UMass Announces Intention To Play Football in Fall 2020

[Bongo Fury]

I’m happy the UMass players get to play. I’ve been told the team has to quarantine for 14 days because they traveled to GA. This is UMass policy which is more stringent than state’s. They likely cannot practice during quarantine. The effort to pull this off is there.

 

[TJT]

Ryan Bamford reeling in 100k to hit the road for another drubbing.

Will only lose about $20k for this game as opposed to the $60k loss on the Georgia Southern game. One has to wonder about the effect of the financial losses from these games on the furloughed UMass Athletic Dept employees. Do these games further delay their return back to work?

 

[CL82]

Did anyone else catch this re: UMess? UMass penalized for hoops, tennis violations

"To have a set of student-athletes that had no involvement in a mistake/violation that has been acknowledged ... and yet to penalize them by the vacation of contests seems inordinately punitive and not in the spirit of what we do as an association.''

Oh it is exactly the spirit of that organization.

 

[Exit 4]

"To have a set of student-athletes that had no involvement in a mistake/violation that has been acknowledged ... and yet to penalize them by the vacation of contests seems inordinately punitive and not in the spirit of what we do as an association.''

Oh it is exactly the spirit of that organization.

This is just example #3001040 of why we have to drop this silly and unproductive efforts on "compensation." Let the schools and the kids decide what is fair comp.

 

[gioff2323]

Are people really lamenting the fact that UConn is not involved in this nonsense?

Count me as a lamenter. Not sure when or how playingCFB became nonsensical.

 

[AndOne]

Will only lose about $20k for this game as opposed to the $60k loss on the Georgia Southern game. One has to wonder about the effect of the financial losses from these games on the furloughed UMass Athletic Dept employees. Do these games further delay their return back to work?

Every football game played even in normal times is a money loser for all the non-P5 schools. The Courant had an article earlier in the year where it reported UConn FB net -$13 million. Kinda crazy that -$20k to -$60k doesn't seem that bad. It's all fuzzy math anyways.

 

[Exit 4]

Bamford rather direct on twitter....no need to message these types of things through his local media horde.

 

[TJT]

Every football game played even in normal times is a money loser for all the non-P5 schools. The Courant had an article earlier in the year where it reported UConn FB net -$13 million. Kinda crazy that -$20k to -$60k doesn't seem that bad. It's all fuzzy math anyways.

The difference is that athletic departments don't typically have tens of employees furloughed during "normal" times.

 

[Drew]

 

[CL82]

This is just example #3001040 of why we have to drop this silly and unproductive efforts on "compensation." Let the schools and the kids decide what is fair comp.

That had zero to do with compensation. It had everything to do with the NCAA penalizing current students for perceived past violations as in 2013 at UConn.

 

[Adios]

UMass has to remind people they are a flagship school. Yes, they are ahead of us now. Shame on us. Atlantic 10 commish even had to let it be known that UMass would side with demolishing the NCAA.

 

[Exit 4]

That had zero to do with compensation. It had everything to do with the NCAA penalizing current students for perceived past violations as in 2013 at UConn.

Here's how I view it. The NCAA decided the extra payment on off campus housing and whatever else they did to inadvertently provide a little extra benefit violated what are essentially compensation rules. Someday when we get progressive on this subject to finally realize there should be no compensation limits then there never would be a reason to investigate this kind of nonsense. The future should be that universities can provide unlimited subsidy/ benefit w/o registration of any kind with the NCAA including benefits that could be viewed as cash compensation. Third parties like alumni associations, athletic wear and whatever else type of compensation should be registered using a standard form contract. Lastly, only if more than [30%] of the kids in a given sport discipline violate the compensation registration requirements does a team forfeit a season. No more of this season/record forfeits due to 1 or 2 or 3 bad apples.

Will letting the kids get paid hurt the financials of the schools? Absolutely. Is it far more equitable? Yes. Will it drag down outrageous coaching and administrative salaries...yes it should curb growth. Will it narrow the number of participating D1 schools? probably somewhat over time. Will it hurt non revenue sports? Absolutely, and thats sad, but a reality in a world of finite resources. As it stands today the revenue sport kids are propping up the non revenue sport kids and its been that way for three decardes.

