Trump to issue new sports/NIL executive order soon

[5280Griz]

Get athletes a union to negotiate it. Include life long health benefits covering injuries sustained while playing.

The NFL doesn’t have that. They provide health insurance for 5 years after retirement for players who played 3 seasons or longer. They provide nothing health benefits wise for players who played less than 3 seasons when they are done playing. Getting cut also means losing health insurance for these guys.

 

[UncleRico]

The NFL doesn’t have that. They provide health insurance for 5 years after retirement for players who played 3 seasons or longer. They provide nothing health benefits wise for players who played less than 3 seasons when they are done playing. Getting cut also means losing health insurance for these guys.

Injuries sustained while playing not life time coverage is what I said. Including concussions that could lead to mental health issues.

 

[catgrizfan]

Injuries sustained while playing not life time coverage is what I said. Including concussions that could lead to mental health issues.

This is the reason why I believe players should be compensated to the fullest extent possible. The long term effects of playing football can be devastating and irreversible. Universities make a lot of money off of the backs of these guys so they can pay for other sports, coaches, facilities, etc. The cost of an education is not enough compensation for this amount of risk...not to mention D1 football players essentially work a full-time job while going to school. Put money in a trust for them...or lifetime healthcare. Something. I'll die on this hill.

 

[5280Griz]

This is the reason why I believe players should be compensated to the fullest extent possible. The long term effects of playing football can be devastating and irreversible. Universities make a lot of money off of the backs of these guys so they can pay for other sports, coaches, facilities, etc. The cost of an education is not enough compensation for this amount of risk...not to mention D1 football players essentially work a full-time job while going to school. Put money in a trust for them...or lifetime healthcare. Something. I'll die on this hill.

Football is nearly 100% injury rate being a full contact sport and many injuries don’t get diagnosed until someone is done playing.

 

[HelenaHandBasket]

This is the reason why I believe players should be compensated to the fullest extent possible. The long term effects of playing football can be devastating and irreversible. Universities make a lot of money off of the backs of these guys so they can pay for other sports, coaches, facilities, etc. The cost of an education is not enough compensation for this amount of risk...not to mention D1 football players essentially work a full-time job while going to school. Put money in a trust for them...or lifetime healthcare. Something. I'll die on this hill.

You will see non P4 schools drop football before you have a chance to die on that hill.

 

[behappp]

As far as being like other students - if you are on a music scholarship you can still get a gig at a local establishment, get paid and not lose your scholarship. Or post a video on YouTube and make $$$ that way.

There is no way to put the water back in the bottle. It will take a while, but a solution that makes no one 100% happy will be found. But it will certainly look messy while it is happening.

And I'm pretty sure that the advice of anyone on EGriz will not be influential in how it ends up.

Like most of what happens in the world I'm going to watch it with interest and accept that almost all of it is beyond my control and as Bobby McFerrin sang:

Don't Worry - Be Happy (except losing to the neighbors - which really pisses me off)

 

[alabamagrizzly]

And I'm pretty sure that the advice of anyone on EGriz will not be influential in how it ends up.

Blasphemy sir!!

 

[406football]

The players deserve to get paid. The unlimited transfers through the portal is the problem not players getting paid NIL.

The 1% of players deserve to be paid, the other 99% get an education.

 

[catgrizfan]

The 1% of players deserve to be paid, the other 99% get an education.

So the 99% of those who don't deserve to get paid should put their bodies, potential earnings, and potential quality of life/lives on the line for 60k a year (being generous) over five years to entertain us? Sounds super fair to me.

 

[catgrizfan]

You will see non P4 schools drop football before you have a chance to die on that hill.

You are definitely right, and that wouldn't be the end of the world. There are too many teams...the talent pool is getting a little too diluted.

 

[HelenaHandBasket]

You are definitely right, and that wouldn't be the end of the world. There are too many teams...the talent pool is getting a little too diluted.

Really? You aren't really much of a true catgrizfan huh...

 

[HelenaHandBasket]

So the 99% of those who don't deserve to get paid should put their bodies, potential earnings, and potential quality of life/lives on the line for 60k a year (being generous) over five years to entertain us? Sounds super fair to me.

You realize they have a choice.

 

[5280Griz]

The 1% of players deserve to be paid, the other 99% get an education.

100% of players deserve to be paid.

 

[p8nted]

I think the pay is a little ridiculous though. Money is the root of all evil, like yes it's a commitment and sacrifice to be on a sports team; they already get so many extra privileges as a student. As someone that has now been on both sides of the college experience, athlete and regular student, I can say on at least my behalf, that a lot of grizzlies sports privileges make up for some of the cost. I think if they were payed the base amount that a student employee is paid across all sports , that would be a fair an equitable solution to the whole of the student body. For example be basketball players get very very very lucky with their housing every year, but the regular student is sol or another example a griz athlete can park on campus and most likely won't get fined.

The Universities have chosen to go Pro, turn college sports into a huge business, and make huge sums off the athletes performance. Sorry but you can't just say the players have to concede and go back and let the Universities stay in the Pro model

 

[p8nted]

I understand how much money they bring in. They are also still students and should have to confide to the rest of the rules

that used to just kinda be the way it was.

Well the scholarships were one year only and the School could terminate it at any time. Students were bound, but the University was not

 

[406football]

So the 99% of those who don't deserve to get paid should put their bodies, potential earnings, and potential quality of life/lives on the line for 60k a year (being generous) over five years to entertain us? Sounds super fair to me.

