Let age and years of playing at NCAA be the limits for college career

[ETNCvol]

Personally I think age as well as years of playing at NCAA school should be the determining factors

Make the age cut off be 25 by the start of the scheduled season date for playing first game in conjunction with having no more than 4 total years at an NCAA school for playing years, with allowance for years extended through medical redshirt, transfers, something that occurs like COVID. But by having both, even with extension years, you can’t play past age 25.

This would allow someone to develop more at JUCO level then advance if their body can take it, they’re good enough, and it’s their career aspirations yet still set a limit.

 

[volmanjr]

that's age discrimination

 

[Delmar]

Just another lawsuit that the NCAA would lose.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

Personally I think age as well as years of playing at NCAA school should be the determining factors

Make the age cut off be 25 by the start of the scheduled season date for playing first game in conjunction with having no more than 4 total years at an NCAA school for playing years, with allowance for years extended through medical redshirt, transfers, something that occurs like COVID. But by having both, even with extension years, you can’t play past age 25.

This would allow someone to develop more at JUCO level then advance if their body can take it, they’re good enough, and it’s their career aspirations yet still set a limit.

Simple question. Why? Why is that reasonable?

Should any college student be dismissed after 25? I thought these were college students who played sports, right? Why create trouble for yourself legally when it isn't needed?

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

The NCAA can't enforce ANY rules (and neither can any other national group the colleges form). They are a monopoly in violation of Antitrust. Unless Congress passes an Antitrust exemption of some sort for college sports, the whole thing is cooked.

P.S. before anyone starts with the "we don't want Congress involved" narrative or any other anti-government canards, understand that Congress is already involved. It is Congress's Antitrust laws that have broken college sports and no one but Congress is even capable of changing them. SCOTUS said so itself in the Alston decision. I'm normally as anti-government action as anyone and my 30 plus year voting record would prove it but in this case, they are the only game in town.

 

[HeavenUniversity]

I think it is insane for 25 year-old men to be on a field, court, rink, etc. against boys as young as 17. That being said, if somebody has rich parents and wants to stay in college forever and they have an interest in classical music , I doubt the school would kick them out of the university symphony after they hit 23.

 

[Voltopia]

Absolutely not. People have torn this thing apart while going on and on about the schools should have NO RIGHT to dictate eligibility. At every turn, the NCAA's attempts to place boundaries on who can play have been met with scorn and legal defeat.

So be it then. No half measures.

If the philosophy of this new "college" football era is "no one has any right to restrict someone from earning an income" and "schools should not be able to limit who can play," then let's really put the money where the mouths are. Any age, any status, step up and grab a helmet. It's just a job now, right? That student-athlete stuff was stupid anyway. So no limits.

Because it is entirely - and I mean entirely - hypocritical to say the NCAA can't restrict eligibility, but then say "oh maybe they should be able to limit some of this." Nuh uh. You wanted this. NCAA bad, transfer rules bad, amateur eligibility rules bad. Bad bad bad. No one should be able to tell someone else how they can earn an income. Schools are the bad guys. Players should have the freedom to provide their services however they want. That's been the drumbeat underlying all of this.

So no half measures.

 

[deatojl]

I think it is insane for 25 year-old men to be on a field, court, rink, etc. against boys as young as 17. That being said, if somebody has rich parents and wants to stay in college forever and they have an interest in classical music , I doubt the school would kick them out of the university symphony after they hit 23.

The same could be said for 38 year old men on the same field as 21 year olds in the NFL.

 

[HeavenUniversity]

The same could be said for 38 year old men on the same field as 21 year olds in the NFL.

The big difference is a man being in a palace like weight room for seven or eight years. And in some cases, additional “help” to get bigger, stronger, faster.

 

[farmdogvol]

How old was David Sanders when he started this past year? He certainly looked like a grown-a** man to me. Redmond did also.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

Absolutely not. People have torn this thing apart while going on and on about the schools should have NO RIGHT to dictate eligibility. At every turn, the NCAAA's attempts to place boundaries on who can play have been met with scorn and legal defeat.

So be it then. No half measures.

