August 28th, 2023 at 3:45 PM ^
I think the NCAA is just sitting there eating the crayons and shitting its diaper.
August 28th, 2023 at 3:14 PM ^
Thank you, Coach Harbaugh, for standing up for the athletes who do the work, who make the sacrifices, in order to entertain us year after year. College athletes, like the rest of America's workers, are finally waking up to the fact they are the TALENT that makes everything possible, and that need to share equitably in the revenues of their business.
August 28th, 2023 at 3:27 PM ^
I haven't listened to his comments (at work.) Did he suggest a percentage? The pro sports leagues are near 50%.
It could be argued that there already is some revenue sharing, in the form of room, board, and tuition. By my very rough calculations, the players at UofM are getting around 6% of revenues. It's likely quite a bit higher at schools that aren't Michigan. Regardless, my question remains. What percentage? If he's suggesting on par with the pros, that will make the players millionaires (~$2M/player over a 4 year career.) That will also destroy non-revenue sports. What is the university's mission? I've forgotten.
August 28th, 2023 at 3:37 PM ^
I don’t know how this happens without the top teams eventually breaking away from the NCAA. The top revenue generating programs are not going to want to share with the UMass/NMSUs of the world.
August 28th, 2023 at 4:31 PM ^
Non-revenue sports will be subsidized by the university as they are at most schools.
August 28th, 2023 at 5:22 PM ^
All of them? We already don’t support women’s hockey at the varsity level. At a simplistic view of Title IX, we really should be. Varsity hockey is offered to men. Varsity hockey is not offered to women.
Do you think the department heads are going to look kindly on their budgets being reduced to support rowing?
August 29th, 2023 at 10:18 AM ^
When it’s time to share revenues with players then the university’s mission comes into play? It wasn’t a concern before?
August 28th, 2023 at 3:34 PM ^
I fully support what Harbaugh is saying, but is he really proposing to give up some of the over-$7-million-a-year he's making under the current system? If not, it doesn't seem like a particularly courageous stance to take. It's always easy to give away other people's money.
August 28th, 2023 at 3:41 PM ^
Really? You're gonna say this? Harbaugh gave up $1.5 million in incentive earnings after the 2021 season to University employees who had their salaries cut during covid.
With Harbaugh - Money? Meet mouth.
August 28th, 2023 at 4:32 PM ^
Considering that the program generates well over $100 million why would he need to take a paycut?
August 28th, 2023 at 3:39 PM ^
Once again Harbaugh playing chess while the NCAA plays checkers.
August 28th, 2023 at 4:18 PM ^
You know you're dealing with a corrupt organization when suggesting doing the fair and honest thing is seen as taking a shot.
August 28th, 2023 at 4:42 PM ^
Good for Harbaugh. Although every time this issue arises, I feel like no one ever addresses who really benefits from not paying football & hoops players. Yes, the NCAA is a racket, but hands down the biggest benefactors from not paying "student athletes" are actually other student athletes... (from non-revenue sports).
Instead the blame is always placed on things like coaches salaries, facilities, nebulous accusations of Athletic Department waste...etc. Yet NFL teams have expensive coaches & facilities (more or less), and the players actually benefit from good coaches and facilities. The Detroit Lions do not have a Men's swim team, a Women's field hockey team, plus another 30 other sports all as line items.
My biggest concern is that by not mentioning that other student athletes are the biggest leaches here, and we then proceed to pay players... I'm afraid *Academic* institutions will increasingly subsidize sports, (at the expense of research, lowering tuition, or you know... academics).
August 28th, 2023 at 6:31 PM ^
Most schools do so already. It’s only a relatively few who do not subsidize their sports programs.
August 28th, 2023 at 10:59 PM ^
Correct, I remember reading a few years ago that most of these subsidies are in the millions per year. The accounting can get a bit messy, but it still amounts to academic institutions investing millions into non-revenue sports (that regular students don't even attend).