The whole point is that the 99% are compensated differently, through scholarships, academic support, training, medical coverage, and career development, the things that actually matter for their long‑term lives. These aren’t scraps. They’re tens of thousands per year in tuition, housing, meals, academic services, and medical care, benefits that regular students don’t get and can’t afford.

And unlike the top 1% who generate the big money, the other 99% aren’t bringing in millions for the university. They are, however, receiving opportunities that set them up for a stable career after college, something the data shows most will rely on because they’re not going pro.

So no, it’s not “put your body on the line for pennies.”
It’s trade your athletic ability for an education, professional development, elite healthcare, and a future.

If anything, that’s a far better deal than pretending every athlete should make the same money regardless of the value they generate. The model isn’t perfect, but let’s not act like the 99% are walking away empty‑handed. They walk away with a degree, zero tuition debt, and resources regular students could only dream of.

Do we not value education anymore?

 

[5280Griz]

The whole point is that the 99% are compensated differently, through scholarships, academic support, training, medical coverage, and career development, the things that actually matter for their long‑term lives. These aren’t scraps. They’re tens of thousands per year in tuition, housing, meals, academic services, and medical care, benefits that regular students don’t get and can’t afford.

And unlike the top 1% who generate the big money, the other 99% aren’t bringing in millions for the university. They are, however, receiving opportunities that set them up for a stable career after college, something the data shows most will rely on because they’re not going pro.

So no, it’s not “put your body on the line for pennies.”
It’s trade your athletic ability for an education, professional development, elite healthcare, and a future.

If anything, that’s a far better deal than pretending every athlete should make the same money regardless of the value they generate. The model isn’t perfect, but let’s not act like the 99% are walking away empty‑handed. They walk away with a degree, zero tuition debt, and resources regular students could only dream of.

Do we not value education anymore?

The majority of FCS players including UM are paying tuition and probably going into debt unless their parents or grandparents are paying it for them. It is more difficult to have a job during school as an athlete.

 

[406football]

100% of players deserve to be paid.

The majority of FCS players including UM are paying tuition and probably going into debt unless their parents or grandparents are paying it for them. It is more difficult to have a job during school as an athlete.

FCS programs get 63 scholarships for 100+ players, and they can split them, plenty of athletes get partial tuition covered, not zero.

And the average college student in the U.S. graduates with about $29,300 in student loan debt, with none of the academic support, tutoring, training, medical coverage, or structured resources athletes get.

the players deserve more because universities make money point sure, but let’s stop pretending the whole roster generates revenue. Even under the new revenue‑sharing models, the money overwhelmingly comes from a tiny handful of top players, while many players receive much less or almost nothing.

Universities didn’t build their brands yesterday. They make money because of decades of loyalty, alumni culture, donor tradition, history, and institutional following, not because every single player on the roster is a star.

The top players absolutely deserve to be compensated because they actually move the needle. But pretending the entire roster equally drives revenue is just wrong. Most athletes benefit from the system, discounted degrees, elite resources, academic support — while only a few actually generate the big money.

 

[5280Griz]

FCS programs get 63 scholarships for 100+ players, and they can split them, plenty of athletes get partial tuition covered, not zero.

And the average college student in the U.S. graduates with about $29,300 in student loan debt, with none of the academic support, tutoring, training, medical coverage, or structured resources athletes get.

the players deserve more because universities make money point sure, but let’s stop pretending the whole roster generates revenue. Even under the new revenue‑sharing models, the money overwhelmingly comes from a tiny handful of top players, while many players receive much less or almost nothing.

Universities didn’t build their brands yesterday. They make money because of decades of loyalty, alumni culture, donor tradition, history, and institutional following, not because every single player on the roster is a star.

The top players absolutely deserve to be compensated because they actually move the needle. But pretending the entire roster equally drives revenue is just wrong. Most athletes benefit from the system, discounted degrees, elite resources, academic support — while only a few actually generate the big money.

I didn’t say zero. Partial tuition covered means they are still paying tuition and likely going into debt unless their parents are giving them the difference between their partial scholarship and the full cost of attendance. The only players who are not are those on full scholarship which is less than half the team in UM’s case. What you are saying about the top players being compensated instead of the whole roster is why the FCS is better than the FBS. The FCS that is the case. The FBS everyone is getting paid. Backups at Michigan State for example that redshirt and never get off the bench are still making 6 figures NIL.

 

[406football]

I didn’t say zero. Partial tuition covered means they are still paying tuition and likely going into debt unless their parents are giving them the difference between their partial scholarship and the full cost of attendance.

You’re talking like these guys are being marched through some nightmare ordeal, when the reality is it’s more like having a full‑time job stacked on top of a full‑time degree. It’s demanding, absolutely, but it’s not some tragic, burdensome existence the way you’re framing it.

People don’t become Griz fans because of payrolls, NIL numbers, or which athlete got the biggest check. That has never been the foundation of Montana’s football culture.

We become Griz fans because of connection.

Because a parent or grandparent went to UM. Because a cousin played there.Because we grew up going to Washington–Grizzly Stadium bundled up in the cold. Because the whole state watched the Griz dominate decade after decade and it became part of our identity. Because we inherited the maroon and silver the same way people inherit family stories.

Montanans don’t follow the Griz because of player payouts, they follow them because of tradition, loyalty, and belonging built over generations. The program’s brand wasn’t created by a handful of big‑name athletes or NIL collectives; it was created by decades of fans who filled the stands long before any NIL deal existed.