2021 NCAA Football

Dan Murfman

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Maybe my assumption is wrong but they didn't join a conference when it's 4 teams so why join when it increases to 12. I guess not ever being able to a top 4 seed might be a reason but is it enough.
And it wouldn't shock me if the final language is top 6 conferences but top 4 rated teams get byes.
 
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gmogmo

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This is phenomenal for ND, and ends any talk of them ever joining a conference. Easy access every year, potential home playoff games every year instead of an extra game in a conference championship.
 

CFB_Rules

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Nov 29, 2016
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Rules changes for this season:

Teams must go for two starting with the 2nd OT period (Used to be 3rd). Teams will start running alternating two point tries if a 3rd OT is reached. This came from the monitoring equipment worn by the players during the game, showing that excessive overtimes really wore down the players.

They moved the team boxes too, which is funny because it seems like every school has turf fields and they will ALL now be incorrectly marked.

Finally, and take this with the biggest grain of salt imaginable, but the NCAA is instructing officials to flag any coach who comes onto the field to argue a call. The directive is "If he has a toe in the green, it's an automatic unsportsmanlike regardless of the reason". We'll see.
 

Awesome Fossum

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Jul 20, 2005
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I should probably bring this to TBLTS, but I figured I'd try here first. I am planning to go to the Air Force @ Boise State game on October 16. Does anyone have any experience attending or especially tailgating at Albertsons Stadium and have any tips to share? I'll be attending with non-sports fans, and showing them a good time at a tailgate (or equivalent) will make them resent me a lot less for insisting we go stare at the blue rug for three hours.

CCing @Tangled Up In Red and @ThePrideofShiner

Thank you for any help!
 

ThePrideofShiner

Crests prematurely
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Jul 16, 2005
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I should probably bring this to TBLTS, but I figured I'd try here first. I am planning to go to the Air Force @ Boise State game on October 16. Does anyone have any experience attending or especially tailgating at Albertsons Stadium and have any tips to share? I'll be attending with non-sports fans, and showing them a good time at a tailgate (or equivalent) will make them resent me a lot less for insisting we go stare at the blue rug for three hours.

CCing @Tangled Up In Red and @ThePrideofShiner

Thank you for any help!
I've actually never been to a Boise State game (I have a long history of hatred with that football team), but let me ask around and I'll get back to you.

There are two really good dive bars right across the street: The End Zone and Sud's Tavern. When I was in college in the area 20 years ago, The End Zone had old blue turf for a floor. It was awesome. I went back recently, though, and it is just lame wood floor now.
 

Tangled Up In Red

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Here is an on-point (and current) thread for your answer: https://247sports.com/college/boise-state/board/103542/Contents/oklahoma-state-fan-with-question--164696607/?page=1

Stadium is also not far (walkable) from downtown bars and restaurants, Basque block etc. Totally depends on what sort of experience you and our friends want to have...

And not that you asked, but expect Hank to win the QB battle (Sears has been battling a leg injury) and Steff Cobbs to win the 3rd wide-out spot.

edit: the above thread is more focused on where to stay (but has good info on tailgating, too), but this is the more specific (and shorter) current tailgate thread: https://247sports.com/college/boise-state/board/103542/Contents/pregame-tailgating-ideas-168994345/?page=1
You can also post on that board and get plenty of feedback.
 
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Awesome Fossum

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Jul 20, 2005
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I've actually never been to a Boise State game (I have a long history of hatred with that football team), but let me ask around and I'll get back to you.

There are two really good dive bars right across the street: The End Zone and Sud's Tavern. When I was in college in the area 20 years ago, The End Zone had old blue turf for a floor. It was awesome. I went back recently, though, and it is just lame wood floor now.
Here is an on-point (and current) thread for your answer: https://247sports.com/college/boise-state/board/103542/Contents/oklahoma-state-fan-with-question--164696607/?page=1

Stadium is also not far (walkable) from downtown bars and restaurants, Basque block etc. Totally depends on what sort of experience you and our friends want to have...

