Greg Byrne calls for Alabama fans to 'fight back'

[TIDE24]

This is a really tough one.

On one hand we have been paying coaches hand over fist , while the players were not getting monetary compensation for their efforts. The schools and NCAA made a good amount of money off of the players. So the system changed due to lawsuits.

Yes that was always the argument, but that is not what this is.
Players are able to sign autographs and do commercials etc. to make some money off their name. I'm ok with that. That is what NIL was set up for. Not to just give out piles of cash.

Athletes may not have been monetary compensated but they are compensated and farily well. They are getting an education, housing, food, clothes, they are paid when they do team functions and not in school. The money the school makes is reinvested in facilities, tutors, programs to be successful that the average student does not have access to. There can be an argument as to what is "fair" but they are compensated pretty good.

Universities are still not sharing their $$ which is why they have to ask us. That may change this summer when the revenue sharing is decided upon, but even if that happens that will just take away money from something already in the budget and they will need a fundraising campaign for what cannot be funded. They will still come to the fans. I do not fault the players or Byrne, they are just playing in the sandbox they have.

This is an insane sytem where the University begs fans for cash if they want to have a successful program. "If you don't give we can't compete with other programs." In Byrne's defense ( or Kelly or whoever is saying it) they are not wrong.

I choose not to participate. If that means Bama is not as competivie so be it, but I am not donating $$ to a system where a 2nd string SO CB can make demands on a school because he can get seven figures somewhere else. Then what happens after spring ball or after next season. Again I do not entirely blame the athletes, this is the system, but it is broken. If I have cash to donate to this I would rather donate to a worthy charity instead. Maybe to St. Jude to help kids that really need it.

These players need to have contracts just like the coaches. Don't perform and you can get fired. You want to change schools, there is a buyout attached. You (or the new school) pays compensation to the current school in order for you to leave. The argument has always been coaches leave whenever they want, so should the players. There is a buyout attached to the coaches. They leave, they owe a buyout. If atheltes want the same freedom, they should have to pay the same price.

 

[lowend]

I paid almost $7 for 2.4 quarts of orange juice the other day. Can’t even get a gallon of it anymore. My wife is still paying off student loans for UA. The average person just can’t do it.

 

[UAH]

If fans really wanted to fight back they'd not buy any more tickets AND stop watching. Do that for a month or two and you'd see drastic changes.

Fans are leaving now and will go quitely without saying much at all. TV almost exclusively targets the younger audience, the ones that show up for game day. Slowly fans will start to leave YouTube TV and Disney/ABC/ESPN will see viewership declines and like NASCAR those fans will not return. Regardless of private equity or any other reorganization the golden goose is in intensive care at a minimum!

 

[B1GTide]

I don't disagree with the opinions here, but understand we will be left behind.

We are going to be a victim of our past success because our fans don't want to pay for this.

But be sure, the other teams and fans will pay, they are desperate for what we have enjoyed.

Ohio State fans are pushing back just as hard.

The reality - most top programs are in poorer states with fan bases which simply do not have this kind of disposable income.

 

[TideEngineer08]

I don't disagree with the opinions here, but understand we will be left behind.

We are going to be a victim of our past success because our fans don't want to pay for this.

But be sure, the other teams and fans will pay, they are desperate for what we have enjoyed.

There is some truth to this but it does not tell the entire story.

Most Alabama fans simply cannot afford this. And on top of that, he is asking them to pay for a product that is vastly inferior to what it was just 5 years ago (speaking of the overall college football product).

I'm sorry, but I'm not sorry. Alabama football can die and I'll not be the worse off for it. And if you knew the roots of my fanhood, you would understand I do not make that statement lightly. Byrne better hope that most fans are not like me, but I suspect many more are than are not.

 

[NorCalTide]

Yes that was always the argument, but that is not what this is.
Players are able to sign autographs and do commercials etc. to make some money off their name. I'm ok with that. That is what NIL was set up for. Not to just give out piles of cash.

Athletes may not have been monetary compensated but they are compensated and farily well. They are getting an education, housing, food, clothes, they are paid when they do team functions and not in school. The money the school makes is reinvested in facilities, tutors, programs to be successful that the average student does not have access to. There can be an argument as to what is "fair" but they are compensated pretty good.

Universities are still not sharing their $$ which is why they have to ask us. That may change this summer when the revenue sharing is decided upon, but even if that happens that will just take away money from something already in the budget and they will need a fundraising campaign for what cannot be funded. They will still come to the fans. I do not fault the players or Byrne, they are just playing in the sandbox they have.

This is an insane sytem where the University begs fans for cash if they want to have a successful program. "If you don't give we can't compete with other programs." In Byrne's defense ( or Kelly or whoever is saying it) they are not wrong.

I choose not to participate. If that means Bama is not as competivie so be it, but I am not donating $$ to a system where a 2nd string SO CB can make demands on a school because he can get seven figures somewhere else. Then what happens after spring ball or after next season. Again I do not entirely blame the athletes, this is the system, but it is broken. If I have cash to donate to this I would rather donate to a worthy charity instead. Maybe to St. Jude to help kids that really need it.