August 28th, 2023 at 6:54 PM ^
The universities could still support non rev sports if they didn't intentionally waste money on ridiculous facility upgrades and AD admin positions. All it comes down to is realigning the budget priorities. Instead of building 3 story indoor waterfalls, you shift some money to the players. No NFL teams have player only laser tag facilities. No NFL teams have recording studios or waterfall rooms.
August 28th, 2023 at 11:17 PM ^
I assume you mean Athletic Departments (not Universities) could still support non rev sports. My argument is that Universities shouldn't subsidize things like Lacrosse & Gymnastics, but should focus on students & academics.
If you pay fball and hoops players a sizable chunk (which they deserve), no way that's gonna all come from a few downgrades in facilities and AD positions. Universities are already subsidizing. Also, you need a lot less AD overhead when you eliminate the marketing, scheduling, maintenance, facilities...etc. of 30+ teams. Plus, I feel like you're just thinking of those top tier 5-10 programs... how many Big 12 or ACC teams have record studios?
August 29th, 2023 at 10:25 AM ^
Don’t blame the other student athletes for this mess. Let the players who generate all the revenue have a piece of it. It’s simple.
August 29th, 2023 at 11:23 AM ^
Yeah definitely not that simple. 2 sports make big money, 30-40 sports are all in the red, academic institutions already dump millions into ADs. When it comes to balance sheets it is a bit of a zero sum game. Plus, right now it feels like hoops and football players are subsidizing rich kids sports like hockey, lacrosse, golf...etc. What's wrong with requiring them to break even?
August 29th, 2023 at 2:05 PM ^
"What's wrong with requiring them to break even?"
It means they cease to exist. None of those sports has the ability to break even.
August 29th, 2023 at 6:11 PM ^
I’m aware this would largely be the case. I don’t see it as a problem for students, or the public if they get relegated to varsity/club sport or canceled all together.
August 28th, 2023 at 5:38 PM ^
A Freep article on this showed up on Google News (no I will not link). The headline is super passive-aggressive, even for them:
Amid suspension news, Michigan's Jim Harbaugh delivers 6-minute monologue about revenue sharing
Oh what a scandal that Harbaugh is talking about players being fairly compensated for the labor they produce when he really should have been focused on #burgergate. Oh the humanity.
August 28th, 2023 at 6:00 PM ^
He’s the best. A true teacher and coach
August 28th, 2023 at 6:17 PM ^
Jim Harbaugh said those advocating for the voiceless often have their integrity attacked. He has advocated for voiceless athletes, and the NCAA has attacked his integrity. His message cannot be any clearer.
August 28th, 2023 at 6:49 PM ^
In principle, it is tough to argue against it. But at my institution, there is no meaningful profit left to share. I serve on the athletic committee, and we struggle to find the money to pay for non-revenue sports. Only three sports show modest profits -- FB, MBB, and Hockey. What will we do with the rest? Let's not forget Title IX.
One of the members suggested that all athletes should become employees of a non-profit organization run by the conference. Then, a share of profits will go into this org to be shared with players. This will allow alums and corporations to contribute to the org, too. Also, this will get around Title IX. There are other proposals, but the fact is that the pool of money is small for most of the schools in our conference. If we decide to share the profits based on the sport, then many non-revenue sports will have to be shut down.
I am not saying that it cannot be done, but it requires tough negotiations with multiple parties, each having significant incentives to keep the current system in place. These negotiations must create a larger pool of money for all schools & players.
August 28th, 2023 at 7:17 PM ^
Title IX is the mountain in the way of revenue sharing. Few want to openly discuss this because of the potential fissures it creates.
The profitable sports should be able to pay their players. The non-revenue sports…well..
This is going to force us to reckon with the fact that most women’s(and many men’s ) sports do not attract sufficient attention to generate revenue to fund the sport equitably. Universities will have to support the teams from general fund(which most do already).
