Editorial: Are college sports pro or amateur?

Published 12:00 am Saturday, March 18, 2006

There’s enough advertising money in college sports as it is. A bill to prevent the University of Minnesota from selling naming rights to the Gophers’ yet-to-be-built football stadium is a good idea.

Sure, people will argue that the corporate dollars really help pay for college facilities. It takes the burden off taxpayers.

True, but this is a university &045; not a pro sports arena such as the Target Center. Let the corporations give philanthropic donations if they really care so much. Maybe even name a building after a company founder.

Email newsletter signup

But don’t slap a corporate ad right on the name of a college football stadium. Why? Think of it from the student-athlete’s point of view: They take note how much the schools make off their astounding performances. Yet they earn scholarships and have limits on their personal earnings. Some athletes make nothing, not even scholarships.

We aren’t in favor of paying college athletes, either, mind you. Our point is this: Let’s keep college sports as much of an amateur atmosphere as we can. Otherwise, let’s stop kidding ourselves, take the corporate money and pay the athletes.

As it stands, school officials can have it both ways &045; take the mountains of money and watch the kids play &045; but it’s not ethical. There’s a line where support goes from philanthropic to commercial.

The state leaders should back building the football stadium. That’s a good plan.

Slapping a corporate name on the structure where student-athletes compete. That’s a bad plan.