And not that you asked, but expect Hank to win the QB battle (Sears has been battling a leg injury) and Steff Cobbs to win the 3rd wide-out spot.

edit: the above thread is more focused on where to stay (but has good info on tailgating, too), but this is the more specific (and shorter) current tailgate thread: https://247sports.com/college/boise-state/board/103542/Contents/pregame-tailgating-ideas-168994345/?page=1
You can also post on that board and get plenty of feedback.
AMAZING. Thank you both so much!
 

RedOctober3829

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Jul 19, 2005
55,298
deep inside Guido territory
Scott Frost and the strength staff are in some hot water.
Nebraska’s football program and coach Scott Frost are under NCAA investigation for improper use of analysts and consultants during practices and games, sources told The Action Network.
The school, sources said, has “significant video footage” confirming the practice violations took place in the presence of Frost and other assistants.
Frost has obtained legal counsel, and the NCAA has interviewed Frost, multiple current and former staff members, administration and football players regarding the allegations, sources said. The allegations date back 12 months.
Also, last year — when the NCAA prohibited organized athletic activities because of the pandemic — Nebraska relocated its strength workouts to an undisclosed off-campus location to avoid detection by non-football school officials, sources said.
The unauthorized organized workouts were held at the direction of NU’s strength and conditioning staff, which was in direct violation of NCAA rules. It is unknown if the NCAA is investigating these specific allegations, a source said.
Among the possible NCAA penalties Nebraska could receive include Frost’s suspension for an unknown number of games, an NCAA source said. Nebraska opens the season at Illinois on Saturday, Aug. 28.
Coincidently, two of Nebraska’s staff members — analyst Jonathan Rutledge and chief of staff Gerrod Lambrecht — have left the program in the past eight months. It is unknown if these departures are related to the ongoing investigation.
“There were some egregious actions taken by the football program,” a source said.
The investigation and allegations compound Nebraska’s unfulfilled expectations under Frost, who is entering a critical season in his fourth year at his alma mater.
The NCAA’s investigation includes Nebraska’s impermissible use of analysts and consultants conducting and controlling drills pertaining to special teams.
Last year, Frost put Rutledge in charge of the special teams as the senior special teams analyst, even though Rutledge was not one of Nebraska’s 10 full-time on-field assistants. NCAA rules allow analysts to speak to assistants and the head coach, but analysts may not have direct contact with the players. This includes practices, film room hours and during games.
However, the school has significant video footage documenting the impermissible use of analysts and consultants while assistant coaches and Frost were on the field or on the sideline, sources said.
https://www.actionnetwork.com/ncaaf/nebraska-cornhuskers-football-coach-scott-frost-under-investigation-ncaa-violations?utm_source=article&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=brettmcmurphy
 
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cornwalls@6

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Apr 23, 2010
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Nit to pick with the AP - They have Notre Dame listed as a member of the ACC. They are back to independent status this year, with their normal limited affiliation with the ACC. But will not be playing in the conference championship game this year. That was a 2020 thing only.
 

SoxJox

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Dec 22, 2003
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Rock > SoxJox < Hard Place
Paul Zeiss of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has some very strong words for Penn State admin and James Franklin.

If I were Penn State President Eric Barron, I would have a very short, simple and one-sided conversation with Nittany Lions head football coach James Franklin at some point this week, and it would go something like this ...

“James, we love a lot of what you have done for our football program, and even though you have had a tough couple of weeks, we think you are still the man for the job. However, you are clearly not irreplaceable, and if you want to continue to be the coach at Penn State beyond this season, you need to make it very clear in a very public manner that you have no interest in leaving Penn State, no interest in the USC job, and no interest in the LSU or any other job.

“You will also make it clear that you will be the coach at Penn State next season and you will work your tail off to get the program back on track. Anything short of that, you better hope one of those two schools hire you, because we are done with your silly attempts to leverage us for a new contract.”

