How many of us have donated to Spyre?

[Brave Volunteer]

The attempt I believe is to maintain college as an amateur environment. Likely it is only a matter of time until that attempt fails.

Once student-athletes are no longer student-athletes you are likely to see universities start to wind down financial support to athletics. Not sure how long that would take but why would universities field athletic teams where the athletes had no incentive to be students? Where they are basically semi-professional or professional? Getting college players into 6 figure deals due to their athletic abilities is getting away from amateurism IMO.

Many of the academic leaders are going to look at that and want no part of it.

Just my opinion but I believe college athletics is headed toward a demise. Might be why rumors of Sankey thinking SEC needs to go on its own and have their own national championships. He might be trying to save the college game or realizes its a huge money maker as a professional endeavor.. Next several years could be interesting.

I've said for a while now that the final "fig leaf" to fall will be the complete removal of academic requirements to maintain eligibility for the athletes who play the big money making sports. I believe eventually these "student" athletes will be recalssified as either university employees or as contractors hired by the university. The academic component of college athletics will be completely done away with eventually.

 

[BigSteve09]

Passion is obviously fueling these arguments/debates.

Don't want to see Vols fans tearing each other down.

Ultimately, The Volunteer Club represents OUR (the fans) best way to bring Tennessee back to prominence. We can ALL agree that we have fallen from grace. THEY (admin, powers that be, boosters) have tried their ways for nearly two decades, and we have been spinning out, with no traction at all. The common fan has answered the call time and time again for support.

We have always leaned on or boasted our fanbase's unrivaled pride and involvement. We finally have an opportunity to put our money where our mouth is.

I can understand folks' reservations. I don't have all the answers. This is also not a tattoo, it is a monthly program/subscription that you can opt out of at any time. No different than a Netflix or Amazon. When the benefits are not worth it to me, I can walk away, just like I can walk away from anything else that ceases to bring me joy for my time/money investment.

For now, I have to believe that The Volunteer Club is what it says that it is. If it isn't, then I got burned and I'll feel stupid again, the same way that I've felt for almost 20 years dumping how many countless hours and dollars into Tennessee Football. But if it IS what it says it is, it will lead the way to us finally being what we have always known that we can be, and what we have been seeking since our decline began.

 

[txbo]

But making inept 40 year olds rich to enjoy college football is...smart?

Let the rich inept 40 year olds pay the kids. I owe them nothing.

 

[LWSVOL]

I've said for a while now that the final "fig leaf" to fall will be the complete removal of academic requirements to maintain eligibility for the athletes who play the big money making sports. I believe eventually these "student" athletes will be recalssified as either university employees or as contractors hired by the university. The academic component of college athletics will be completely done away with eventually.

There are a small amount of athletic departments that make a profit now. Starting to pay athletes to play for universities will make the likely hood of profitable programs even less likely. Why I eventually seeing many programs cease to operate under an academic umbrella.

Doesn't mean the University of Tennessee can't sell its "name" to an organization running a football team or basketball team, etc. to be able to still have a brand for UT Vols. Same scenario for others.

I could be all wet on this. Just thinking out loud as to where all this may be headed. I most likely won't even be around to see it happen.

 

[Brave Volunteer]

There are a small amount of athletic departments that make a profit now. Starting to pay athletes to play for universities will make the likely hood of profitable programs even less likely. Why I eventually seeing many programs cease to operate under an academic umbrella.

Doesn't mean the University of Tennessee can't sell its "name" to an organization running a football team or basketball team, etc. to be able to still have a brand for UT Vols. Same scenario for others.

I could be all wet on this. Just thinking out loud as to where all this may be headed. I most likely won't even be around to see it happen.

Yeah but if all universities adopt this collective method of paying the athletes, the money really isn't coming from the schools anyway is it?

 

[99gator]

There are a small amount of athletic departments that make a profit now. Starting to pay athletes to play for universities will make the likely hood of profitable programs even less likely. Why I eventually seeing many programs cease to operate under an academic umbrella.

Doesn't mean the University of Tennessee can't sell its "name" to an organization running a football team or basketball team, etc. to be able to still have a brand for UT Vols. Same scenario for others.

I could be all wet on this. Just thinking out loud as to where all this may be headed. I most likely won't even be around to see it happen.

This is the problem in general. You could break the link between the school and the program and have it be something like minor league Canadian hockey or youth soccer in Europe.

