Realignment Megathread (All The Moves)

[Cloneon]

There are a bunch of noteworthy quotes in this article on the pros and cons of making the athletes employees. Here are a couple.


“I never thought I’d say it, but I’m there on employment,” one of those SEC presidents told Yahoo Sports recently. “Let’s collectively bargain.”

“So far, the NCAA has never acknowledged the comparison to work study-style student employment,” said Paul McDonald, the attorney who filed the Johnson case. “It is not credible, or sustainable, to argue that college athletes — the most controlled students, and only students required to prioritize non-academic activities — do not qualify for, and deserve, the same student employee status as classmates selling popcorn at NCAA games or performing menial tasks around campus.”

Where will it stop? To some degree, already in high school. Middle school? Yep, people already meddling there too. What psychological toll is it taking on kids?

When I look at my 35 years of competitive sports, I take with it the greatest lesson in life: "team". I had the opportunity to learn how to meld different personalities, different nationalities, and different abilities. I learned to be humble, work hard, and listen. I learned that the worst of the worst, likely comes from the sidelines as if we're here to fulfill 'their' expectations. I saw the entire mid-west, which led me to broader things. I saw the entire world (figuratively, by the diversity of countries represented on our team). I learned to mentor. These are lessons, for the most part, that money can't equal. Is this direction sports is taking really good for individuals? So far, I think it's like everything else in life: immediate satisfaction for long term parallelization.

But, then again, maybe that's just me.

 

[FinalFourCy]

 

[1SEIACLONE]

Where will it stop? To some degree, already in high school. Middle school? Yep, people already meddling there too. What psychological toll is it taking on kids?

When I look at my 35 years of competitive sports, I take with it the greatest lesson in life: "team". I had the opportunity to learn how to meld different personalities, different nationalities, and different abilities. I learned to be humble, work hard, and listen. I learned that the worst of the worst, likely comes from the sidelines as if we're here to fulfill 'their' expectations. I saw the entire mid-west, which led me to broader things. I saw the entire world (figuratively, by the diversity of countries represented on our team). I learned to mentor. These are lessons, for the most part, that money can't equal. Is this direction sports is taking really good for individuals? So far, I think it's like everything else in life: immediate satisfaction for long term parallelization.

But, then again, maybe that's just me.

The team has now been replaced with the individual, for many it's all about getting as much money as soon as possible and then turn pro if that is the way to even more money. If not, then they stay in college, the Ol Miss QB as an example, to make millions playing, because he understands his skill set will struggle at the next level.

No one is begrudging them from getting a piece of the pie, but we have gone from that, to "pay for play" and unlimited transfers to get them there. Pollard is correct in stating the we had an agreement, and now the SEC and B10 want to go against that and spend as much as they want. That is putting schools like ISU and many others into a position that they cannot afford to compete and therefore become nothing more than a farm system for the SEC and B10. If that is the case, then just go ahead and break away, but you are taking all the sports, and the schools left over will reorganize into a league that will follow the set rules.

 

[ScottyP]

There are a bunch of noteworthy quotes in this article on the pros and cons of making the athletes employees. Here are a couple.


“I never thought I’d say it, but I’m there on employment,” one of those SEC presidents told Yahoo Sports recently. “Let’s collectively bargain.”

“So far, the NCAA has never acknowledged the comparison to work study-style student employment,” said Paul McDonald, the attorney who filed the Johnson case. “It is not credible, or sustainable, to argue that college athletes — the most controlled students, and only students required to prioritize non-academic activities — do not qualify for, and deserve, the same student employee status as classmates selling popcorn at NCAA games or performing menial tasks around campus.”

The "millions in NIL deals promised to athletes go unapproved" - Are these NIL deals being rejected or just pending at this point?

Also, the tweet hints that even if athletes are made employees, over-the-top NIL deals will continue. If that is the case, they might as well stick with the currents setup because not much will change.

 

[1SEIACLONE]

Can the universities make them employees without the consent of the player? Since Iowa is a right to work state they cannot be forced to join a union, and without a union, it would be difficult to have collective bargaining. But as employees the university or state could make rule for what they can and cannot not do. But they cannot stop a person from making money from an outside resource, much like Fairway and Audi Crooks. Either way does this solve the problem or just open up another can of worms?

 

[Kinch]

Can the universities make them employees without the consent of the player? Since Iowa is a right to work state they cannot be forced to join a union, and without a union, it would be difficult to have collective bargaining. But as employees the university or state could make rule for what they can and cannot not do. But they cannot stop a person from making money from an outside resource, much like Fairway and Audi Crooks. Either way does this solve the problem or just open up another can of worms?

And we also have seen state legislatures making sure the governing body knows that the state is above the governing body and also we have seen universities thumb their noses at any move to put any type of NIL cap. I don’t see any easy way out. We have too many chiefs and not enough Indians.

 

[MountainManHawk]

Can the universities make them employees without the consent of the player? Since Iowa is a right to work state they cannot be forced to join a union, and without a union, it would be difficult to have collective bargaining. But as employees the university or state could make rule for what they can and cannot not do. But they cannot stop a person from making money from an outside resource, much like Fairway and Audi Crooks. Either way does this solve the problem or just open up another can of worms?

The article goes into a lot of detail on why moving to collective bargaining will be challenging, and one of the reasons is as you point out, it’s not clear why the players would want this.

It seems clear the reason the schools are exploring this is because they see it as the only way they can get back some control. But the current system is great for players, the salaries are rising exponentially and they can change teams as many times as they need to in order to maximize their earnings potential.