And then I would take no questions.
I am on the record of saying that I think James Franklin is a good football coach and that he has done a really good job at Penn State. I think he has built a program that is both strong and sustainable. I think he has recruited well, his kids never embarrass the university, they have a chance to play in the NFL and the team seems to play in big games every year (except maybe last year). There’s a lot to like about what he has done.

But at this point, he hasn’t come close to delivering what you would think he has delivered based on the way he talks, carries himself and conducts business. And most importantly, he hasn’t come close to making himself so irreplaceable that he can continue to play this game where he has these vaguely worded, non-denial denials about other jobs in order to gain leverage.
There is this notion that he somehow stepped into a disaster at Penn State and turned it all around and brought it out of the darkness of the Jerry Sandusky scandal. He didn’t. Bill O’Brien is the coach who had to follow Joe Paterno and somehow keep the program from becoming a dumpster fire in the wake of all that went on, and he did just that by going 15-9 and keeping things afloat in two seasons despite recruiting sanctions and everything else.

Franklin did do a good job of getting the program to the cusp of the next level, as he won 11 games in back-to-back years in his third and fourth seasons and even won the Big Ten title in 2016. But this is his eighth season as coach, and he has only produced a top-10 team (in the final AP poll) three times.

He has one division title (that led to a Big Ten title) and his record against Ohio State (1-6), Michigan (3-4) and Michigan State (3-4) is a combined 7-14. His record against ranked and top-10 opponents is abysmal as detailed in this article. In case you don’t want to take the time to read it, he is 2-9 in games against top-10 opponents (likely to be 2-10 after this weekend in Columbus), and both of those wins came in that magical 2016 season.

He is 65-30 overall and 40-25 in Big Ten games, and those numbers speak to a successful — but certainly not elite — coach, especially when you consider his record in big games and his relative lack of hardware. He is 9-7 in his last 16 games, and if Saturday’s Illinois disaster is any indication, Penn State is a threat to get beat in every game left on its schedule.
Ouch. But becoming ever more apparent.
 

SoxJox

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Issue with Franklin is the president is leaving and the AD likely isn't too far behind, and that's who brought him there.
Zeiss' article really does paint a sobering and honest picture. I had forgotten about Barron retiring, but you're right. Depending on who the new President is, s/he may want to bring in their own AD (although technically, Barbour is the Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics). She's 61 and coming up on having been in Happy Valley for 8 years. If the new prez offers to keep her around, I think she might want to stay and put her imprint on the new Beaver Stadium upgrades being discussed - her legacy, so to speak.

But you're right, it throws some potential shade on Franklin.
 

canderson

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Zeiss' article really does paint a sobering and honest picture. I had forgotten about Barron retiring, but you're right. Depending on who the new President is, s/he may want to bring in their own AD (although technically, Barbour is the Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics). She's 61 and coming up on having been in Happy Valley for 8 years. If the new prez offers to keep her around, I think she might want to stay and put her imprint on the new Beaver Stadium upgrades being discussed - her legacy, so to speak.

But you're right, it throws some potential shade on Franklin.
Barbour's done nothing for PSU athletics (well OK wrestling has regained its title but all of 25,000 nationwide realize that). I see no way she survives.
 

CamT092

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Nov 3, 2021
5
OSU has to be the best value this season sportsbetting3.com has them at +500 and still 3rd faves.
 

SoxJox

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Barbour's done nothing for PSU athletics (well OK wrestling has regained its title but all of 25,000 nationwide realize that). I see no way she survives.
This article , focusing on on-field results, would support that notion.

An excerpt:
In the seven years PRIOR to Barbour taking over at Penn State, Penn State won more conference championships than any other Big Ten program.

Big Ten Titles in the seven years prior to Barbour, from 2007/08 through 2013/14:

PSU: 31 1/2 championships, an average of 4 1/2 championships per year.

