Should Colleges Be Allowed To Pay For Parents To Come to Games?

[NM11046]

There are as many kids that want to go away to college as there are that want to stay in their home area. Regardless of if we provide a flight to mom, kids that want to stay local will find another reason (too cold, etc). Kids that want to play for Nebraska will come.

If you think the only thing holding someone like Calvin back from making a commitment was mom being at the games you're getting lost in a smoke screen. Wouldn't have mattered if we were flying Derrion's folks out here every week - he wasn't going to be happy here.

Getting folks here for a recruiting visit is important - for games I disagree with.

 

[HuskermanMike]

Bigger schools could pay for all sports and the smaller schools probably don't have half of the team that is outside of 500 miles. So let some parents get one game per year paid for to see their kid play. If I could not see my kid play in person once during their four years at a university I would be pretty upset at that.

Fresno State got One million to come to Nebraska, 85 scholarship players on the team and one game flight and hotel paid for. Out of the parents that come it would cost Fresno probably 100k because most parents can drive to see their kids(hotel paid for in this instance). We gave them plenty of money and that is how these smaller schools will afford it by getting paid to go to big schools and play them. This would apply to scholarship players only for sports and it would apply to all sports as well.

Some schools may note be able to afford it, so the NCAA should pay for it in that case. This doesn't apply to all families either, if a kid is from Lincoln, the University won't have to pay for anything. Keep in mind Chris Jones' mom has came to one game in his three years here so far, one! It makes sense it would help out of state kids and would be a win for the parents to see their kids play while they are miles away from them.

 

[The Dude]

There's no reason for them not to, at least at a place like Nebraska. Big time programs like ours practically print money we're so profitable, and that's a properly respectable gesture imo. Now, I think if that's just a carte blanche policy that has the potential to be a little absurd and to have families try to game the system, so I wouldn't be opposed to some kind of selection process similar to how financial aid works for prospective college students, but kids that come from disadvantaged upbringings should be served by the university by having the opportunity for their parents to see them play.

Some athletic departments really rake in the coin, like NU for example. However, most actually lose money and need funds from the University itself to keep going. How are those institutions going to pay for this?

They won't.

 

[hskrpwr13]

But the NCAA would never allow such a thing, it's not even a realistic proposition.

I don't know. Assuming college football continues to be a cash cow, and players aren't directly paid, I could see it a possibility even if currently improbable.

I voted for merely air and hotel fares. I'd also prefer a dollar cap to help eliminate any extra benefit.

Why do people constantly forget that football is not a cash cow for many programs?

Its not a forget situation. There are currently haves (Power 5) and have nots (Group 5). And as I'm an opponent of pay for play, this idea lends to some compromise.

 

[Branno]

But the NCAA would never allow such a thing, it's not even a realistic proposition.

I don't know. Assuming college football continues to be a cash cow, and players aren't directly paid, I could see it a possibility even if currently improbable.

I voted for merely air and hotel fares. I'd also prefer a dollar cap to help eliminate any extra benefit.

Why do people constantly forget that football is not a cash cow for many programs?

We don't constantly forget, it's just not a valid argument. Let's prohibit schools from providing laptops, let's put caps on salaries, put revenue sharing for ticket sales (even if we made all football stadiums the same size Nebraska would sell out while directional Michigan probably wouldn't), etc.

If you wouldn't cap salaries, force schools to spend the same on facilities, get rid of provided laptops (as well as meals, clothing, etc), why draw the line at allowing schools to pay for parents to watch games?

 

[NM11046]

Pay. For. Play.

 

[ColoNoCoHusker]

As a few have mentioned, the issue with this approach is it opens up the door to providing direct benefits to family members. While UNL has a lot of money, that's not a situation we can win. Paying for family on OV - makes perfect sense. Providing players tickets for games - agree. Paying for travel/lodging/other expenses of player's family to attend games - where does it stop? Do we reimburse Gebbia's dad for his NE residence? Do we pay for people's cable/satellite who cannot physically attend? If somebody gets into an accident in UNL AD paid rental car, does UNL insurance kick-in? Does this only apply to scholarship players or family of all student-athletes?

IDK, it seems to me that just because UNL AD has money doesn't mean we should be spending it on benefits for family members. I don't see how that could even be argued...

 

[ColoradoHusk]

As a few have mentioned, the issue with this approach is it opens up the door to providing direct benefits to family members. While UNL has a lot of money, that's not a situation we can win. Paying for family on OV - makes perfect sense. Providing players tickets for games - agree. Paying for travel/lodging/other expenses of player's family to attend games - where does it stop? Do we reimburse Gebbia's dad for his NE residence? Do we pay for people's cable/satellite who cannot physically attend? If somebody gets into an accident in UNL AD paid rental car, does UNL insurance kick-in? Does this only apply to scholarship players or family of all student-athletes?

IDK, it seems to me that just because UNL AD has money doesn't mean we should be spending it on benefits for family members. I don't see how that could even be argued...

Well said!!! +1

 

[Branno]

As a few have mentioned, the issue with this approach is it opens up the door to providing direct benefits to family members. While UNL has a lot of money, that's not a situation we can win. Paying for family on OV - makes perfect sense. Providing players tickets for games - agree. Paying for travel/lodging/other expenses of player's family to attend games - where does it stop? Do we reimburse Gebbia's dad for his NE residence? Do we pay for people's cable/satellite who cannot physically attend? If somebody gets into an accident in UNL AD paid rental car, does UNL insurance kick-in? Does this only apply to scholarship players or family of all student-athletes?

IDK, it seems to me that just because UNL AD has money doesn't mean we should be spending it on benefits for family members. I don't see how that could even be argued...

This is a classic appeal to probability fallacy. Just because something can happen doesn't mean it will. I will therefor not discuss the absurd examples you provided.

In regards to logistical issues: liability if someone gets into an accident, who does this apply to, etc. This makes for interesting discussion.

We already can provide for travel during an OV, so why would issues regarding liability for travel for games be all the worrisome? I assume whatever the policy is in place for OVs and travel would apply for travel on game days.

As to who would benefit. I'd say provide travel (or allow families to expense travel which could possibly prevent issues with liability) for any immediate family (or the player's legal guardians) that exceeds a certain distance from the school (further than same day driving distance). For arguments sake, let's make that 300 miles. Put conditions on what can be expensed (if driving pay mileage, if flying only pay for the cheapest available flights). The government, schools, and most businesses already have means for determining travel expenses, this isn't new territory.

You say giving benefits to family members can't be argued, but I (obviously) don't agree. How often do we hear about a recruit making a tough decision, maybe one they don't want to make, so they can stay close to family. I'd have to imagine those issues would go away if some travel could be provided to games, and players would be given the freedom to go to the school they want to go to the most regardless of distance from home.

Ultimately, this is a benefit for the player... even if it is a bit indirect.