But, here IMO, if you break that link between the school and the program, the money will be gone. If it's not the University of Florida's football team, I won't give a damn. I suspect many of you will feel the same if it's not the University of Tennessee's football team.

What I think will change is that if they are considered businesses, then each sport will be considered its own business. And the revenue sports will be swimming in cash and non-revenue sports will be selling candy bars to fund their programs like it was high school. An over-exaggeration, but you get the idea.

 

[TheVolsFrog]

I haven't. Sorry. I'll watch, maybe buy some merch but only thing I really donate to is St Jude's

 

[Voltopia]

Once student-athletes are no longer student-athletes you are likely to see universities start to wind down financial support to athletics. Not sure how long that would take but why would universities field athletic teams where the athletes had no incentive to be students? Where they are basically semi-professional or professional? Getting college players into 6 figure deals due to their athletic abilities is getting away from amateurism IMO.

Many of the academic leaders are going to look at that and want no part of it.

Just my opinion but I believe college athletics is headed toward a demise.

100%. Once they divorce football from being supported or operated by the schools, it's no longer "college" football. It certainly won't have anything to do with the university. I've seen people say that the spun off football teams could license the naming and branding from the school, but in my opinion they're only kidding themselves. They can try that, but it won't be college athletics. It'll feel phony, because it will be phony. And the new football companies or whatever they'll be, they'll lose their connections with the communities, with the traditions of the schools, the history of the regions, all of it. I've said it enough times already, but supporting students who've chosen to make their way through college playing football at your alma mater (or your local school) is a hell of a lot different from supporting professional athletes who are just cashing their checks. I mean, if people were to stop and think about how much of the marketing, the branding, and the gameday experience is centered on the schools and the school's brand, I think, or rather, I'd hope, that they'd realize just how wrong that's going to feel. Some people say they're fine with that. But I think most, and I know I'm one, won't be.

 

[LWSVOL]

Yeah but if all universities adopt this collective method of paying the athletes, the money really isn't coming from the schools anyway is it?

don't believe the current method can be sustained. Its dependent on two things.

1. donations to collectives to get deals to athletes.
2. Entities paying players for them to do certain duties to promote the entity.

I don't see either of those avenues as long term profits for the businesses or collectives.

 

[txbo]

100%. Once they divorce football from being supported or operated by the schools, it's no longer "college" football. It certainly won't have anything to do with the university. I've seen people say that the spun off football teams could license the naming and branding from the school, but in my opinion they're only kidding themselves. They can try that, but it won't be college athletics. It'll feel phony, because it will be pfony. And the new football companies or whatever they'll be, they'll lose their connections with the communities, with the traditions of the schools, the history of the regions, all of it. I've said it enough times already, but supporting students who've chosen to make their way through college playing football at your alma mater (or your local school) is a hell of a lot different from supporting professional athletes who are just cashing their checks. I mean, if people were to stop and think about how much of the marketing, the branding, and the gameday experience is centered on the schools and the school's brand, I think, or rather, I'd hope, that they'd realize just how wrong that's going to feel. Some people say they're fine with that. But I think most, and I know I'm one, won't be.

Won't be good for most of the kids either. Most or all won't get a degree. They'll make a few bucks for a few years but then what?

 

[LWSVOL]

This is the problem in general. You could break the link between the school and the program and have it be something like minor league Canadian hockey or youth soccer in Europe.

But, here IMO, if you break that link between the school and the program, the money will be gone. If it's not the University of Florida's football team, I won't give a damn. I suspect many of you will feel the same if it's not the University of Tennessee's football team.

What I think will change is that if they are considered businesses, then each sport will be considered its own business. And the revenue sports will be swimming in cash and non-revenue sports will be selling candy bars to fund their programs like it was high school. An over-exaggeration, but you get the idea.

I agree on following it when its not UT. The current model is eventually going to impact some fans being able to follow their school. I gave up following professional sports due to free agency many years ago. They all just fail to keep my interest. The portal has already started to bring that feeling to me. I had tickets to Tennessee football for 45 years. Let the last go back a couple of years ago.

Non-revenue likely move to intramural only sports or someone files a lawsuit trying to get part of the pie.