By comparison, over the same time period:
Michigan: 30 championships
OSU: 24 championships

* Finishing in a first place tie was recorded as “1/2” of a championship

In the seven years since Barbour was given the reins, how has Penn State Athletics done on the field?

Big Ten Titles in the seven years of Barbour’s reign, From 2014/15 through 2020/21:

PSU: 14, an average of 2 championships per year.

By comparison, over the same time period:
OSU: 34
Michigan: 33

And, aside from the drastic decline in championships won, of the 27 Big Ten Sports in which Penn State competes:

– 5 have improved under Barbour
– 19 have declined under Barbour
Three sports were not in existence as Big Ten sports prior to Barbour (Men’s and Women’s Lacrosse – which began Big Ten play in 2014-2015, and Ice Hockey – which formed a Big Ten conference in 2013-2014)

And, in the recently completed 2020-21 season, Penn State had their least competitive season in the 30 years since joining the Big Ten – with an average placing, in the 27 Big Ten sports in which Penn State competes, of 7th out of 11 (not all schools participate in all Big Ten sports).
And this article. focusing on student-athlete academic performance, would just be piling on.

A snippet:
In the seven years PRIOR to Barbour taking over, Penn State consistently placed second among Big Ten Universities, and first among the Big Ten Public Universities, in Graduation Success Rate (Northwestern, a private school, was #1 every year).

Penn State ranked second, behind only Northwestern, four times. Twice ranked third, and once ranked fourth.

In the seven years since Barbour was given the reins, how has Penn State Athletics done in the classroom?

Under Barbour, PSU’s BEST finish was fifth – three times – which is worse than any year before Barbour – and sixth the other three years.
That's just as, if not more, sobering than the Zeiss article on Franklin.
 
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SoxJox

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Perhaps quieting the rampant speculation of a move to USC, James Franklin signs 10-year extension with Penn State.

Under the new contract, Franklin will make $7.5 million through base salary, supplemental pay and an annual retention bonus. Franklin will also receive an annual loan of $1 million for a life insurance policy through the entirety of the contract.

He will have built-in incentives throughout to add additional income, including $350,000 for winning the Big Ten championship game, $400,000 for making the College Football Playoff and $800,000 for winning a national championship.

Franklin's buyout will start at $12 million prior to April 1, 2022. It will reduce to $8 million through Dec. 31, 2022, $6 million in 2023, $2 million in 2024 and 2025 and $1 million from calendar year 2026 to 2030.
I read elsewhere that under his current contract, he also gets 50 hours of private jet time (ostensibly to support recruiting). I imagine that will be included as well.
 

SMU_Sox

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Meanwhile Sonny Dykes is going to sign with TCU shortly after the season. I am at a loss. It's really frustrating. The Big12 passes us up and once again we have yet another successful coach plucked by a P5 school. Even worse it is our RIVAL! And so the cycle continues. Every time SMU starts to gain footing this shit happens. The American Athletic Conference looked like it might actually be better than the ACC this year in football and... our top teams are leaving. SMU of course is passed up. SMU finds another HC who leads them to consistent winning seasons and... he leaves for a P5 program. Just makes me sad, angry, and so fucking frustrated. To add insult to injury the fans are finally showing up. We have packed stadiums now.
As for the replacement: Rhett Lashlee. I can't complain - he's an excellent OC. But can he also do what Dykes did with the transfer portal and with recruitment? I sure hope so.
 

DJnVa

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Dec 16, 2010
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There are 83 bowl eligible teams and 82 bowl slots.

Someone is going to be disappointed.
 

Humphrey

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You'd think with coaching changes, travel issues, exams (yeah, I know, that's a bit of a stretch in most cases),covid, etc. that one of those 83 would say "no thank you".
 

DJnVa

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Dec 16, 2010
53,841
Everyone gets a trophy!
Well, a bowl game got cancelled this season (San Francisco Bowl) so originally there would have been enough.