If the philosophy of this new "college" football era is "no one has any right to restrict someone from earning an income" and "schools should not be able to limit who can play," then let's really put the money where the mouths are. Any age, any status, step up and grab a helmet. It's just a job now, right? That student-athlete stuff was stupid anyway. So no limits.

Because it is entirely - and I mean entirely - hypocritical to say the NCAA can't restrict eligibility, but then say "oh maybe they should be able to limit some of this." Nuh uh. You wanted this. NCAA bad, transfer rules bad, amateur eligibility rules bad. Bad bad bad. No one should be able to tell someone else how they can earn an income. Schools are the bad guys. Players should have the freedom to provide their services however they want. That's been the drumbeat underlying all of this.

So no half measures.

No one is saying it's good for college football but the NCAA is an illegal business model. It had to break and, as you say, there's no half measures when you are running an illegal business.

We all liked it the old way but it's illegal. The NCAA was told directly by the Supreme Court that its business model wouldn't be allowed in any business in the country.

We are, after all, a nation of laws. You'd never tolerate your employer saying, "I'm making millions but you're going to get an education and board and training to do your job...... but no money AND once you sign on, you can't leave until I tell you that you have to leave."

C'mon.

 

[deatojl]

As a friendly reminder, Chris Weinke won the Heisman trophy as a 28 year old 25 years ago. While it has definitely become more frequent to have college players at 24 or 25 years old, this is not a new phenomenon.

 

[HeavenUniversity]

As a friendly reminder, Chris Weinke won the Heisman trophy as a 28 year old 25 years ago. While it has definitely become more frequent to have college players at 24 or 25 years old, this is not a new phenomenon.

I get what you are saying, but he didn’t start playing college football until age 25 so it wasn’t like he played 10 years. —Had no idea until a moment ago he was a coach for the Vols. For those that don’t remember he played for years in the Toronto Blue Jays organization. Unusual path to Florida State.

 

[deatojl]

No one is saying it's good for college football but the NCAA is an illegal business model. It had to break and, as you say, there's no half measures when you are running an illegal business.

We all liked it the old way but it's illegal. The NCAA was told directly by the Supreme Court that its business model wouldn't be allowed in any business in the country.

We are, after all, a nation of laws. You'd never tolerate your employer saying, "I'm making millions but you're going to get an education and board and training to do your job...... but no money AND once you sign on, you can't leave until I tell you that you have to leave."

C'mon.

I agree with the general sentiment here. I don't completely agree with the analogy, though. College football is not a job and athletic programs are not employers, at least not yet. College football is an optional extra curricular activity that students choose to participate in. Traditionally, players knew when they signed up to play that there would not be a salary paid for participating. In the "working world", people sign up to be volunteer firemen all the time. They are not paid a salary, are generally provided training, and can receive stipends mainly intended to cover expenses. They have to meet minimum attendance and and calls as part of their position. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, their stipends cannot exceed 20% of what a career firefighter receives for the same work.

 

[deatojl]

I get what you are saying, but he didn’t start playing college football until age 25 so it wasn’t like he played 10 years. —Had no idea until a moment ago he was a coach for the Vols. For those that don’t remember he played for years in the Toronto Blue Jays organization. Unusual path to Florida State.

Correct, but the sentiment being portrayed is 24-25 year olds still playing college football. He was a 28 year old still playing college football. His time as a professional baseball player prior to becoming a college football player was a source of much debate regarding his eligibility and was the reason why he didn't start until age 25.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

I agree with the general sentiment here. I don't completely agree with the analogy, though. College football is not a job and athletic programs are not employers, at least not yet. College football is an optional extra curricular activity that students choose to participate in. Traditionally, players knew when they signed up to play that there would not be a salary paid for participating. In the "working world", people sign up to be volunteer firemen all the time. They are not paid a salary, are generally provided training, and can receive stipends mainly intended to cover expenses. They have to meet minimum attendance and and calls as part of their position. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, their stipends cannot exceed 20% of what a career firefighter receives for the same work.

Right. Of course. And of course schools never paid players, nor built state of the art training facilities, nor hired coaches that are the highest paid employee in the state, nor built larger than pro stadiums to play in......

