OSU wants family bowl travel budget raised.

Submitted by justingoblue on

Came across an article this morning about Urban Meyer and Gene Smith looking to increase the amount of money schools can give player's families for bowl game trips, currently set at $800. The article includes a couple tweets from Jamarco Jones' and Eli Apple's mothers and a statement from Smith saying he'll introduce NCAA legislation to try and raise the limit.

Before his arrest and dismissal from the team there was a lot of talk about Frank Clark's mother never seeing him play in person. Smith seems focused on postseason games but I wonder if a change could be made to allow a school to fly families in for regular season games as well.

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justingoblue

January 5th, 2015 at 12:02 PM ^

Eleven Warriors tweeted this out during Harbaugh's introductory presser. I'm sure it has been posted in one of the million Harbaugh comments but I'll post it again since anyone who clicked knew there'd be some OSU stuff here anyway.

 

Joined: 11/16/2010

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Coldwater

January 5th, 2015 at 11:27 AM ^

I'm for families getting some more cash for travel expenses. It's not cheap going to the Sugar Bowl then going right back to the Championship game. Hotel, airline tix, food, ect....that adds up!

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ak47

January 5th, 2015 at 11:51 AM ^

Well since a lot of these players come from rough backgrounds where taking a couple days off work is lost income since they may not be salaried employees and going out is more expensive than cooking which you can't do in a hotel it is possible that they need the additional help in order to actually make the trip.  

 

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Canadian

January 5th, 2015 at 1:31 PM ^

Let's keep this in mind when arguing for player payment. It is a valid point.
But if you can't afford to take the time off work then you don't go. I do not think it is the schools responsibility to ensure every family member has an all expense trip paid for them. Their responsibility is to the players. I think the parents should be given a break but likely not to the extent they are begging for

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GoWings2008

January 5th, 2015 at 11:28 AM ^

as one way to provide some benefits to college players, without paying them directly for play (which some people want, some don't) then I think it could be something worth discussing.  Not sure how I feel about it, but I'm willing to hear an argument for it.

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mGrowOld

January 5th, 2015 at 11:31 AM ^

I think it's absolutely unconscionable that colleges are not allowed to fly family members in to watch their children play if they so desire.  A  small amount of money relative to the cost of the scholly itself (say $2,500) could be earmarked for trips annually so the parents of children unable to afford travel could go to one or two games per year.

I'm sure this is something the bagmen take care of down south.

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UM2k1

January 5th, 2015 at 11:31 AM ^

Shouldn't the rule be changed to allow the school to pay for players immediate family, regardless of cost. I don't think you could influence a recruit by saying "if we go to XYZ bowl, we will put your parents up in the best hotel and fly them first class". It is only for approximately 1 weekend per year, and wouldn't cause a competitive imbalance.

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BucksSuck

January 5th, 2015 at 11:34 AM ^

I have a cousing that is in the OSU marching band.  His mother is widowed and he is the middle of three children and money has always be tight since his dad past.  A package for the Sugar Bowl offered through the school was between $3500 and $4000 for his mother and a friend (including airfare).  She would like to attend the Championship game but the price for that package is over $4000.  How is a single mother supposed to be able to travel to those games to watch her son?

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HarbaughToMichigan

January 5th, 2015 at 4:00 PM ^

Well... she doesn't.  Shouldn't schools also be responsible for paying for families of players to watch them compete in the NCAA soccer tournament?  What about March Madness?  The Frozen Four?  Gymnastics championships?  Field hockey?

Do football players' parents love their children and love to watch them play more than the other sports?  No.  Does football bring in the VAST majority of most schools' athletic revenues?  Yes.  Do football players get compensated more than other athletes?  No.  Why should their parents be treated any differently?

I won't open up a can of worms by discussing Title IX compliance and the value of non-revenue sports... but proposals like this will.  Sure, we all know football is MUCH more important to the schools than all other sports combined, but we live in a farcical NCAA and political world where all sports are treated equally.

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mgobleu

January 5th, 2015 at 11:43 AM ^

$800 is only slightly better than a sharp sick in the eye. It sucks, IMHO. It might take some degree of policing, but if the money was definitely going to be used for travel expenses, and if we're talking about a LIMIT here, I'd say the starting bidding should be $1,500 or 2,000. I'm not big on pay for play, but I think they owe the parents at least a fricking shot to see their kid play. Hold on, I forgot. We've just got a bunch of trust fund babies here, so obviously this will have no effect on Michigan.

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MDisciple87

January 5th, 2015 at 11:46 AM ^

Both Urban & Saban brought this up in their initial Sugar Bowl press conferences. It's the right thing to do and I'm all for it and schools should be allowed to pay for it, if they have the money.

I think it will get passed and be another way that the Power 5 'haves' will be able to differentiate themselves from the Group of 5 conferences after last year's ruling where the NCAA allowed them to have diff. tracks.

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LSAClassOf2000

January 5th, 2015 at 11:50 AM ^

"I have always been in agreement with Coach Meyer. I wish we could help the families of players more than we currently can. I will initiate NCAA legislation to allow us to provide more financial assistance in the future for postseason trips."

In a very awkward turn for me, I am going to agree with our counterparts some 4 hours down the road. This is undoubtedly one of the prouder moments in their lives for the families, to see their child play in a game like this and it is a shame that the current allowance wouldn't even get them there or in the door really. 

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Tuebor

January 5th, 2015 at 11:56 AM ^

How does this work?  Can the family take the $800 and never go to the game?  Or do they have to pay out of pocket and get reimbursed up to $800?

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The_Mad Hatter

January 5th, 2015 at 12:57 PM ^

I think I would be ok with an increase provided that all travel arrangements are made by the school.  They book the flight, room, etc, and only give out cash for meals/small expenses once they arrive at the game.

I'm not really comfortable with handing out cash every time a player's family says they want to see a game.

/my lawn, off of it

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Bando Calrissian

January 5th, 2015 at 11:59 AM ^

The thing is, bowl games are prohibitively expensive for just about everyone, not just players' families. They ask you to book travel to (usually) high-ticket, warm-weather locales around the holidays on very short notice. Hotels are either marked up or booked up. Tickets are (usually) expensive. It's a tough justification all around for most people. That's just how it is.

OSU is on to something here, but if their concern is really having the parents watch their kids play, the more economical choice is the regular season.

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oriental andrew

January 5th, 2015 at 12:24 PM ^

I haven't looked at the NCAA rules, but it would not surprise me one bit of that number was established sometime in the 90's or early aughts, when airfare was still ridiculously cheap. I remember flying between Chicago and Atlanta from 2001-2003 and often getting roundtrip fares for under $100 and would be annoyed if I had to pay more than $120. Prices were also <$100 when flying DTW-ATL when I was in college in the mid-90s. 

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Zoltanrules

January 5th, 2015 at 12:51 PM ^

This isn't a black and white issue. But I get that the top 5 CFB leagues are becoming the NFL's official minor leagues and they generate tons of money for the schools and the NCAA. The family should get two tickets (big $) and $800 to do what they want with for each round of the playoffs. (This is also a taxable gift then?). The Apples can drive if they want to take more family members.

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