Pay to Play

The bowl season is about over. The last game is Jan. 13, so we will have to watch the pros until February sometime. After that our TVs will be football free for eight months or so. WSU lost to Air Force in the Cheez-it Bowl. I didn’t even know there was a Cheez-it Bowl. There are so many now I have lost track. I remember when going to a bowl was a very big deal. Now all you need is a mediocre season to qualify for a big pay day. The Rose Bowl paid $66 million last year. This year should be even bigger. Even the relatively obscure Cheez-it Bowl paid over a million. That isn’t enough to offset Coach Leach’s salary, but every little bit helps. There are more than 40 bowl games this year. The fans get to watch meaningless contests until they are comatose, or run out of pizza, whichever comes first. College athletic departments rake in millions. Everyone shares in the largesse except the players.

Tuition and fees for a typical bachelor’s degree are about the equivalent of a new house. My dad raised 10 kids on a factory worker’s pay and college tuition was far beyond our family budget. My only hope for an education beyond high school was through a football scholarship. Most athletes at major schools graduate, as I did, with no student loans and without bankrupting their parents. The only other financial aid I received was tickets to our games, which most of us promptly sold to a friend with connections. It wasn’t much, but the NCAA doesn’t even allow that any more. We were absolutely prohibited from receiving any financial benefits other than our scholarships.

A new law recently signed by the governor of California prohibits the NCAA from taking action against student athletes who are paid for product endorsements. I see nothing wrong with compensating players for off-field activities. I understand the argument that wealthy schools could line up lucrative quasi endorsements or public appearances in order to recruit prospective players. I don’t see that as much of a problem. Recruiting is a big time sales pitch. When I was courted by schools, it was pretty heady stuff. I was 17 years old and escorted around campus by pretty cheerleaders. I don’t think endorsement contracts would have messed with my head much more than it already was. I also understand the argument that some players would receive more than others. Welcome to the real world. I played on the offensive line. Left guards didn’t, and still don’t, become household names. The glory goes to those who carry the ball over the goal line. It’s a reality offensive linemen have long accepted.

I think the new California law is a step in the right direction, but I also believe scholarships are adequate compensation for playing the game. In effect, student athletes are already paid to play, and it’s enough. The demands imposed on student athletes are enormous. Athletes are frequently required to give up part or all of their winter vacation. Athletes sacrifice time that could be dedicated to academics. The life of a college athlete is difficult, but not impossible. The rewards, however, are considerable. Granted, only a very few are talented enough to be professional players, but the opportunity to obtain a degree is huge. Other than my wife, I consider education my most valuable asset.

Those who believe college athletics is not a business are deceiving themselves. There should be a contract binding on both schools and players. When I was recruited, there were only two schools that would allow me to stay in school and graduate if I were injured and could no longer play. It was a major criteria in my decision. Contracts should spell out the school’s responsibilities to their student athletes. The contract should also require athletes to remain in school until the end of their contract period. They should not be allowed to transfer to other schools nor to move up to the professional ranks until their contract is fulfilled.

(Frank Watson is a retired Air Force Colonel and a long time resident of Eastern Washington. He has been a free lance columnist for over 18 years.)