 

[LWSVOL]

100%. Once they divorce football from being supported or operated by the schools, it's no longer "college" football. It certainly won't have anything to do with the university. I've seen people say that the spun off football teams could license the naming and branding from the school, but in my opinion they're only kidding themselves. They can try that, but it won't be college athletics. It'll feel phony, because it will be pfony. And the new football companies or whatever they'll be, they'll lose their connections with the communities, with the traditions of the schools, the history of the regions, all of it. I've said it enough times already, but supporting students who've chosen to make their way through college playing football at your alma mater (or your local school) is a hell of a lot different from supporting professional athletes who are just cashing their checks. I mean, if people were to stop and think about how much of the marketing, the branding, and the gameday experience is centered on the schools and the school's brand, I think, or rather, I'd hope, that they'd realize just how wrong that's going to feel. Some people say they're fine with that. But I think most, and I know I'm one, won't be.

agree with everything you said...

 

[Ten_Titans]

The attempt I believe is to maintain college as an amateur environment. Likely it is only a matter of time until that attempt fails.

Once student-athletes are no longer student-athletes you are likely to see universities start to wind down financial support to athletics. Not sure how long that would take but why would universities field athletic teams where the athletes had no incentive to be students? Where they are basically semi-professional or professional? Getting college players into 6 figure deals due to their athletic abilities is getting away from amateurism IMO.

Many of the academic leaders are going to look at that and want no part of it.

Just my opinion but I believe college athletics is headed toward a demise. Might be why rumors of Sankey thinking SEC needs to go on its own and have their own national championships. He might be trying to save the college game or realizes its a huge money maker as a professional endeavor.. Next several years could be interesting.

I'm just not that pessimistic about it.

Schools have millions of dollars worth of stadiums and facilities, a hundred years of tradition and community support built up, and most importantly, millions upon millions of dollars sitting there for the taking.

To think the next USFL semi-pro league is gonna build from scratch what University's have built over a hundred years with billions of dollars does not seem plausible to me.

If the schools want to pout about the fact that the players are now employees instead of students... Fine. It would be the first time a university has ever turned down millions of dollars to take a moral stance on anything, so they can pat themselves on the back for that. But I don't think that's going to happen.

The question is whether or not the paying fans care about amateurism. And if the product on the field looks the same, I highly doubt they will care.

 

[LWSVOL]

I'm just not that pessimistic about it.

Schools have millions of dollars worth of stadiums and facilities, a hundred years of tradition and community support built up, and most importantly, millions upon millions of dollars sitting there for the taking.

To think the next USFL semi-pro league is gonna build from scratch what University's have built over a hundred years with billions of dollars does not seem plausible to me.

If the schools want to pout about the fact that the players are now employees instead of students... Fine. It would be the first time a university has ever turned down millions of dollars to take a moral stance on anything, so they can pat themselves on the back for that. But I don't think that's going to happen.

The question is whether or not the paying fans care about amateurism. And if the product on the field looks the same, I highly doubt they will care.

Athletics is a losing endeavor to many universities. They don't make profits off of having athletics. If the SEC had not provided a bailout of 5.4 million dollars to Tennessee they would have lost money on athletics in the last fiscal year. So where will they generate the revenue to begin paying players? That will be a new expense and based on what NIL has started looking like, 6 figures for many players could be the norm. How do you fund the sports besides football?

This graph shows the P & L of each program at UT.

https://www.collegefactual.com/colleges/the-university-of-tennessee/student-life/sports/

 

[Brave Volunteer]

I agree on following it when its not UT. The current model is eventually going to impact some fans being able to follow their school. I gave up following professional sports due to free agency many years ago. They all just fail to keep my interest. The portal has already started to bring that feeling to me. I had tickets to Tennessee football for 45 years. Let the last go back a couple of years ago.

Non-revenue likely move to intramural only sports or someone files a lawsuit trying to get part of the pie.

Plus nobody's even talking about how this will affect (en)Title(d) 9. Pretty much every female sport is a loss leader that has to be supplemented. Will those be reduced to intermural as well? I don't imagine that's going to sit well with a lot of people.

 

[txbo]

Athletics is a losing endeavor to many universities. They don't make profits off of having athletics. If the SEC had not provided a bailout of 5.4 million dollars to Tennessee they would have lost money on athletics in the last fiscal year. So where will they generate the revenue to begin paying players? That will be a new expense and based on what NIL has started looking like, 6 figures for many players could be the norm. How do you fund the sports besides football?

This graph shows the P & L of each program at UT.

https://www.collegefactual.com/colleges/the-university-of-tennessee/student-life/sports/

Divorced from the universities, football programs wouldn't have to support all the non-revenue sports. They could make tremendous money.