These players need to have contracts just like the coaches. Don't perform and you can get fired. You want to change schools, there is a buyout attached. You (or the new school) pays compensation to the current school in order for you to leave. The argument has always been coaches leave whenever they want, so should the players. There is a buyout attached to the coaches. They leave, they owe a buyout. If atheltes want the same freedom, they should have to pay the same price.

I don't think I disagree with anything that you have said. I am not giving any money for this, I have my own kids I am putting through college. College athletes in a non-body for body scholarship sport. So trust me when I say I know all the benefits the players getting full rides are getting covered.

I am interested to see what the college sports landscape looks like in 5 years, because I don't think it looks anything like this. If I were guessing your top 48 are breaking away in football and will have a more structured method of paying and contracting players like you mentioned above. There will likely be a second tier just under them that has a lesser pay structure and then finally a 3rd tier of FCS level teams that have a more optional form of NIL. I think the lower tiers end up almost acting as a farm system for the top 48. Then let the playoff revenue, tv contracts, etc. pay for the players based on some revenue sharing model.

I am hoping if/when this happens we turn to more regionalized models of conference play for all non-football sports.

 

[davefrat]

Can we just go back to bagmen handing cash to players under the table?

 

[Cruloc]

There is some truth to this but it does not tell the entire story.

Most Alabama fans simply cannot afford this. And on top of that, he is asking them to pay for a product that is vastly inferior to what it was just 5 years ago (speaking of the overall college football product).

I'm sorry, but I'm not sorry. Alabama football can die and I'll not be the worse off for it. And if you knew the roots of my fanhood, you would understand I do not make that statement lightly. Byrne better hope that most fans are not like me, but I suspect many more are than are not.

My younger self from 30 years ago would never believe me if I was able to tell him that I'm to the point where if Bama football dies then it just dies and it just wouldn't bother me. I feel like I've already been in mourning for something that has died. NIL has killed it all. Like the Joker burning the mountain of cash in the movie.....the entirety of college football is burning.

Note, of course, I'd tell myself this in the Ivan Drago voice.....because.....I would.

 

[KrAzY3]

At this point, I'm guessing the only way not to get left behind or lapped so to speak.....start courting some wealthy investors and putting their brand names on everything.

Cause we aren't getting in rules in place anytime soon.....if we need money go find some investors and sell them what they might be able to get as a return on their investment.

Bama is on TV more than any team....selling point 1.

The problem is that relationships Alabama has developed over the years, just aren't really that good. This is due in part to the fact that state of Alabama doesn't have the kind of really big companies you can develop relationships with.

For instance, someone posted about Alabama's lack of billionaires elsewhere, but they don't have Fortune 500 companies either. The state has two Fortune 500 companies which are ranked 428 and 472.

So, it isn't just that Alabama doesn't have a Phil Knight, they don't have a FedEx like Memphis has either. To give an example, FedEx is worth about a thousand times as much as Golden Flake. So, FedEx is able to drop 50 million on a stadium or 25 million in NIL, that's pocket change for them but Alabama doesn't have any entity they have a relationship with that has that sort of money to throw around.

The other issue with that is these entities are willing to do this for no tangible benefit because they have a connection to the university. Alabama lacks these connections. The best potential partner I can think of would be Nike, but that's Phil Knight's company and he much prefers shoveling money to Oregon. Perhaps if Alabama was willing to sell every merchandise related right they had and do some naming rights or what have they they could get 25 million a year or something from Nike, but even that's a stretch.

I just don't see where Alabama turns to. Unless they just get lucky like Michigan did where a graduate marries the second richest man in the world and next thing you know they got a ten million dollar quarterback... If anyone wants to try hooking Elon Musk up with a Bama grad I'm all for it.

What do you guys think of the Tesla Chimes and X Stadium?

 

[colbysullivan]

I always considered Byrne to be one of the best ADs in the country, if not THE best. No longer…

 

[KrAzY3]

I always considered Byrne to be one of the best ADs in the country, if not THE best. No longer…

I do feel the need to reiterate this. Under the current framework Byrne can not re-direct department funds to NIL. The new stuff coming through will allow that somewhat, but it's still capped meaning they are still handcuffed.

The only way to do things like keep a Caleb Downs from leaving is if the fans themselves, separate from the university have their own collective to do things like that. Otherwise when a situation like that arises the only thing to do is watch them leave.

Mind you, I understand saying fine, screw it, let them leave. I don't however understand the anger at Byrne. He literally can't make do it himself, he's not allowed to. He doesn't want Alabama to lose players because his hands are tied, that's a pretty reasonable reaction.

 

[JDCrimson]

If we really want to talk about this, I vote we move it to the NS forum. I've said all I can within the bounds of this forum.

 

[Cruloc]

The problem is that relationships Alabama has developed over the years, just aren't really that good. This is due in part to the fact that state of Alabama doesn't have the kind of really big companies you can develop relationships with.

For instance, someone posted about Alabama's lack of billionaires elsewhere, but they don't have Fortune 500 companies either. The state has two Fortune 500 companies which are ranked 428 and 472.