If you were a player, what would be the motivation to agree to adding these controls that are only going to restrict your ability to make yourself financially secure?

 

[1SEIACLONE]

And we also have seen state legislatures making sure the governing body knows that the state is above the governing body and also we have seen universities thumb their noses at any move to put any type of NIL cap. I don’t see any easy way out. We have too many chiefs and not enough Indians.

I agree but the leagues themselves can come up with bylaws that would stop such measures and even if the state would say it does not apply to their university, the conference could also just say that their university is not eligible for the playoff under their rules.

 

[cykadelic2]

The "millions in NIL deals promised to athletes go unapproved" - Are these NIL deals being rejected or just pending at this point?

Also, the tweet hints that even if athletes are made employees, over-the-top NIL deals will continue. If that is the case, they might as well stick with the currents setup because not much will change.

Regarding the "unapproved" deals, it is a combination of both previously rejected and pending deals.

And "true" NIL deals will never be and cannot be legislated out but the approval process should remain as-is and if Cruz-Cantwell gets passed, codification of House will enable the CSC to properly enforce its process with subpoena power and withstand legal challenges to the process.

 

[1SEIACLONE]

The article goes into a lot of detail on why moving to collective bargaining will be challenging, and one of the reasons is as you point out, it’s not clear why the players would want this.

It seems clear the reason the schools are exploring this is because they see it as the only way they can get back some control. But the current system is great for players, the salaries are rising exponentially and they can change teams as many times as they need to in order to maximize their earnings potential.

If you were a player, what would be the motivation to agree to adding these controls that are only going to restrict your ability to make yourself financially secure?

No I wouldn't but they could easily write the agreement in such a way that it would not effect any current player, only those that follow them say the 2028 signing class. That way all current players could continue to receive the money they were promised, but those terms would not apply to future incoming players. The incoming players would have no say in the matter, just like they do not in other pro leagues that slot the amount of money for players coming into the league. Colleges or conferences could do the exact same thing, but would have to get all to agree to the rules.

 

[cykadelic2]

The article goes into a lot of detail on why moving to collective bargaining will be challenging, and one of the reasons is as you point out, it’s not clear why the players would want this.

It seems clear the reason the schools are exploring this is because they see it as the only way they can get back some control. But the current system is great for players, the salaries are rising exponentially and they can change teams as many times as they need to in order to maximize their earnings potential.

If you were a player, what would be the motivation to agree to adding these controls that are only going to restrict your ability to make yourself financially secure?

The schools can get back control of transfer and eligibility rules with the limited anti-trust exemption that Cruz-Cantwell can provide and do so without athletes becoming employees.

 

[1SEIACLONE]

The schools can get back control of transfer and eligibility rules with the limited anti-trust exemption that Cruz-Cantwell can provide and do so without athletes becoming employees.

But it's sounding like that is not going to pass, at least this year. Without a doubt a lot is going to change over the next 5 years with most of the media contracts with the leagues coming due around 2030.

The part that sucks for ISU is we have zero say in the matter, this will be decided by the SEC and B10, whether to stay and try to find a solution or leave and go on their own.

 

[aeroclone]

Can the universities make them employees without the consent of the player? Since Iowa is a right to work state they cannot be forced to join a union, and without a union, it would be difficult to have collective bargaining. But as employees the university or state could make rule for what they can and cannot not do. But they cannot stop a person from making money from an outside resource, much like Fairway and Audi Crooks. Either way does this solve the problem or just open up another can of worms?

There are lots of MLB, NFL, NBA teams where the players are in the union and the team is located in a right to work state. So I think there are ways to get that done.

I think there would also be ways to place controls on NIL once they are employees. Companies often have non competes, moonlighting policies, as well as regulations around not associating yourself with the company brand in a personal capacity. So I think there would be some common employment practices to build on for that NIL as a school employee model.

 

[MartyFine]

 

[Kinch]

I agree but the leagues themselves can come up with bylaws that would stop such measures and even if the state would say it does not apply to their university, the conference could also just say that their university is not eligible for the playoff under their rules.

Maybe, but so-called loyalty contracts between schools in the conferences so far haven’t been signed. Tennessee and the SEC are headed for a train wreck over the legislatures law that says certain SEC, NCAA rules are prohibited to be enforced in the Volunteer state. We live in interesting times.

 

[Kinch]

There are other states, all in the south and all with SEC that have state laws that contradict existing rules set up and agreed to by conferences. We will find out who blinks first.

 

[MartyFine]

 

[FinalFourCy]

Hard to see this passing

We’ll find out how at odds the BIG and SEC actually are

Let the SEC leave in all sports. Don’t give an inch. Befriend BIG, who should see it as an opportunity to poach SEC

 

[Clark]

The "millions in NIL deals promised to athletes go unapproved" - Are these NIL deals being rejected or just pending at this point?

Also, the tweet hints that even if athletes are made employees, over-the-top NIL deals will continue. If that is the case, they might as well stick with the currents setup because not much will change.

well that's just plain false, at least in terms of how they're being done now. Yes, if Nike wants to sign one of these guys to an endorsement deal, that would still be available. The entire point of making them employees is it allows you to collectively bargain with them. Currently, the NCAA can't actually enforce any of these rules because you can't just collude to dictate how much someone can make without their input. Once the players are brought to the bargaining table and an agreement is made, these rules can be enforced.

 

[cykadelic2]