And, to kids at the smaller schools, going to any bowl game is a big deal.
 

canderson

Mr. Brightside
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Jul 16, 2005
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Quinn Ewers, the #1 recruit last year that left HS school early to go to Ohio State and had a $1m NIL deal, is entering the transfer portal.

Texas could use him. I’m not that lucky.
 

DJnVa

Dorito Dawg
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Dec 16, 2010
53,841
Quinn Ewers, the #1 recruit last year that left HS school early to go to Ohio State and had a $1m NIL deal, is entering the transfer portal.

Texas could use him. I’m not that lucky.
Early rumors are his top 3 are Texas, Texas Tech, and Texas A&M.
 

Brand Name

make hers mark
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Oct 6, 2010
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Moving the Line
Look to be eyeing $100k a year
I’ve heard the long term plan a few years out is much much more than this, even for backups.

I am currently in Atlanta, will be there in person for Alabama-Georgia, seated just behind the Tide sideline. I just don’t see how an inconsistent OL beyond Evan Neal at LT handles the likes of Jordan Davis consistently. But I also question how much Georgia has faced such a line as Alabama’s. It’s going to be a tough, fought out war as I see it, a throwback to when defenses ruled this conference.

Still remarkable to me for Bama this snaps a 92 game streak of being favored by Vegas, the longest such occurrence since 1978. The last time they weren’t? 2015. Against Georgia too. And that went rather swimmingly, a 38-10 smashing in Athens.
 

Ale Xander

Hamilton
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Oct 31, 2013
72,437
I’ve heard the long term plan a few years out is much much more than this, even for backups.

I am currently in Atlanta, will be there in person for Alabama-Georgia, seated just behind the Tide sideline. I just don’t see how an inconsistent OL beyond Evan Neal at LT handles the likes of Jordan Davis consistently. But I also question how much Georgia has faced such a line as Alabama’s. It’s going to be a tough, fought out war as I see it, a throwback to when defenses ruled this conference.

Still remarkable to me for Bama this snaps a 92 game streak of being favored by Vegas, the longest such occurrence since 1978. The last time they weren’t? 2015. Against Georgia too. And that went rather swimmingly, a 38-10 smashing in Athens.
When they last time they lost as an underdog? The late aughts against Tebow I’m assuming?
 

canderson

Mr. Brightside
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Jul 16, 2005
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Harrisburg, Pa.
I’ve heard the long term plan a few years out is much much more than this, even for backups.

I am currently in Atlanta, will be there in person for Alabama-Georgia, seated just behind the Tide sideline. I just don’t see how an inconsistent OL beyond Evan Neal at LT handles the likes of Jordan Davis consistently. But I also question how much Georgia has faced such a line as Alabama’s. It’s going to be a tough, fought out war as I see it, a throwback to when defenses ruled this conference.

Still remarkable to me for Bama this snaps a 92 game streak of being favored by Vegas, the longest such occurrence since 1978. The last time they weren’t? 2015. Against Georgia too. And that went rather swimmingly, a 38-10 smashing in Athens.
The initial pledge is $10 million.
 

Average Reds

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Is the NCAA really going to be able to keep it's "Non Profit" status if the bag men are able to pay the players at big time schools 100k+/year?
You have asked this before and I am puzzled as to why you are confused about the fact that players being compensated is utterly and completely unrelated to whether the governing body is considered a non-profit.

Player compensation will not have any impact on the NCAA's non-profit status. Nor will it change the non-profit status of any member institution.
 

axx

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Jul 16, 2005
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You have asked this before and I am puzzled as to why you are confused about the fact that players being compensated is utterly and completely unrelated to whether the governing body is considered a non-profit.
Not confused, I think the NCAA should absolutely lose their non-profit status if the players are going to get paid. Even if it's mostly indirectly. Despite all the money flowing in, you could argue that it's still amateur sports if the players aren't getting paid. It's going to become no different than any of the minor or indie leagues in other sports.

