Pac-12 ‘will not engage’ in players’ demand of 50% revenue split
Dylan Mickanen (NBC Sports) — A group of conference players and Pac-12 leaders had a “productive” call about the players potentially boycotting the 2020 season, but the Pac-12 made it clear that “they will not engage” in negotiating the players’ demand of a 50% share of revenue, per Ross Dellenger of Sports Illustrated. Pac-12 leaders pushed back against the players’ demand for each sports’ participants to receive a cut of the conference revenue. Conference officials told #WeAreUnited members that such a move would lead to athletes becoming employees and would impact those athletes who do not participate in revenue-generating sports.
On Sunday, hundreds of Pac-12 college football players released an open letter titled “#WeAreUnited” in the Players’ Tribune making many demands including the ability to receive payments, preserving safety during the coronavirus pandemic, and greater racial justice policies.
On Wednesday, an email was sent out to the #WeAreUnited group where commissioner Larry Scott proposed a Zoom call at 8 p.m. PT Thursday to discuss the athletes’ list of demands.
The call included Scott, ASU athletic director Ray Anderson, Utah athletic director Mark Harlan and Pac-12 assistant commissioner Chris Merino, and 12 student-athletes.
Sports Illustrated reports that the call was primarily focused on the concerns about COVID-19 from the players with the talk being considered “constructive.” There was little talk of the boycott, little talk of the revenue sharing, and no talk of Scott and other conference officials taking a pay cut.
Scott, who took home $5.3 million in 2018 which was good for second among NCAA conference commissioners, agreed to take a 20% salary reduction in April for 2020.
Another key topic discussed was the protocol if a player decides to opt-out of the season. The NCAA has a deadline of next Friday, August 14, but the players want more clarity; will their roster spot/scholarship be saved for a year? Will it count as a redshirt season even if that player has already redshirted? What if only part of the season gets played?
No follow-up meeting has been scheduled but the two sides are expected to follow up next week.
Players from both the Big Ten and Mountain West have banded together to form similar groups, with one distinct difference: their demands are only related to COVID-19.
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My guess is that the politicization of sports (collegiate and pro) is now a reality. It is a shame and the people who will suffer the most will be those who these very sports benefit, the athletes. For many of these kids, sports were the ticket out of poverty. The exceptionally talented will still have a place. The true victims will be the majority who were good enough to get into school (or the League) but not super star status.
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Allen, I think this confirms what both of us have thought all along. And, this result (tho not justified by the risk IMO) is a the result of a combination of factors, including the politicization of sport. Colin Kapernick made himself rich in adopting Harry Edwards (remember him from the 60’s?) “social justice” politicization of the NFL. He did the rest of the players no favors. the hit on pro sports will be massive as well. How the NFL play? The main issue is what happens from here. We both know that there has been “strong” academic resentment of big… Read more »
So now all the PAC 12 needs to worry about is social injustices. How do you suppose that will take shape? Maybe a patch on the uniform or a helmet sticker. Perhaps rename the field or remove statues. One thing is for sure, non of above mentioned changes will move the minds of those who see race as a difference.
I do think coaches and administrative personnel had better watch what is said and done and take every moment as if it will be aired on the 11pm news
I wish they’d erect a statue of Larry Scott so we could have Traveler pull it down. Ralphie could do the trick too. 😂
Rialto, You hit the nail on the head. We now have the politicialization of college sports. I doubt the kids (like Chase Daniels) clearly comprehend what is at stake, after all he is just a kid.
Come on, as if a 50% revenue split “demand” was ever meant to be taken seriously. It was a feeler thrown out to see the reaction. The pure mathematics of it all, especially in light of Title-9, is too ridiculous to have even a start-up conversation. This is all about the Summer 2020 “Revolution” and seeing what freebies I can latch my hands onto.
You actually think Ramogi Huma’s 50/50 split demand was thrown out just as a joke? Why would anyone in their right mind include a demand literally not to be taken seriously among many they are dead serious about?
We all already knew exactly what the Pac-12’s reaction to this would be. Even Ramogi knew that, long before he ridiculously decided to include it, thereby lessening his bargaining stature. Just a super dumb move on his part, which is exactly why the Big Ten players left out that demand in their platform.
Like Lawyerjohn stated, it was a trial balloon. You know, let’s run it up the flag pole and see if anyone salutes. 😎
I looked at it as a throw away, but use throwing it away as leverage for the other points they want, which are pretty much meaningless seeing as how the ncaa and pac12 have those things covered already.
As a negotiator, I would never throw in a so-called “demand” that I knew was worthless and would simply and quickly be turned down.
And if I were on the receiving end of it, I would give it no “leverage” value whatsoever, only an immediate denial (as actually happened here, generating a negative headline) to make my intentions clear.
I view the inclusion of a “throw away demand” as a big sign of weakness, which IMO is exactly what it demonstrated here.