Paying a Talent Fee

[MisterCajun]

Should UL impose a "talent fee" on all ticket sales (both season and game day) in order to pay athletes to come to UL, will this affect anyones attitude towards attending UL sporting events? If you have been a season ticket holder for a long time for a particular sport, would this fee make you not want to renew your season tickets or cut back on the number of season tickets you normally purchase? Personally, I am a long time holder of men's basketball and softball season tickets and I will definitely not renew my tickets should a fee be imposed. I will not be mandated into paying for athletes to play collegiate sports.

[CajunRebel]

Should UL impose a "talent fee" on all ticket sales (both season and game day) in order to pay athletes to come to UL, will this affect anyones attitude towards attending UL sporting events? If you have been a season ticket holder for a long time for a particular sport, would this fee make you not want to renew your season tickets or cut back on the number of season tickets you normally purchase? Personally, I am a long time holder of men's basketball and softball season tickets and I will definitely not renew my tickets should a fee be imposed. I will not be mandated into paying for athletes to play collegiate sports.

This is the game we’ll have to start playing to remain competitive. It might not come this year, but it will come soon.

FWIW, athletes already get paid here. They get a free scholarship, free meals, free housing, and a ~$5k cost of living stipend. Over 4 years that probably adds up to $100k worth of money and benefits. So in that way your season tickets have always gone towards paying athletes.

I see two logical outcomes:
1. UL pays players and you won’t show up because you don’t want to pay for it.
2. UL doesn’t pay players and you won’t show up because we stink because even ULM is paying their players and taking our recruits.

[CajunVic]

I don't think that anyone should be forced to participate in NIL. However, I do believe that until the culture of the Cajun Nation accepts that some level of NIL support is and will be necessary to continue to compete with our conference piers for Sunbelt championships, even in the diamond sports, we will continue to and/or start to decline in every sport and will no longer be competing for championships shortly, like possibly this year. Unfortunately, Rebel is spot on in his analysis of this situation, like it or not . . . Trust Vic, trust the bird

[ULvictory]

Should UL impose a "talent fee" on all ticket sales (both season and game day) in order to pay athletes to come to UL, will this affect anyones attitude towards attending UL sporting events? If you have been a season ticket holder for a long time for a particular sport, would this fee make you not want to renew your season tickets or cut back on the number of season tickets you normally purchase? Personally, I am a long time holder of men's basketball and softball season tickets and I will definitely not renew my tickets should a fee be imposed. I will not be mandated into paying for athletes to play collegiate sports.

I don't like it, but I called it a little while ago when it was allowed for NIL to fall under the universities' umbrella starting next year. This will most likely be the norm across the board. Where we struggle here is that we are more of a "tweener" in some sports like baseball or softball. Fans pay a good amount of money for those sports as a midmajor athletics program but will naturally be asked to pay more here. Priorities will be key: do we want to compete for NC or would we rather pay less and be satisfied with just making regionals? I'm curious myself to see how fans will respond to this.

[Clutch0364]

I would be done. The price increases have already made me question continuing to buy tickets and if a talent fee was added I’d be completely done.

I said it in a different post but I agree with NIL but not in the way it is being done. Players should be able to use their name, image and likeness to make as much money as they want but my money shouldn’t have to go towards it.

NIL was supposed to be about giving the players a piece of the pie, but now the teams just want to make the pie bigger and make the fans pay it.

[JamesTheJeweler]

I would be done. The price increases have already made me question continuing to buy tickets and if a talent fee was added I’d be completely done.

I said it in a different post but I agree with NIL but not in the way it is being done. Players should be able to use their name, image and likeness to make as much money as they want but my money shouldn’t have to go towards it.

NIL was supposed to be about giving the players a piece of the pie, but now the teams just want to make the pie bigger and make the fans pay it.

You're not wrong

[CajunSID]

I would be done. The price increases have already made me question continuing to buy tickets and if a talent fee was added I’d be completely done.

