But it’s not a good deal. Any term other than money is a sucker’s deal.I am not totally against paying players but in terms of value provided by universities to players, I would say a free year of schooling, medical care, and the ability to improve my earnings a year out by $1m+ is a pretty good deal.
I have no problem with any kid leaving after three years, whether they’re ready or not. I also don’t worry too much about if they don’t make it if they leave early because MOST would not benefit from an extra year (Leinhart...). Finding out they’re not good enough is exactly what most recreation kids have to learn, what most high school kids have to learn and what most college kids have to learn. They just happen to be one of those kids this time.
If I had a choice to come back for a National Championship or make some money, I’m going for the money and it’s exactly what I would counsel to a kid.
Lastly, for those who play even one year, $2.5MM goes a long way (well, it should, 30 fo 30 “Broke” cautionary tales not included). It’s about 15 years worth of salary for the BEST undergrads in their class at Miami.
School’s not for everyone, but money is.
How much are they earning if they don’t make a team?
The key thing is having good advisors that tell the kids the truth about their prospects so that they could make a well-informed decision.
Going pro when you have very little shot of even being on a roster makes zero sense financially. Better to wait a year and see if you improve your prospects and graduate college.
If you’re going in the first two or three rounds for sure then it is a no brained.
Like anything in life, the ability to evaluate your options properly is key.