the final one. My vote would be to do something, give something, anything.”
Florida guard Taurean Green accepts the players’ lot.
“A lot of us accept it the way it is, are grateful to be playing in the national championship game and that’s enough,” he said. “My needs are taken care of.”
For Green, the son of former NBA player Sidney Green, those are words easier to utter. For students who do not come from athletic royalty or from more solid economic backgrounds, the tune differs.
The NCAA and its schools should cut the nonsense and cut the checks from the start of its budget. With the billions it has as its base, these stipends should be viewed as fair and sensible start-up costs rather than as additional financial burden.
The NCAA always stands for integrity, it emphasizes. A stipend for athletes would push it closer, not further, from the model of integrity it seeks.
Staff writer Thomas George can be reached at 303-820-1994 or tgeorge@denverpost.com.
