College athletics is an industry, albeit an unrecognized one. By hiding their true mission statement colleges and universities, particularly in NCAA Division 1, may think they are fooling the public, but they are mistaken. The hypocrisy of the system is appalling and it is time that something is done about it.
If one thinks that the athletic department is anything other than the most important arm of the Development Office and Alumni Relations, they are missing the point. As we found with Penn State, the Athletic Department raised perhaps as much as $70,000,000 a year for the institution. Penn State is in the company of every college or university with a major athletic program.
In order to, “level the playing field,” as the saying goes, I have a modest proposal. The Athletic Department should be an academic division. The AD would become The Athletic Dean and under his aegis, the Dean would have a bevy of professors, some tenured. For example, there would be an Associate Professor of Linebackers, an Assistant Professor of Power Forwards, or The Bart Starr Professor of Quarterbacks. All their work would be overseen, just as in the academic world, by the Department Chair. The Professor of Football, Basketball, Ping Pong, or whatever would report to the Dean. They would be salaried according to their rank, just like the real world.
How would the student athlete fit into this new academic system? They would be faculty at the Instructor level. Who would they be teaching? The fans, who pay astronomical ticket prices, would be the students. There would be two levels of instructors: Those who have no intention of getting an education and go through the sham of a major in Playground Administration (there really is such a program) and a second level who take courses toward a real academic degree.
The salaries for these two types of instructors would be set so the playground administrator group was paid more than the academic group who would get a tuition-free ride in lieu of a higher paycheck. Benefits would have to be paid to both groups, including a “retirement” plan. Everyone knows of the talented athlete who gave everything to ‘ol Siwash U only to be shown the door at the end of his usefulness. Can’t read, can’t write, can’t balance a check book, but he might have been a powerful presence on the field. Health benefits would be mandatory and many former athletes have great need at an early age because of orthopedic injury or brain damage, a problem that is just beginning to be recognized in football.
A special word about the Department Heads: Nick Sabin, Chair of Football at University of Alabama, was reported by USA Today to have a salary package this year of $5,476,735. When a sportscaster had the temerity to ask him if he was worth that, the Professor got a misty look in his eyes before he answered–bless his heart–honestly, “Probably not.” His team did manage to beat archrival Auburn 49-0 this year, so The Tide Faithful (the students) no doubt think he’s worth every cent. His rival Professor at Auburn, Gene Chizik, won the national championship two years ago but losing to Alabama after dismal season was too much. He is fortunate that he didn’t receive the death penalty; they just fired him with a monthly stipend of $208,334 for the next 36 years, a total of 7.5 million dollars. Not a lot of English professors get a separation package quite that generous.
Then, of course, there’s the realignment of the conferences. That’s all about money, not regional or school loyalty. We might have to adjust to having UCLA in the ACC . . . offer them a $100,000,000 carrot and they’ll be right here.
This may sound like a diatribe against sports; it isn’t. If institutions want to pay that kind of money to bring $100,000,000 of revenue to their school, then it’s probably a good business decision. I would just like it to be more honest, call it what it is, and be fairer to the players. One shudders to think about the “boot camp” mentality and all they endure. After all, that’s who we come to watch, not the coaches. If the players do their best, we get our money’s worth, even if they aren’t world class.
There is so much under-the-table dealing that there must be a national office to govern it. That’s purportedly what the NCAA does, but many more are guilty than are caught. We need to keep the NCAA but they should clean up the inequities that make multimillionaires out of a few at the expense of many. I suspect we would still pay a $100 a ticket, particularly if a portion of it was tax deductible as a charitable contribution to the school.
Just a thought, but totally unlikely that anything will change. Maryland in the Big Ten? Notre Dame right here on Tobacco Row? What’s the world coming to!
– Hayden Hollingsworth