I said it in a different post but I agree with NIL but not in the way it is being done. Players should be able to use their name, image and likeness to make as much money as they want but my money shouldn’t have to go towards it.

NIL was supposed to be about giving the players a piece of the pie, but now the teams just want to make the pie bigger and make the fans pay it.

It’s unfortunately become the cost of doing business. Athletics has to try to keep the same margins, and instead of figuring out fat cuts, depts around the country just pass it to their fans. It’s a litmus test to see how far they can stretch fan dollars.

Obviously the schools with the most alums with deep pockets will have the advantage. For that next tier, the ones whose facilities are in a good place will have the advantage over those who need upgrades and lack sugar daddies.

[RedTails]

Fans already pay for college football through:

1. Tickets
2. Donations (RCAF/Krewe Allons)
3. Ever increasing TV prices
4. ESPN+

Now we are talking about adding fees primarily that go directly to a generation of athletes who have zero loyalty and are able to transfer out whenever they want. Right after we lessened fees from switching from Ticketmaster to Paciolan.

I wouldn't say that I would be completely done or that it would be a red line for me, but every passing day my interest wanes in this new era of "college" athletics.

Fans and every day normal people are tired of being asked for money. Tip culture is out of hand. "College" football is out of hand. My personal email is filled every morning with organizations begging for money. Everyone is spread thin.

[Cajunrunner]

There was a thread on this yesterday that for some reason seemed to completely disappear.

In short, like Rebel stated above, athletes are already getting paid by the university in multiple ways…though it’s obvious not all look at free tuition, housing, books and meals while getting a four year degree as “just” compensation.

NIL should provide them the opportunity to make money providing services like ads, autographs, lessons to private parties.

If we’re going into the school actually directly paying them…seems to me they also ought to sign a contract as some sort of university employee. That’s the way I see it.

[Cajunrunner]

Fans already pay for college football through:

1. Tickets
2. Donations (RCAF/Krewe Allons)
3. Ever increasing TV prices
4. ESPN+

Now we are talking about adding fees primarily that go directly to a generation of athletes who have zero loyalty and are able to transfer out whenever they want. Right after we lessened fees from switching from Ticketmaster to Paciolan.

I wouldn't say that I would be completely done or that it would be a red line for me, but every passing day my interest wanes in this new era of "college" athletics.

Fans and every day normal people are tired of being asked for money. Tip culture is out of hand. "College" football is out of hand. My personal email is filled every morning with organizations begging for money. Everyone is spread thin.

Bingo. While the rest of us are paying tuition for our kids to attend college.

[ZoomZoom]

Bingo. While the rest of us are paying tuition for our kids to attend college.

Though I’m past that stage, that’s a line many I’ve met, regardless of university, are walking away.

One guy put it this way, at least his kids know who he is, not throwing money at people that have zero loyalty, much less, even know.

This is a very slippery slope. Employees are entitled to many things, like workman’s comp and disability, just for starters. Career ending injuries will get expensive. Laugh if you wish, but many laughed about being where we are today.

[cajunfan96]

Fans already pay for college football through:

1. Tickets
2. Donations (RCAF/Krewe Allons)
3. Ever increasing TV prices
4. ESPN+

Now we are talking about adding fees primarily that go directly to a generation of athletes who have zero loyalty and are able to transfer out whenever they want. Right after we lessened fees from switching from Ticketmaster to Paciolan.

I wouldn't say that I would be completely done or that it would be a red line for me, but every passing day my interest wanes in this new era of "college" athletics.

Fans and every day normal people are tired of being asked for money. Tip culture is out of hand. "College" football is out of hand. My personal email is filled every morning with organizations begging for money. Everyone is spread thin.

I agree we are already paying for tickets to support program. RCAF needs to get creative about raising funds and stop nickel and diming your fan base! Go get additional sponsorships! You can't charge for prime rib when you are serving hot dogs.