When I interned in EMU’s athletic department in the early 00’s I would be at women’s basketball and soccer and see a crowd of few hundred at most. I felt so bad for the ladies as they were as intense and dedicated as the men(Suzy Merchant was a nice lady)yet they drew so much less attention than the men. EMU women were better than the men too.
August 28th, 2023 at 11:28 PM ^
My man. Hai ragione.
August 28th, 2023 at 11:31 PM ^
Although to be fair, there are plenty of mens sports that lose money too. Even Michigan hockey is in the red. But Title IX def does make this more contentious.
August 28th, 2023 at 9:48 PM ^
Fire Warde
August 28th, 2023 at 10:40 PM ^
As I read the comments one of the big issues seems to be how to fairly pay the non-revenue sports….I’d say maybe the universities stop using their ever increasing dollars from rising tuition prices to help fund the non-revenue sports as an extension of an athlete’s athletic scholarship. Give them a little spending money while they are dedicating their time to studies and practice, and little else.
This seems like a better use of university funding than paying out useless administrators and bureaucratic positions that are a drain and cancer to nearly every university out there. Cut many of those “jobs” out and suddenly there is money to fund athletes who can’t afford basic rent and food while working hard to represent your school athletically.
Let the football and Bball players who do bring in revenue for the university from TV contracts and ticket sales profit handsomely. Give them a sort of “league minimum”, even the walk ons, and let them agree to new contract terms every year based on the previous year’s body of work. And if they have a sudden senior breakout season, allow them to be compensated for their level of play on the field/court after the season and their college playing career is over. Maybe instead of helmet stickers and awards, they can get dolla bills.
my 2 cents.
Harbaugh is a badass.
August 28th, 2023 at 10:59 PM ^
If universities are going to pay the players, then it seems to me they need to divide those payment dollars equally among all the student athletes, men and women, due to Title IX.
Maybe the TV companies could create their own NIL, which would pay the revenue athletes (more).
August 28th, 2023 at 11:44 PM ^
Universities pay the non-revenue based off excess tuition dollars based off of cutting back administration in a big way. Revenue sports players get paid from the massive contract money and ticket sales, like any other entertainer of people would.
August 28th, 2023 at 11:01 PM ^
OK, I’ve watched his speech. It’s a fascinating idea that should be taken seriously.
I wonder what percentage share of the revenue is reasonable. I wonder how the “sharing” is to be done. Does Michigan take its revenue and share with just the football players? Does Michigan share revenues with its conference partners? Does Michigan share with its fellow FBS schools?
Say, for example, Michigan takes its $200M revenue (ballpark numbers for the sake of argument,) and shares 50% with the players. $100M divided by 100 players. Come to Michigan and earn $1M annually.
Now, look at Purdue. Take their $100M, share 50% with 100 players. $500K per annum. Where are the best players going to go? The same places they are going now, only now everything is above board. Cynically, I can see an angle where of course Jim Harbaugh wants revenue sharing. But he’s cut from a different cloth. I can see him advocating for a more even distribution of revenues and let the teams and coaches settle it on the field without some schools having huge built-in advantages.
I think his vision of the future is where the sport is headed. What remains to be seen is how fast it gets there.
August 29th, 2023 at 7:48 AM ^
His vision is where it SHOULD be headed but...NCAA..will the suits do anything other than stuff their pockets and hunt for the cheeseburglar.
August 28th, 2023 at 11:16 PM ^
There's not a single coach who likes the NIL/Transfer Portal model. NIL itself isn't bad, but the idea that coaches can't have anything to do with it is insane because everyone knows coaches aren't going to obey that.
