With college athletes getting paid, cost of watching them play is going up

[MU82]

At Tennessee, they are adding a 'talent fee' to the price of sports tickets. At Arkansas, they will charge 3% more at the concessions stands. At Michigan and Michigan State, athletic directors sent letters alerting boosters that winning is going to start costing more. And, in a first, Clemson is going to start adding an athletic surcharge to tuition bills.

Winning at big-time college sports has never been free, but in a rapidly changing era in which players are allowed to earn money and be paid by their own schools, it has never been clearer that fans will be picking up a bigger part of the tab.

"College athletics hasn't professionalized as much as I think it was capable of," said Nels Popp, a University of North Carolina sports-business professor who believes most schools still rely on fans' emotional, long-held school ties more than bottom-line marketing strategies. "And now, I think this is forcing them in that direction."

https://apnews.com/article/nil-college-boosters-67da0dc7cc98f6508915b36d629c99ec?

[UWW2MU]

At Tennessee, they are adding a 'talent fee' to the price of sports tickets. At Arkansas, they will charge 3% more at the concessions stands. At Michigan and Michigan State, athletic directors sent letters alerting boosters that winning is going to start costing more. And, in a first, Clemson is going to start adding an athletic surcharge to tuition bills.

Winning at big-time college sports has never been free, but in a rapidly changing era in which players are allowed to earn money and be paid by their own schools, it has never been clearer that fans will be picking up a bigger part of the tab.

"College athletics hasn't professionalized as much as I think it was capable of," said Nels Popp, a University of North Carolina sports-business professor who believes most schools still rely on fans' emotional, long-held school ties more than bottom-line marketing strategies. "And now, I think this is forcing them in that direction."

https://apnews.com/article/nil-college-boosters-67da0dc7cc98f6508915b36d629c99ec?

This bolded part is how we know things have gone off the rails.

[CTWarrior]

I must be living under a rock, I didn't realize the schools were soon going to be able to pay the players directly.  Once that happens, this kind of thing was bound to happen.  I get tacking on fees to tickets and concessions, but passing the cost on to students through tuition is unconscionable, in my opinion.  Classic case of the tail wagging the dog.

[Galway Eagle]

This bolded part is how we know things have gone off the rails.

Yeah I'm curious about this line item. If someone filed a lawsuit would it stand up?

[WhiteTrash]

Nobody is holding a gun to anyone's head to attend these schools.

I think it is poor PR to line item it; just raise tuition.

[Skatastrophy]

Nobody is holding a gun to anyone's head to attend these schools.

I think it is poor PR to line item it; just raise tuition.

Oh god this is like the restaurants with tips included argument that won't stop on the internet.

[The Sultan]

Nobody is holding a gun to anyone's head to attend these schools.

I think it is poor PR to line item it; just raise tuition.

As a public university, they may have to disclose it. Student activity fees have long been used to cover the cost of athletics. This isn't new.

[DFW HOYA]

This bolded part is how we know things have gone off the rails.

A number of schools do that, relative to athletics fees. Many P4 have not felt the needs to in the past, however.

Private schools often have similar fees but they are buried in tuition.

[Eye]

Popp was an assistant under his dad Rod at Viterbo in La Crosse many moons ago.

[Billy Hoyle]

here's a new one: taxes for NIL:

https://cbs12.com/news/local/exclusive-could-taxpayer-dollars-be-directed-to-nil-compensation-at-florida-colleges-universities-players-pay-collective-football-basketball-baseball-soccer-sports-november-1-2024#

"I could see some of it being subsidized by taxpayer money," John Dempsey told CBS12 News. "I mean, if you keep it reasonable, I don't think too many people are going to object, but, if it all the sudden becomes astronomical numbers, people are going to say 'oh no, no."

[rocket surgeon]

might as well put tip jars out too

[wadesworld]

might as well put tip jars out too

Your fellow dentist friend here already told Scoop to make sure to tip their dental hygienists. Because, apparently, he doesn't pay them enough himself and American healthcare is so affordable as it is.

[Newsdreams]

Your fellow dentist friend here already told Scoop to make sure to tip their dental hygienists. Because, apparently, he doesn't pay them enough himself and American healthcare is so affordable as it is.

I would make sure to give hygienists tips directly, he will keep them otherwise.

[muhoosier260]

Nobody is holding a gun to anyone's head to attend these schools.

I think it is poor PR to line item it; just raise tuition.

Likewise, no one is holding a gun to administrators' heads demanding this action.