And IMO the NCAA being concerned about losing it is one of the big reasons why they've fought so hard against players getting paid and sanctioned schools in the past for trying to do so under the table.
 

Awesome Fossum

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I'm not a tax or legal expert, but a non-profit is just an entity that does not aim to generate a profit for the owners. Collegiate players no longer being amateurs is not relevant. The NFL was a non-profit until like five years ago, and they only gave it up for PR reasons. The NHL still is, I think.
 

Average Reds

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Not confused, I think the NCAA should absolutely lose their non-profit status if the players are going to get paid. Even if it's mostly indirectly. Despite all the money flowing in, you could argue that it's still amateur sports if the players aren't getting paid. It's going to become no different than any of the minor or indie leagues in other sports.

And IMO the NCAA being concerned about losing it is one of the big reasons why they've fought so hard against players getting paid and sanctioned schools in the past for trying to do so under the table.
Did some quick searching, as I knew we had addressed this subject before.

Let me suggest that you revisit this post from two+ years ago. It’s very long, detailed and provides expert opinions on the subject. It also ends with this summary:

Uncle Sam still has plenty of love for the colleges and universities that play major college sports, and the odds of schools, or even the NCAA, paying taxes are, and will remain, basically nil, even if schools forgo collusion and compete with respect to athlete compensation.
Is there a chance that the NCAA loses a portion of their tax-exempt status due to player compensation? Yes. Will it lead to a complete revocation of their status as a tax-exempt organization? No. Will it result in the NCAA owning more taxes? Almost certainly not.
 

Time to Mo Vaughn

RIP Dernell
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Mar 24, 2008
7,204
Not confused, I think the NCAA should absolutely lose their non-profit status if the players are going to get paid. Even if it's mostly indirectly. Despite all the money flowing in, you could argue that it's still amateur sports if the players aren't getting paid. It's going to become no different than any of the minor or indie leagues in other sports.

And IMO the NCAA being concerned about losing it is one of the big reasons why they've fought so hard against players getting paid and sanctioned schools in the past for trying to do so under the table.
I'm not sure what you think the correlation is between players getting paid and non profit status.

Do you think the employees at Dana Farber should all be unpaid? How about the fact that NCAA coaches are paid?
 

canderson

Mr. Brightside
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Jul 16, 2005
39,430
Harrisburg, Pa.
Heisman finalists:

— Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson
— Pitt’s Kenny Pickett
— Ohio St’s C.J. Stroud
— Alabama’s Bryce Young

Will Anderson deserved an invite IMO
 

Cellar-Door

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Aug 1, 2006
34,460
I'm not sure what you think the correlation is between players getting paid and non profit status.

Do you think the employees at Dana Farber should all be unpaid? How about the fact that NCAA coaches are paid?
I would guess he's referring not to whether the employees are paid, but what the "Exempt purpose" of the NCAA is under 501(c)3. (see the list here: https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/charitable-organizations/exempt-purposes-internal-revenue-code-section-501c3).

One of the valid purposes is "fostering amateur athletic competition" (added in 1976, specifically to protect college sports), that could no longer be used if players were paid, and the argument would be that while the members of the NCAA (ie colleges) have their own non-profit purpose (education), the NCAA itself would no longer have an exempt purpose.

Of course practically it doesn't really matter, because there will be politics and selective enforcement involved., they'd get some new carveout built.

But the NCAA with paid players would not be comparable to Dana Farber, because Dana Farber's exempt purpose is unrelated to it's employee's status, the NCAA's non-profit status is based specifically on amateur sport, once they got paid it wouldn't be amateur sport anymore.

Edit- should mention that endorsement deals aren't salary, and technically you can make a whole lot of money while still being "an amateur", so it really only effects the NCAA if they go to salaries or profit-sharing.