109 Schools Oppose NCAA’s $2,000 Player Payments Rule Change

You knew the NCAA’s decision to allow member schools to pay athletes up to $2,000 in addition to scholarships and cost of living expenses would be divisive. Power conferences like the SEC and Big Ten have called for the change, while smaller schools and especially academics-centered (there’s not a nice way to say “insufficiently sports-crazed”) have plenty of cause to object.

And object they have -- 109 of them, according to a document that lists dissenters (ht SEC blog Team Speed Kills) and comments from many of them. The doc also lists objectors to other NCAA movements, with Prairie View A&M showing up all over the place. The Panthers have had it.

Regarding the $2,000 issue, FBS schools Army, Boise State, Bowling Green, ECU, Marshall, Miami (Ohio), Rice, Rutgers, Utah State and Wake Forest appear, along with large FCS programs like Appalachian State and a horde from the Colonial Athletic Association. Among the FBS schools, you’ll note a couple that are known to be especially cash-strapped.

The issue goes beyond football, of course, but football’s distinguished subdivisions are useful here.

Boise State was one of the several schools to include comments in their objections. A note from the Broncos:

1. 2001-96 creates an unfair playing field between institutions. It expands the divide between the “have’s” and “havenot’s.” It creates a recruiting advantage for those that can afford it and puts those that can’t at a disadvantage.

2. 2001-96 creates a divide internally between those student-athletes who receive a full ride and those that do not. Webelieve this is unfair and unjustifiable.

3. 2001-96 creates a Title IX issue. Looking at head count sports alone, football and men’s basketball have 98 full rides ascompared to 47 on the women’s side. That widens the gap allowable to be in compliance with Title IX.