[Warren Piecee]

Quote: Originally Posted by Pielet

College is a business, a government subsidized business. Private collegiate members of the NCAA even more so. Make no mistake. What affects tuition more? A non ending government subsidy through student loans or paying athletes. One dwarfs the other and is the primary source of rising tuition in this country currently. The academic scholarship is again without merit. The school didn't earn millions of dollars through your efforts at the university versus a football or basketball student athlete. Of course ALL (men and women's) student athletes should be paid in proportion to the revenues they generate (ie the Alabama football players should take in more than the Louisiana Lafayette women's cross country athletes). Studies have shown if NCAA d1 athletes had a pro style revenue sharing agreement they ALL (that's all d1 athletes) would be paid 5-6 figure salaries. Even past NCAA presidents (Walter Byers) have criticized itself as simply funding administrators and athletic departments versus benefitting students as a whole. How many states have the highest paid state employee being a football or basketball coach? Getting back to willy nilly cuts, I think history shows they will and do. They then have the ego to then limit where students can transfer to. Basically you win enough and you can run your team with carte blanch. Good discussion Warren!

I have a question for you, my friend. If we accept you argument that a college is a business than should not students who play sports that impact a college's bottom line and cost the school money be forced to pay all costs to the college that is incurred by the sport? This includes all sports other than football and football at most colleges.

The American Red Cross and the American Cancer Society do not earn money because they are not businesses. They raise funds just like other non-profits, including colleges.

The Title IX law means that it would be illegal to pay football players and not pay all other college athletes at the same rate.

In a capitalist economy the "invisible hand" of the free market determines what we are all paid. Coaches are paid what they get because it is worth it to the colleges to pay them that much and because so few people can do the job well.