March Madness
CBS Sports has got the March Madness and they've got it bad. The television network will make $600 million from their coverage of this month's NCAA men's basketball tournament. They're charging a million dollars for each 30-second advertisement that will air during the Final Four on Saturday and during Monday's championship game. Television executives, NCAA officials, coaches, gambling houses, clothing and sneaker manufacturers all get rich off the event, but the players we watch on the court get paid nothing.
The "student-athlete," whom we worship for his or her competitive purity, doesn't need to get paid. So says NCAA president Myles Brand. This is because said athletes are not in the business of "making profits for owners and shareholders," according to Brand, who makes the ridiculous claim that the current policy prevents the athletes from being "commercially exploited." Hmm, ok. No exploitation, but unpaid labor is fine. He's not even accurate about the commercial exploitation. Nike has run a series of TV ads during this year's tournament that recalls great moments from tournament history, but the players appearing in these vintage videos aren't getting a dime from Nike. If we wanted to really get serious about ending the commercial exploitation of the participants, we'd have to take away the television cameras.
It's all a sweet arrangement for the Ohio State University Athletic Department, to name only one. They just sold their sports media (marketing, TV, and radio) rights this week for $110 million. The school's Athletic Director, Gene Smith, who was the AD at Iowa State during my study there, says the deal should keep 36 of Ohio State's sports in operation for 10 years. I should say so. $110 million can pay for a lot of sporting equipment and bus trips.
Basketball coaches are always telling us how courageous their players are. The week leading up to the Final Four would actually be the perfect time for a group of principled, courageous players from the four participating teams to make a very public stand and stage a walk-out. Students demonstrate for social change every day in this country. There's no reason that high-profile athletes in their ranks should feel excluded from the opportunity.
The "student-athlete," whom we worship for his or her competitive purity, doesn't need to get paid. So says NCAA president Myles Brand. This is because said athletes are not in the business of "making profits for owners and shareholders," according to Brand, who makes the ridiculous claim that the current policy prevents the athletes from being "commercially exploited." Hmm, ok. No exploitation, but unpaid labor is fine. He's not even accurate about the commercial exploitation. Nike has run a series of TV ads during this year's tournament that recalls great moments from tournament history, but the players appearing in these vintage videos aren't getting a dime from Nike. If we wanted to really get serious about ending the commercial exploitation of the participants, we'd have to take away the television cameras.
It's all a sweet arrangement for the Ohio State University Athletic Department, to name only one. They just sold their sports media (marketing, TV, and radio) rights this week for $110 million. The school's Athletic Director, Gene Smith, who was the AD at Iowa State during my study there, says the deal should keep 36 of Ohio State's sports in operation for 10 years. I should say so. $110 million can pay for a lot of sporting equipment and bus trips.
Basketball coaches are always telling us how courageous their players are. The week leading up to the Final Four would actually be the perfect time for a group of principled, courageous players from the four participating teams to make a very public stand and stage a walk-out. Students demonstrate for social change every day in this country. There's no reason that high-profile athletes in their ranks should feel excluded from the opportunity.
posted by CM @ 11:16 AM
5 Comments:
Let's start with the fact that probably more than 95% of the players in college basketball will never get paid for playing the sport - they're simply not good enough. But all of them get free room and board, free tuition, free equipment and training, and free tuition. And those that don't leave early for the NBA get to leave with a nice college degree, which doubles their earnings power over their lifetime.
Gee - I wish I had been "exploited" by the NCAA. These $300/month student loan payments for the next 25 years are a real drag.
Then how about this deal? Your employer agrees to pay your $300/month student loan payments for the next 25 years, but you get no income.
...and a bonus: they pay for all of your work-related travel, you have free access year-round to the company workout facility, and every year you get two free pairs of high-top wingtips.
I'm not sure I understand your comments? Your original post said these players are playing the sport for nothing while the revenue earned off their effort gets the school, coaches, etc. millions. My rebuttal was that they ARE getting an income in the form of free education (which again, is more than fair compensation for the majority of players - the superstars may be exploited, but only for a year or two until they go to the NBA).
Fewer rules and free market principles would solve this problem. Throw away the NCAA rule book and alumni and local businesses would line the pockets of the student athletes.
TA
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