Husker Football in a World Of Paying Athletes

[Roundball Shaman]

While Husker Nation struggles to understand what is going on with the Big Red right now, there is a bigger issue today... what is Husker football going to look like in the coming years in a new world? A California bill now allows college athletes to make money... let’s say “officially” now.

 

Yes, it doesn’t apply anywhere else... yet. But we already see the top of the elite college programs as quasi-NFL franchises. They have been for years. Now, we see official payments to college players beginning a real thing. That’s the definition of a professional. So, major college football is officially going to be recognized as more Professional Football.

 

What is this leading to? We’ll have professional football teams representing major colleges. So much for the innocent age of “student... athletes”. Imagine your Huskers maybe becoming a “pro” team? Players effectively severed from the rest of university life and becoming “free agents” or “independent contractors”.

 

Will you root for the Huskers as much in the future if the walk-on kid from the plains of Nebraska culture is permanently replaced by Pro Huskers out to become their own “brands”? And if we don’t want the Huskers to be a pro team, can Nebraska fans live with the program being locked into a level below the new pro bluebloods?

[Thanks_Tom RR]

Husker fans have never shied away from the concept of spending money for the program, if it lead to more success. I would guess any efforts that would lead to a competitive advantage for Nebraska will be embraced by the vast majority of Husker Nation.

[Kiz]

IMO, they're already getting paid.  Education, food,  rooms, etc are a form of payment.  I would have given my left nut for the experience alone.  If these student athletes become junior pros, it takes away from the game.  There will be layers of players, some who get money deals, but most will not.  That will cause animosity between teammates, not camaraderie.  This would be the end of college athletics as we know it.  I'm not surprised California was the first to do this.

[BoNeyard]

California once again for the fail.

 

if this indeed creep into all of college football I actually think it will benefit Nebraska. Our fans are really the only thing that has kept this program relevant for the last 19 years. Nebraska fans are willing to invest money into players knowing the only return is a potential national title. 

 

I’ve read from writer, most California based writers, that this won’t be a big deal, won’t change anything all that much and doesn’t mean boosters or local companies will just invest hundreds of thousands into players because they’ll want something in return or future Investment. Ha! Well welcome to Husker Nation! I’m sure we got a booster out there that all they want is to have another championship and that would be their returned investment. 

 

For recruits on official game visits we won’t be the sea of red, we’ll be the sea of green. 

[CapoValley]

 

It's a heartwarming story but it's just not believable, which is why I don’t support this California bill and why I gave E.T. one and a half stars

[BoNeyard]

Over the next few weeks and months pay attention to other states to see if they follow California. California either started a trend and everyone one else will follow, or they just created a giant mess ultimately leading them into isolation from the rest of the country, and that is when it’ll get interesting on what the NCAA will do. This create a NAIA vs NCAA type thing? Two leagues?

[zeWilbur]

This will be exactly as effective as Colorado making marijuana legal. Until the NCAA changes the rules, or the athletes stop participating on a voluntary basis, nothing will change.

[onlyHskrfaninIL]

If ca is doing it they are probably doing it wrong

[Red Five]

Every time this issue comes up I still don't get why people are against players making money off of their name, likeness, and image.  Without getting too political, I would assume that most people on this board would consider themselves as capitalists, but yet when the issue comes up of our favorite college athletes getting paid a market rate everyone suddenly become socialists.

 

Using the "Olympic model" (paying players for their name, likeness, and image) won't be a huge deal.  Will there be a few schools with big $$$ boosters try to compete (think Houston or SMU) by buying players?  Sure.  But the top 5-10 schools are pretty much getting all the best recruits now anyways.

 

And the market will quickly correct itself once these big boosters realize that paying a HS player major $$$ isn't probably the greatest investment.

 

[Red Five]

2 hours ago, Kiz said:

There will be layers of players, some who get money deals, but most will not.  That will cause animosity between teammates, not camaraderie.

 

Every pro league now has the top players making multiples of what the lowest earners make and those locker rooms seem to survive, not sure why it would be any different in college.

[The Maudfather]

If they were to legalize pay for play, you bet your a$$ we'd be back in a jiffy.

[Dr. Strangelove]

3 hours ago, Kiz said:

IMO, they're already getting paid.  Education, food,  rooms, etc are a form of payment.  I would have given my left nut for the experience alone.  If these student athletes become junior pros, it takes away from the game.  There will be layers of players, some who get money deals, but most will not.  That will cause animosity between teammates, not camaraderie.  This would be the end of college athletics as we know it.  I'm not surprised California was the first to do this.

Not that I wouldn't like to have had my UNL education paid for, but let's not act like a degree from UNL, Kansas or Alabama is really that great.

 

Particularly when you compare it to the $50+ Million players bring in each year in TV money alone. Add in a deal with apparel companies, ticket sales, and the potential for local marketing for popular players like Adrian Martinez.  How much are players missing out on? Hundreds of thousands at a minimum for every scholarship player, most likely.

[PoloWearingBeaver]

This would benefit Nebraska the most, huge local media covering the team, lots of endorsement opportunities. Nebraska business would pay more than anyone in the region for croots.

[zeWilbur]

32 minutes ago, Dr. Strangelove said:

Not that I wouldn't like to have had my UNL education paid for, but let's not act like a degree from UNL, Kansas or Alabama is really that great.

 

Not that great? The average degree fron any school will add about $1m in salary over a lifetime compared to just high school. An engineering degree can add another 2-3 million on top of that. All without the cost of acquiring the degree. UNL doesn't have to be that great. Just average is life changing. 

[WyoHusker56]

Considering NU us like top 10 or maybe top 5 in revenue generated I imagine our recruiting rankings would start minicking those rankings. It'd be a win for Nebraska.