NCAA vote is bad, bad news for the MVC

[ptownbraves]

I'm not sure how many MVC players were recruited by a top 5 school, but this will definitely be one more selling point if the smaller schools don't get on board. For example, if you are a Josh Cunningham trying to decide between Bradley and Indiana, and you might not get a ton of playing time your first couple years at Indiana, you can at least take comfort in knowing you have these additional benefits. That takes away good talent from smaller revenue conferences. The big money schools are forcing the smaller ones to keep up or get left in the dust.

[MoValley John]

I'm not sure how many MVC players were recruited by a top 5 school, but this will definitely be one more selling point if the smaller schools don't get on board. For example, if you are a Josh Cunningham trying to decide between Bradley and Indiana, and you might not get a ton of playing time your first couple years at Indiana, you can at least take comfort in knowing you have these additional benefits. That takes away good talent from smaller revenue conferences. The big money schools are forcing the smaller ones to keep up or get left in the dust.

Yep. And the rule that will allow transfers without penalty will make it easy for a power 5 school to pick up on just about any kid they overlooked. If a kid shines as a UMKC, suddenly, he gets a paycheck, full health insurance, other spiffs, plus he no longer needs to sit out. The Missouri Tigers gain is The Kangaroos loss. Iowa and Iowa State would never do that to UNI, though. No worries here!!!

[Wufan]

While I agree with John, this could help schools obtain a better standing with recruits. If, for instance, UNI decided to pay players a premium, they could also "outbid" schools like Ball State for instance.

[MoValley John]

While I agree with John, this could help schools obtain a better standing with recruits. If, for instance, UNI decided to pay players a premium, they could also "outbid" schools like Ball State for instance.

True. But can the kid UNI steals from Ball State replace the guy Iowa stole from UNI? The key to this whole thing is being able to keep up with the pay scale that the power 5 will eventually adopt. As far as football goes, the gap between the power five and everybody else is now a canyon that even Evel Knievel can't jump.

[Aargh]

There's another little kicker in the whole equation. Don't forget the judicial ruling that football players can form unions. That strikes terror in the hearts of the NCAA and the P5 conferences. They see it as critical that student-athletes remain classified as amateur student-athletes. If athletes are re-classified as employees, EVERYTHING changes, and not in a good way for the NCAA and athletic departments.

I think every new "rule" adopted will be crafted in a way that an argument can be maintained that student-athletes are students first, as opposed to hired and paid for athletes.

As far as insurance goes, I was surprised when insurance was in the discussion. How can athletic departments possibly not have insurance coverage for athletes? I can't imagine forcing an inner-city family to cover the deductibles and co-pays on an athletic injury. I also don't want college athletes included in the basis for determining my insurance rates. Let the schools cover the cost of athletic injuries. You KNOW they're going to happen - and they're not cheap when they happen.

[MoValley John]

There's another little kicker in the whole equation. Don't forget the judicial ruling that football players can form unions. That strikes terror in the hearts of the NCAA and the P5 conferences. They see it as critical that student-athletes remain classified as amateur student-athletes. If athletes are re-classified as employees, EVERYTHING changes, and not in a good way for the NCAA and athletic departments.

I think every new "rule" adopted will be crafted in a way that an argument can be maintained that student-athletes are students first, as opposed to hired and paid for athletes.

As far as insurance goes, I was surprised when insurance was in the discussion. How can athletic departments possibly not have insurance coverage for athletes? I can't imagine forcing an inner-city family to cover the deductibles and co-pays on an athletic injury. I also don't want college athletes included in the basis for determining my insurance rates. Let the schools cover the cost of athletic injuries. You KNOW they're going to happen - and they're not cheap when they happen.

Schools cover some, but far from all insurance. Part of the Power 5 movement will be to cover 100%. That may seem like something all schools should be doing now, but that isn't the case. Can the UNI'S of the world afford to cover all expenses up to the NCAA catastrophic threshold?
http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2012/02/college_athletes_rights_ncaa_r.html

[mvcfan]

It will be interesting when New York, Massachussetts, Illinois, California, etc. begin taxing the pay of athletes including college tuition/books, food income, and income produced from advertisements/marketing endorsements that are enhanced by university exposure.

[rally]

I wouldn't be surprised if the A-10 splinters over this, and I could see Wichita (and others) try and figure out a setup that gets all the best basketball-onlies together.

I'd fully expect the A10 to enact any new policy in order to remain competitive. Those programs have already made the commitments to basketball. I'd expect any splintering to come from the lower level conferences.

[purple&orange]

Granted it's football related but I wonder about the chatter of the Big 5 as they are calling themselves as some want to only play one another now that there is a playoff and SOS is involved. The administrators and fanbases seem to want to exclude everyone, however when their favorite school is 4-8 and missing a bowl instead of 6-6 with an easier conference schedule, it'll be interesting to see what comes of it as they may not like some of those consequences they are clamoring for.

A healthy conference should have membership that has the ability top to bottom to compete for championships. Someone has to finish last. A key part of that is financial, especially under the current rule changes where the ability to cover additional aspects are in play.

Resources don't always equate success and one thing that The Valley has done a pretty good job of in the past is making the most of what they have, now that may have to be tweaked a little bit in a new era. I do believe that this will continue and no matter the rules that are in play, what a school can or will not provide, they'll find a way to compete.

[MoValley John]

It's all sunshine and lollipops in Cedar Falls. Nothing to see here, folks.
http://mweb.cbssports.com/ncaaf/writer/dennis-dodd/24653888/obannon-decision-signals-the-end-of-the-collegiate-model?v=1&vc=1

From the article: In an ultimate irony, an organization that fights so hard against recruits being paid under the table on the front end will have to pay them legally on the back end. And if the whole thing goes through as presented Friday, look for another round of mind-bending, tradition-crushing conference realignment.

The elite of the elite will cluster together.


Yep, it's just a couple of posters from Omaha....