Ralph Nader calls for an end to athletic scholarships

[JOVE23]

http://www.theroot.com/buzz/ralph-nader-athletic-scholarships-should-be-eliminated

Ralph Nader: Athletic Scholarships Should Be Eliminated

The consumer advocate says that steps should be taken to "de-professionalize" college sports.



Consumer advocate and former presidential candidate Ralph Nader is on that stuff. Black America Web is reporting that Nader is calling for the elimination of college athletic scholarships, saying the move is necessary to "de-professionalize" college athletes.



"As we near the exciting conclusion of 'March Madness' -- which would more accurately be described as the 2011 NCAA Professional Basketball Championships -- it's time we step back and finally address the myth of amateurism surrounding big-time college football and basketball in this country," said Nader, whose League of Fans is proposing that the scholarships be replaced with need-based financial aid.



NCAA spokesman Bob Williams said that referring to college athletes as professionals defies logic. "They are students, just like any other student on campus who receives a merit-based scholarship," he said.



Nader argued that his plan would also help reduce the win-at-all-costs mentality in high schools, by reducing the incentive of college scholarships.



In a perfect world, Nader's idea makes sense. However, in the real world, athletic scholarships often serve as incentives to go to college, not just to play sports. Fixating on basketball and football as opposed to all of the other sports -- some of which are less popular and will not result in becoming a professional athlete -- is shortsighted, to say the least.



Perhaps Nader should be focusing on the cost of attending NCAA basketball tournaments and football bowl games. Consumers are getting reamed at the ticket office and concession stands. We won't even mention merchandising, including video games. We can forget the scholarships and go for athletes getting paid instead. The disparity between the money that the NCAA, schools and coaches pull in relative to what the players get in the form of scholarships is reprehensible.

 

[supraman]

Makes an interesting argument. It seems there is a scandal about boosters giving gifts to players and all that. I don't think the scholarships are the problem but the massive amounts of money involved in college athletics.

 

[sth]

No way that will ever happen. The only way universities make money is with sports programs. They would rather saw off their arms than get rid of sports scholarships.

 

[roshinaya]

And here I thought universities was about higher learning.

 

[chasman]

Hey Nader, go drive your Corvair......



Man I loved that car

 

[IceHogsFan]

A sphincter says what?

 

[jakobeast]

Does he realize that there are a HUGE number of students that get those scholarships and go to kowledge that otherwise wouldn't have been able to go?

 

[IceHogsFan]

Does he realize that there are a HUGE number of students that get those scholarships and go to kowledge that otherwise wouldn't have been able to go?

Nor would they have received a higher education beyond high school.



Sports can be a quality motivator for many and if they go to college because of it then all the more power to them.



In the end we all benefit from kids getting a higher education.

 

[MassHavoc]

Does he realize that there are a HUGE number of students that get those scholarships and go to kowledge that otherwise wouldn't have been able to go?

I think you are greatly overestimating the number of student athletes. combined in all schools they are a lot, but at a school like Purdue who has 38k students they have I think 550 student athletes. And the over all number of student athletes pales in comparison to the actual number of students.



Not to mention the percentage of student athletes who aren't there for the student part.

 

[TSD]

No way that will ever happen. The only way universities make money is with sports programs. They would rather saw off their arms than get rid of sports scholarships.

Please tell me you are joking, I dont know maybe its the only way they "keep" money.



When i went I assume the 20,000 a year per student for 20,000 students went a fairly long way at ISU. Thats what, just under a half a billion dollars a year? and thats a conservative estimate for tuition, its probably closer to 30k per student depending on the classes you took.



The problem is that income actually goes to the state, not the school. and we all know how they handle that, my ex didn't get paid for her last three months of TA'ing Biology at SIU-E in 09.

 

[MassHavoc]

Universities do not make money off of their athletic programs, as a matter of fact only 8 athletic programs are in the black in the country. Thank you Title IX. For a lovely example of this you can look no further than the train wreck that is my very own Purdue Athletic Department, who not only runs in the black. But they give a large chuck of their BTN money to the schools general fund. Hence the reason we are a second tier program.

 

[Shantz My Pants]

I could of swore a lot of schools made money off of football season. Like the NCAA Div 2 team that plays a top ten ranked team the first week of a season.



I could be wrong.

 

[IceHogsFan]

I could of swore a lot of schools made money off of football season. Like the NCAA Div 2 team that plays a top ten ranked team the first week of a season.