I think if you polled FBS coaches it'd be 95% "please for the love of God let us sign the guys to contracts so I don't have to re-recruit my entire roster every goddang offseason"
August 29th, 2023 at 7:38 AM ^
Where’s Michigan Realist to applaud this, I mean he says he’s a super fan from all the way back in the 70’s. Dumb ass troll!
anyways! This is amazing, once again Jim is trying to do what’s best for athletes, and if every school has an equal revenue percentage they must divide between all athletes, Michigan will be near the top for payouts to student athletes, which would bring in a massive amount of talent, which would bring in more money, then more talent, then even more money, then even more better talent!!
oh never mind this will never happen because the NCAA is run by idiots.
August 29th, 2023 at 7:38 AM ^
Where’s Michigan Realist to applaud this, I mean he says he’s a super fan from all the way back in the 70’s. Dumb ass troll!
anyways! This is amazing, once again Jim is trying to do what’s best for athletes, and if every school has an equal revenue percentage they must divide between all athletes, Michigan will be near the top for payouts to student athletes, which would bring in a massive amount of talent, which would bring in more money, then more talent, then even more money, then even more better talent!!
oh never mind this will never happen because the NCAA is run by idiots.
August 29th, 2023 at 7:38 AM ^
Where’s Michigan Realist to applaud this, I mean he says he’s a super fan from all the way back in the 70’s. Dumb ass troll!
anyways! This is amazing, once again Jim is trying to do what’s best for athletes, and if every school has an equal revenue percentage they must divide between all athletes, Michigan will be near the top for payouts to student athletes, which would bring in a massive amount of talent, which would bring in more money, then more talent, then even more money, then even more better talent!!
oh never mind this will never happen because the NCAA is run by idiots.
August 29th, 2023 at 7:38 AM ^
Where’s Michigan Realist to applaud this, I mean he says he’s a super fan from all the way back in the 70’s. Dumb ass troll!
anyways! This is amazing, once again Jim is trying to do what’s best for athletes, and if every school has an equal revenue percentage they must divide between all athletes, Michigan will be near the top for payouts to student athletes, which would bring in a massive amount of talent, which would bring in more money, then more talent, then even more money, then even more better talent!!
oh never mind this will never happen because the NCAA is run by idiots.
August 29th, 2023 at 7:38 AM ^
Where’s Michigan Realist to applaud this, I mean he says he’s a super fan from all the way back in the 70’s. Dumb ass troll!
anyways! This is amazing, once again Jim is trying to do what’s best for athletes, and if every school has an equal revenue percentage they must divide between all athletes, Michigan will be near the top for payouts to student athletes, which would bring in a massive amount of talent, which would bring in more money, then more talent, then even more money, then even more better talent!!
oh never mind this will never happen because the NCAA is run by idiots.
August 29th, 2023 at 7:38 AM ^
Where’s Michigan Realist to applaud this, I mean he says he’s a super fan from all the way back in the 70’s. Dumb ass troll!
anyways! This is amazing, once again Jim is trying to do what’s best for athletes, and if every school has an equal revenue percentage they must divide between all athletes, Michigan will be near the top for payouts to student athletes, which would bring in a massive amount of talent, which would bring in more money, then more talent, then even more money, then even more better talent!!
oh never mind this will never happen because the NCAA is run by idiots.
August 29th, 2023 at 7:38 AM ^
Where’s Michigan Realist to applaud this, I mean he says he’s a super fan from all the way back in the 70’s. Dumb ass troll!
anyways! This is amazing, once again Jim is trying to do what’s best for athletes, and if every school has an equal revenue percentage they must divide between all athletes, Michigan will be near the top for payouts to student athletes, which would bring in a massive amount of talent, which would bring in more money, then more talent, then even more money, then even more better talent!!
oh never mind this will never happen because the NCAA is run by idiots.
August 29th, 2023 at 12:47 PM ^
The Realist got the ban hammer
August 29th, 2023 at 10:14 AM ^
Harbaugh saying the suspension feels like a bat to the kneecap, not a slap on the wrist. Yeah, he’s pissed.
August 29th, 2023 at 11:01 AM ^
Maybe he's right, but then it's time to disassociate the team from the University.