Should Alabama football players join the players' union?

[bradley30]

We should make this a poll.

 

[crimsonaudio]

 

[CoachJeff]

If Detroit is any indication. This won't go well.

I do find it odd that players act like captives. They get plenty of benefits. I walked on the UA track team over a decade ago and had plenty of benevits, scholarships
even more so.

I Have no sympathy and don't support this.

 

[Ole Man Dan]

UNION...
'WE DON'T NEED NO STINKING UNION'... (My apologies to 'Blazing Saddles'

Pardon my English, but it ain't gonna happen as long as it's amateur athletics.

 

[GP for Bama]

Maybe they need more player input into safety issues, travel time and missed classes, and total practice time.

 

[James Teasdale]

If Detroit is any indication. This won't go well.

I do find it odd that players act like captives. They get plenty of benefits. I walked on the UA track team over a decade ago and had plenty of benevits, scholarships
even more so.

I Have no sympathy and don't support this.

Detroit isn't an indication of anything except bad city and state management.

 

[CoachJeff]

Detroit isn't an indication of anything except bad city and state management.

I was speaking of the American auto industry.

 

[Tide1986]

The LSU "Players Union" (team) voted to reinstate Jeremy Hill to the team after he nearly beat a guy to death in a bar fight. I'm going to have to say that I don't think 18-22 year old college players have the maturity level necessary to have their own union.
It does concern me that they don't get some percentage of jersey sales, etc, especially when it's a star player whose jersey is a multi-million dollar seller. I think a percentage should go into a trust fund that they receive after their college career is over. That, to me, is only fair.
But team unions? No. Definitely no. The more college athletics moves in this type of direction, the closer we are to losing collegiate athletics as it was meant to be.
My two cents.
sip

Who should benefit from the sale of Bama #12 jerseys?

 

[Nate Harris]

A.J. McCarron supports the union, says players should get paid.

 

[Islander]

Does not make him right! I disagree.

 

[cuda.1973]

Why couldn't a CFB players union operate in some of those areas for the benefit and protection of the players.

I see you have never had dealings with a union. Like the one that used to represent steel workers.

Used to...........as most of the mills are closed. (Yes, I know Fairfield still rolls.)

 

[bama2112]

Who should benefit from the sale of Bama #12 jerseys?

Joe Willie Namath, final answer.

 

[CrimsonNagus]

I've had 2 jobs that were unionized and I was laid off from both of them (the only times I've ever been laid off). The only thing that mattered to the unions in both instances was hire date. People who sucked at there job were safe while I had worked my butt off but was shown the door because I was hired last. Management's hands were tied, they had to do what the union said. I hate unions!

 

[SavannahDare]

Let's keep the conversation as football-centric as possible or this thread will have to move to NS.

 

[CajunCrimson]

I just am amazed at how many people can't see the Pandoras box you open if you pay them and they unionize....

If You do that College Football will be gone in fifteen years.

I get the logic for it. It's big business, etc....

But the logic against it is overwhelming.

If you pay these kids $500/month....within ten years it will be $5000/month....
Then you have to pay money to the female athletes the same amount for their sports.

If you unionize, then you may be paying $20k, month.....and what happens when they only are offered $12k, and they strike.

Do you pay the backup kicker the same as the Starting QB? It's a union, you got no choice. Do you pay starters more? Then, if the coach decides to bench the starter, do you cut their pay?

Then, if they do get benched, can they sue for lost wages?

I'm telling you, if you love college football, this is a bad bad idea

 

[Crimsongator]

Three questions: (1) Where is the money coming from to pay ALL the players, from the school or the ncaa?

(2) Does the player have a choice between a scholly or paycheck?

(3) Is it a set amount? Or does each sport set a different level?

I can see a BIG conflict if a football player gets $1,500 per month and a member of the Softball team getting $250. Once it starts it won't end. What happens to the schools that are going into the RED on the sports teams? If they close their programs due to the addition costs - think of the people that won't be able to go to college?

 

[BamaBraz]

We are witnessing the end of college athletics as we know it. In 5-10 years, college athletics will no longer exist.

 

[bamacon]

It is truly unbelievable how the sport if fball is changing. Just one question, "Are these guys FORCED to play fball and accept scholarships that can get into worth over 100K?"

If a free education and a chance to play college fball is soooooo tough go get an application for a job at TCBY. This is getting to be a joke!

 

[BamaRevT]

NO !!

 

[crimbru]

I think it is more about being seen as a slave in the name of "fair" competition. Can a regular scholarship student who writes a book, a song or whatever to become famous make money off of that fame without losing their scholarship? Hey, that merit scholar at Stanford just got kicked out of the molecular biology program because he took money for talking at a Biotech conference! Universities will not and should not pay other than the scholarships, but the athletes should be able to profit from their fame and so on.