I could be wrong.

Notre Dame and NBC?

 

[MassHavoc]

Like I said Title IX. Just because Football is making money doesn't mean the AD's are. Only 8 Athletic Departments in college sports are in the black.



Also the NBC deal isn't as big as it once once when you consider how much the BTN brings in for each school.

 

[sth]

Please tell me you are joking, I dont know maybe its the only way they "keep" money.



When i went I assume the 20,000 a year per student for 20,000 students went a fairly long way at ISU. Thats what, just under a half a billion dollars a year? and thats a conservative estimate for tuition, its probably closer to 30k per student depending on the classes you took.



The problem is that income actually goes to the state, not the school. and we all know how they handle that, my ex didn't get paid for her last three months of TA'ing Biology at SIU-E in 09.

Yeah I phrased that wrong. I should have said college sports especially big time football and basketball make huge money for colleges. Colleges make a lot of money on books and tuition. But they make millions and millions on big time sports. My Montana State University Billings education is showing. And they won't lose that money.

 

[MassHavoc]

Yeah I phrased that wrong. I should have said college sports especially big time football and basketball make huge money for colleges. Colleges make a lot of money on books and tuition. But they make millions and millions on big time sports. My Montana State University Billings education is showing. And they won't lose that money.

Yes, but again, just because they are making money on football doesn't mean that the University isn't also subsidizing the athletic department. Almost all colleges loss money on athletics. Take them out of the equation. The big money for colleges comes form research. Commercializing it, and grant funding from it. That's where the money is, that and good old fashion fund raising dialing for dollars.

 

[BlackHawkPaul]

Notre Dame and NBC?

It's all how the books are cooked. Remember, the Blackhawks have a hard time making money too.

Once student athletes wise up, and revolt against the system that makes money off of them, the NCAA crumbling will be a welcomed sight. If people are paying money to see an event these kids play in, with billions of dollars being exchanged for rights for broadcast/advertising, they can see more than just a free education. They can earn a paycheck too.

 

[jakobeast]

I think you are greatly overestimating the number of student athletes. combined in all schools they are a lot, but at a school like Purdue who has 38k students they have I think 550 student athletes. And the over all number of student athletes pales in comparison to the actual number of students.



Not to mention the percentage of student athletes who aren't there for the student part.

No doubt. I didn't mean to make it sound like everyone in a University was there because they play sports. Of those 550 you referenced, i wonder how many of those students wouldn't have had the chance to go in the first place.



Admittedly, I know zero about higher education. Never went there, save for to visit friends. I did spend a week with friends at ISU, and went to classes, but i got no credits. I did get an A on a paper that was assigned though.

 

[MassHavoc]

No doubt. I didn't mean to make it sound like everyone in a University was there because they play sports. Of those 550 you referenced, i wonder how many of those students wouldn't have had the chance to go in the first place.



Admittedly, I know zero about higher education. Never went there, save for to visit friends. I did spend a week with friends at ISU, and went to classes, but i got no credits. I did get an A on a paper that was assigned though.

You can bet a good number of those students would still be going to college if it wasn't for sports. Because of title IX AD's have been forced to hand out scholarships like candy in order to make up for the discrepancy in male to female relationship. Don't forget too that not ever student athlete gets a scholarship. They are disproportional based on sports. Basketball get's 13, but at a lot of schools Baseball only get's 13 as well. In college baseball you have rules regulating partial scholarships so that you can recruit kids and some get full rides and others only get partial rides. In some cases a kid will pick a school who gives them a partial scholie over a full ride to a lessar school.



Title IX really really fucks with college sports. If they just took the sports like football and wrestling out of the equation because their is no female equivalent, sports would be much better run and much more profitable.



If you want to read a really good article on how messed up it has made college sports read this: http://www.nytimes.c...tleix.html?_r=1

And this was published just a few weeks ago.



Here is the follow-up as well which is equally fucked. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/02/sports/02gender.html?ref=katiethomas

 

[PatrickSharpRules]

Hahah, Nader. I think most NCAA sports athletes should be paid.



Baylor's applicants and enrollment increased something like 10% in a horrible economy after their Final Four loss to Duke. After this years who knows what will happen. With that they also announced that tuition will rise after this year..... Don't give the kids who work there asses off for nothing but the school credit Nader.