 

[hardcorehusky]

UMass has to remind people they are a flagship school. Yes, they are ahead of us now. Shame on us. Atlantic 10 commish even had to let it be known that UMass would side with demolishing the NCAA.

What a hot take!

 

[Drew]

 

[huskymedic]

 

[Irishfan]

Here's how I view it. The NCAA decided the extra payment on off campus housing and whatever else they did to inadvertently provide a little extra benefit violated what are essentially compensation rules. Someday when we get progressive on this subject to finally realize there should be no compensation limits then there never would be a reason to investigate this kind of nonsense. The future should be that universities can provide unlimited subsidy/ benefit w/o registration of any kind with the NCAA including benefits that could be viewed as cash compensation. Third parties like alumni associations, athletic wear and whatever else type of compensation should be registered using a standard form contract. Lastly, only if more than [30%] of the kids in a given sport discipline violate the compensation registration requirements does a team forfeit a season. No more of this season/record forfeits due to 1 or 2 or 3 bad apples.

Will letting the kids get paid hurt the financials of the schools? Absolutely. Is it far more equitable? Yes. Will it drag down outrageous coaching and administrative salaries...yes it should curb growth. Will it narrow the number of participating D1 schools? probably somewhat over time. Will it hurt non revenue sports? Absolutely, and thats sad, but a reality in a world of finite resources. As it stands today the revenue sport kids are propping up the non revenue sport kids and its been that way for three decardes.

should the athletes be forced to attend classes? If they have to attend them, will they have to pass them?

 

[Exit 4]

should the athletes be forced to attend classes? If they have to attend them, will they have to pass them?

I would hold on to that requirement. Matriculating through school through the normal process should remain in place. NCAA investigations for class / academic fraud would still be on the table.

 

[BigTenFan]

should the athletes be forced to attend classes? If they have to attend them, will they have to pass them?

What do you mean 'forced' to attend classes?
They are supposed to be student -athletes.
99% of college students are making huge sacrifices to get degrees and we are worried about UMass football players forced to attend classes- what a joke

 

[Waquoit]

Count me as a lamenter. Not sure when or how playingCFB became nonsensical.

One game, 1,000 miles away for only $100K then the entire team is on the shelf for two weeks isn't nonsense?

 

[Waquoit]

should the athletes be forced to attend classes? If they have to attend them, will they have to pass them?

If the answer isn't yes and yes, we aren't talking CFB.

 

[Irishfan]

If the answer isn't yes and yes, we aren't talking CFB.

so are you also OK with paying them.

 

[Irishfan]

What do you mean 'forced' to attend classes?
They are supposed to be student -athletes.
99% of college students are making huge sacrifices to get degrees and we are worried about UMass football players forced to attend classes- what a joke

if they are getting paid, they need to decide what their priority is. Is it to get paid for playing football, or to get a degree? If their priority is to get paid for playing football, then yes, they may see attending class to be something that they are being “forced“ to do. Face it, if they are being paid, they are not simply student athletes They are employees of the university being paid to play football.

 

[Zissou]

should the athletes be forced to attend classes? If they have to attend them, will they have to pass them?

The NCAA has already ruled on this. Yes, athletes need to attend classes and pass them for all programs outside of North Carolina.

 

[BigTenFan]

if they are getting paid, they need to decide what their priority is. Is it to get paid for playing football, or to get a degree? If their priority is to get paid for playing football, then yes, they may see attending class to be something that they are being “forced“ to do. Face it, if they are being paid, they are not simply student athletes They are employees of the university being paid to play football.

I don't think UMass or UConn football programs are in any position to pay football players. ND is another story. UConn and UMass players are fortunate they are getting a good education. They signed up for it.

 

[huskymedic]

Ryan Bamford reeling in 100k to hit the road for another drubbing.

Matt Brown @MattBrownEP 4m
Just read a copy of the UMASS/Marshall game contract. UMASS will get 100K, but will be responsible for their own travel arrangements/costs.

Wonder if any stipulation on Covid testing requirements/frequency? Costing UBuff $30k a week for 4x a week.