That's the illegal part of it. It was a business without paying the employees and imposing illegal transfer limits on the employees. Call them "just college players" all day and night while the school makes millions and doesn't have to pay them. That's illegal and it is a business.

Great plan, though. Create a business and make tons of money but insist the employees are getting enough reimbursement because you offer an education, training to do a job and room and board.

Run EVERYTHING as a business but insist it's not a business because your employees are young and shouldn't be paid and are "just in school."

C'mon.

 

[HeavenUniversity]

Correct, but the sentiment being portrayed is 24-25 year olds still playing college football. He was a 28 year old still playing college football. His time as a professional baseball player prior to becoming a college football player was a source of much debate regarding his eligibility and was the reason why he didn't start until age 25.

If it was up to me, no one would be playing after 23, unless there was time lost for medical reasons. —That being said, the horses are out of the barn.

 

[whobethis16]

Right. Of course. And of course schools never paid players, nor built state of the art training facilities, nor hired coaches that are the highest paid employee in the state, nor built larger than pro stadiums to play in......

That's the illegal part of it. It was a business without paying the employees and imposing illegal transfer limits on the employees. Call them "just college players" all day and night while the school makes millions and doesn't have to pay them. That's illegal and it is a business.

Great plan, though. Create a business and make tons of money but insist the employees are getting enough reimbursement because you offer an education, training to do a job and room and board.

Run EVERYTHING as a business but insist it's not a business because your employees are young and shouldn't be paid and are "just in school."

C'mon.

It's literally a job for kids, pay them minimum wage.

 

[adam.vol]

Personally I think age as well as years of playing at NCAA school should be the determining factors

Make the age cut off be 25 by the start of the scheduled season date for playing first game in conjunction with having no more than 4 total years at an NCAA school for playing years, with allowance for years extended through medical redshirt, transfers, something that occurs like COVID. But by having both, even with extension years, you can’t play past age 25.

This would allow someone to develop more at JUCO level then advance if their body can take it, they’re good enough, and it’s their career aspirations yet still set a limit.

Yes, we all hate anti-discrimination laws. Talk to your congressman and see if we can reverse the civil rights movement. 60 years is enough of this nonsense.

 

[S.C. OrangeMan]

I think it is insane for 25 year-old men to be on a field, court, rink, etc. against boys as young as 17. That being said, if somebody has rich parents and wants to stay in college forever and they have an interest in classical music , I doubt the school would kick them out of the university symphony after they hit 23.

If you're making bank from NIL, you don't need rich parents.

 

[S.C. OrangeMan]

It's literally a job for kids, pay them minimum wage.

That is illegal. They get fair market value.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

It's literally a job for kids, pay them minimum wage.

It's literally not. Peyton Manning got paid zero as a senior in college and a few months later got a $16M bonus for signing to do the same thing.

A job for kids, eh? Lemme see your kid or mine play football at the Mendoza level. That's not a kid.

 

[Carp]

Age is irrelevant and should not be a factor. Some guys/girls go to the military after high school and come back to college later. Some guys/girl take some time off after HS for various reasons.

If they have the talent to play, they should be able to play, regardless of age. I'm completely on board 4 years to play 5, but that is for guys at the NCAA level. If you go to Community College or some other college not associated with the NCAA, I don't think it should count.

 

[whobethis16]

It's literally not. Peyton Manning got paid zero as a senior in college and a few months later got a $16M bonus for signing to do the same thing.

A job for kids, eh? Lemme see your kid or mine play football at the Mendoza level. That's not a kid.

They're working to put themselves through school (while getting paid with said schooling) while their peers are working retail at $7.25/hr to actually cover the schooling. College football is a job for kids.

NFL football is a career.

 

[whobethis16]

It's literally not. Peyton Manning got paid zero as a senior in college and a few months later got a $16M bonus for signing to do the same thing.

A job for kids, eh? Lemme see your kid or mine play football at the Mendoza level. That's not a kid.

Another way to think about is it's an unpaid internship they're having to complete in order to be hired after.