 

[LWSVOL]

Divorced from the universities, football programs wouldn't have to support all the non-revenue sports. They could make tremendous money.

true. and millions of athletes would lose out on a college education as those non-revenue sports die due to lack of funding.

 

[txbo]

Athletics is a losing endeavor to many universities. They don't make profits off of having athletics. If the SEC had not provided a bailout of 5.4 million dollars to Tennessee they would have lost money on athletics in the last fiscal year. So where will they generate the revenue to begin paying players? That will be a new expense and based on what NIL has started looking like, 6 figures for many players could be the norm. How do you fund the sports besides football?

This graph shows the P & L of each program at UT.

https://www.collegefactual.com/colleges/the-university-of-tennessee/student-life/sports/

Women's rowing has 107 team members and loses $2.2 million a year.

 

[Ten_Titans]

Athletics is a losing endeavor to many universities. They don't make profits off of having athletics. If the SEC had not provided a bailout of 5.4 million dollars to Tennessee they would have lost money on athletics in the last fiscal year. So where will they generate the revenue to begin paying players? That will be a new expense and based on what NIL has started looking like, 6 figures for many players could be the norm. How do you fund the sports besides football?

This graph shows the P & L of each program at UT.

https://www.collegefactual.com/colleges/the-university-of-tennessee/student-life/sports/

Smaller schools will keep doing what they have been doing. I'm not proposing that athletic scholarships are banned.

I'm not clear on the argument you are making. Are you saying NCAA football only exists now because it is subsidized by the government or some other third party benefactor? I just don't think that's true.

If a school can't afford to pay players six figure contracts, they can pay them less, like every other business or sports league that's ever existed. Or they can not pay them at all and instead give them an athletic scholarship.

How is it not just supply and demand? Surely the players haven't been fighting legal battles for years to get a slice from a pie that doesn't even exist?

Like, take all the fake NIL money... But give it to the school instead of some shady third party. That's what I'm saying. I don't see how the millions of dollars going to players suddenly ups and vanishes when that money is funneled through the school instead of some third party business or some booster.

The idea that school athletic departments are the one business in America that aren't expected to pay their own labor costs is just not an argument I buy in to. At all.

 

[vollygirl]

Well that’s a big deal to people. When you take someone’s money and they think it’s going to kids and it’s going to a middle aged white guy. He has 3 million to play with, then decides he will keep half for himself.

What line of work are you and your buddy in?

 

[LWSVOL]

Smaller schools will keep doing what they have been doing. I'm not proposing that athletic scholarships are banned.

I'm not clear on the argument you are making. Are you saying NCAA football only exists now because it is subsidized by the government or some other third party benefactor? I just don't think that's true.

If a school can't afford to pay players six figure contracts, they can pay them less, like every other business or sports league that's ever existed. Or they can not pay them at all and instead give them an athletic scholarship.

How is it not just supply and demand? Surely the players haven't been fighting legal battles for years to get a slice from a pie that doesn't even exist?

Like, take all the fake NIL money... But give it to the school instead of some shady third party. That's what I'm saying. I don't see how the millions of dollars going to players suddenly ups and vanishes when that money is funneled through the school instead of some third party business or some booster.

The idea that school athletic departments are the one business in America that aren't expected to pay their own labor costs is just not an argument I buy in to. At all.

I don't see NCAA athletic programs, in general, being able to survive as University programs when it is going to take an additional millions of dollars to keep those programs going. Its a fact, most athletic programs lose money. Where is all the revenue to pay the players going to come from if under the institutions administration?

 

[VolBricks]

I joined the mile high club instead

 

[nlovu]

The concern is that even if the players get the money where does it go? I doubt they are giving it to needy kids in Africa. I can't justify giving money to men to do who knows what with my money when I could give the money to something that actually helps people.

 

[99gator]

The thing that bothers me the most, and I know it's cliche, but it's the name on the front of the jersey, not the back.

At the pro level, it's the name on the back because people who don't care about Chicago wanted to see Michael Jordan play.

I want to see Florida play Florida State. Who's on the field doesn't matter. If they formed a minor league, they'd find that out really quickly.

People in North Carolina care about Duke and North Carolina. They don't care about the higher level of basketball played in the NBA's G-League

 

[WillAtSpyre]

I got that stuff and a Drew Gilbert shirsey too. Buddy got a Honcho or ZZ one I think.

Everyone at at least the $25 range will be getting an exclusive T Shirt that only members can get. I believe they’re all sent out or will be shortly.