I always thought there was a way to make this happen. What do you good Gator fans think about this? As long as there is no outside entity behind it I'm all for it. But this cannot be a control from some outside source... I wouldn't like that outside control one bit. Schools should be able make their NILs put financial stipulations for players to perform in all games including bowl games to receive NIL compensation. But if it can't be done by the schools then forget it. I can live with players quitting (opting -out) on their teammates. College Football Players Could Be Forced to Play Bowl Games
I'm not sure the NCAA can make this happen, but it would give them far too much control over college football and that is a scary proposition. They have proven to play favorites in the NCAA bylaws/rules... they are far from an honest broker of rules.
I agree. It would also open up another Pandora's box. Revenue sharing through the conference is one thing but I am not for employment by the universities or the NCAA.
If the players are forced to play in the bowl games, I can see some big monetary law suits if a player with a high NFL draft status gets injured. I don't like it when such a player sits out a bowl game. However, I can understand that how such players want to avoid a big financial risk. I would probably sit the game out too.
Not clear how that can happen as not currently an employee of the University. NIL comes from a private fund. You could provide an extra NIL payment to play in a Bowl. Also, some Bowl games are played after a college semester concludes. Mandating would likely require the school to provide injury related insurance as well
I personally don't hate the idea of them being required (whelp, let's say 'encouraged' ) to play in bowl games, especially seeing they're taking advantage of Nil $, in addition to receiving many other benefits. To Rick's point, who would govern/initiate/implement? Agreed, an outside entity might not be ideal. The flip side of that is expecting the NCAA to orchestrate something that would be a win/win. Bureaucratic entities have proven too regularly they are unable to make right choices. Especially, when it comes to $. They often end up catering to the screamers who infect critical thinking, and subsequently the results are often catastrophic, or rarely reflect the original intention. What I'm seeing is too many free agents with entitlement issues wondering why they need to transfer every year. Thank God most kids are grounded and embrace some humility. There might be a solution out there somewhere, but it's above my paygrade... Go Gators.
Make it pay to play. That’s what is really happening anyway. They can sit and not get paid if they choose .
Not really sure how you can make them play. Any player can fake an injury. And I honestly can't blame a player who's a projected first round pick not wanting to risk injury and a multi million dollar payday for a meaningless bowl game. But I also hate how team go into bowl games with most of their starters sitting out. I'm not sure of the right answer. Maybe as some have said if NIL money is structured where they get more money for playing a bowl game ...
Imagine if they could tailor NILs to include a bonus if they play in the bowl (incentivizing a successful season) and then an even bigger bonus if their team wins the bowl game that they play and they actually contribute to that win. Some might call that Pay to Play but I'd call that living in the real world. Either way it should not be called college football.
Make playing (no opt out) in bowl games part of scholarship. Player who opts out without good cause (injury) must refund the full cost of his scholarship for that year.
What do you do if a kid graduates in December and has a job lined up? People keep whining about the kids being greedy, but how many years did the NCAA, schools, and coaches. etc. make a killing by adding games to make the season longer and all the kid got was a scholarship, the same scholarship they got when there was a ten game season. That's like being forced to work overtime, but not getting any more money, much less time and a half. How many of you upset with them would be okay with that. NCAA could've done much more about this problem decades ago by just giving them something, but they didn't, they hoarded it for themselves. TV revenue was a similar issue until schools took the NCAA to court, and now the schools make the money that the NCAA was keeping for themselves. I don't like what's happened any more than anyone else, but I see the players point of view.
Never be able to enforce it. Kids will do exactly what nba/nfl players do when they are out of playoff picture and go down with a hamstring or ankle injury
Prolly needs to be a contractual component, in other words, if said player 'opts out' of the bowl game that would be considered a breach of contract (assuming they signed one initially) and their compensation would then be in jeopardy. A first year law student would explain a potential contract better than I. Geeze. Must be the off-season! All players must play all games unless the Unis acreate anxiety before the next game. Go Gators.
Or... dangle a possible bonus ahead of time (at the beginning of the season) for the end of the year bowl game in the first place. You play they pay...
Two things come to mind. The first is, under the current arrangement, THE key is what the NFL does to "remind" the player of what being on a team means. Otherwise, nothing will take place. The other is that this is another logical step towards unionization of the players and a contract with the governing body. You will do what your contract says you are going to do.
I’m all for it. Every “opt out” by one of our players who wasn’t injured has filled me with incandescent rage. If you have had your scholarship paid for, then you finish the season.
I hate the opt-outs but... Making anyone do anything is not the answer... NOW- if these bowl games started paying the players to play, with a bonus for the winners... That would encourage some to participate while still letting others make "business decisions."