So, it isn't just that Alabama doesn't have a Phil Knight, they don't have a FedEx like Memphis has either. To give an example, FedEx is worth about a thousand times as much as Golden Flake. So, FedEx is able to drop 50 million on a stadium or 25 million in NIL, that's pocket change for them but Alabama doesn't have any entity they have a relationship with that has that sort of money to throw around.

The other issue with that is these entities are willing to do this for no tangible benefit because they have a connection to the university. Alabama lacks these connections. The best potential partner I can think of would be Nike, but that's Phil Knight's company and he much prefers shoveling money to Oregon. Perhaps if Alabama was willing to sell every merchandise related right they had and do some naming rights or what have they they could get 25 million a year or something from Nike, but even that's a stretch.

I just don't see where Alabama turns to. Unless they just get lucky like Michigan did where a graduate marries the second richest man in the world and next thing you know they got a ten million dollar quarterback... If anyone wants to try hooking Elon Musk up with a Bama grad I'm all for it.

What do you guys think of the Tesla Chimes and X Stadium?

I can see making a deal with Nike and wearing whatever uniforms they tell us. Its coming....not blue fonting it because its coming. Phil Knight himself will always give huge money to Oregon, but I could see making a business decision...getting old Bama to change up their uniforms and making some money off of it.

 

[TideEngineer08]

What do you guys think of the Tesla Chimes and X Stadium?

I'm fine with that, but they'll pry my big block V8 from my cold dead hands.

 

[TiderJack]

I paid almost $7 for 2.4 quarts of orange juice the other day. Can’t even get a gallon of it anymore. My wife is still paying off student loans for UA. The average person just can’t do it.

Agreed and he is not asking people who can't afford it to do it. He is trying to reach people who have extra income that can contribute who are currently not participating. I understand most of us can't do this but if the others who can don't do it we will get left behind.

 

[CrimsonNagus]

I do feel the need to reiterate this. Under the current framework Byrne can not re-direct department funds to NIL. The new stuff coming through will allow that somewhat, but it's still capped meaning they are still handcuffed.

The only way to do things like keep a Caleb Downs from leaving is if the fans themselves, separate from the university have their own collective to do things like that. Otherwise when a situation like that arises the only thing to do is watch them leave.

Mind you, I understand saying fine, screw it, let them leave. I don't however understand the anger at Byrne. He literally can't make do it himself, he's not allowed to. He doesn't want Alabama to lose players because his hands are tied, that's a pretty reasonable reaction.

Other teams are finding different ways to raise the money, like increasing ticket prices, Auburn just did it. Yes, they are already high, and people like me would whine about price increases but, most fans could probably stomach that a little more than just straight up asking for donations.

The schools have got to start running the programs more like a business. NFL teams pay their players from the revenue earned and that's what college needs to start doing. Passing the collection plate around asking for a tithe to the almighty church of the Crimson Tide is a ridiculous way to foot the bill.

 

[bamajas]

I can see making a deal with Nike and wearing whatever uniforms they tell us. Its coming....not blue fonting it because its coming. Phil Knight himself will always give huge money to Oregon, but I could see making a business decision...getting old Bama to change up their uniforms and making some money off of it.

Nike knows the value of the UA brand and that it's inseparable from an unchanging look. The biggest splash I could see with Nike would be moving to the Jumpman brand, especially now that Barn is moving to Nike

 

[KrAzY3]

Other teams are finding different ways to raise the money, like increasing ticket prices, Auburn just did it. Yes, they are already high, and people like me would whine about price increases but, most fans could probably stomach that a little more than just straight up asking for donations.

The schools have got to start running the programs more like a business. NFL teams pay their players from the revenue earned and that's what college needs to start doing. Passing the collection plate around asking for a tithe to the almighty church of the Crimson Tide is a ridiculous way to foot the bill.

As has been pointed out, that's just to pay the other stuff related to the legal settlement. There's a few billion schools are on the hook for, plus the limited NIL framework. This means they are going to have to come up with millions more per year.

This does not cover the NIL bidding wars we're seeing now and it specifically excludes it in reality. The funds have to be distributed throughout the athletic department, basketball and so on, this means for instance when Caleb Downs gets a 7 figure offer to leave, the money really won't be there within the department to suddenly match.

It can only come from outside means. Auburn isn't killing it in the NIL era either, they're not the ones to look at. They're getting left behind. It's Texas for instance that you need to look at to understand the economics driving this. It's Oregon's use of the transfer portal. It's what Ohio State did last year.

The final point that I'm not sure people get is they are already spending all the money they have on the athletes. Where do you think athletic department funds go to? They don't go elsewhere, they go to the athletic department. There are no profits to share that are not already being shared via facilities and expenses.

 

[crimsonaudio]

It literally could have been just for this very thing, but the NCAA rushed the rule change and did not put any guardrails in place because they waited until SCOTUS forced their hand.

FIFY

 

[tusks_n_raider]

Haven’t been on here since yesterday and this is the 1st thread I see…

Lol

Dude I’m living mainly on Ramen noodles right now.

Byrne and the players can get bent.

I’m about done with this whole sport and maybe the program too unless major changes happen.