Charles Barkley is 'not a big fan' of NIL

[aubiefifty 18,259]

Why former Auburn basketball standout Charles Barkley is 'not a big fan' of NIL

Richard Silva, Montgomery Advertiser

~4 minutes

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AUBURN — The introduction of Name, Image and Likeness has thrown a curveball into college sports programs across the country, and Auburn athletics is no different.

Coaches Hugh Freeze and Bruce Pearl are still learning how to best navigate the challenges presented by NIL, but former Auburn basketball star Charles Barkley already knows where he stands on the topic.

"I think what's going to happen in the next three to five years is we're going to have about 20 good teams because everybody is going to start going to the highest bidder," Barkley said at the Regions Tradition pro-am golf tournament in Birmingham last Wednesday. "I don't like it at all, (but) that's just the world we live in today."

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Barkley, who grew up in Leeds before committing to Auburn and spending three seasons with the Tigers, also fears there's a risk for resentment to arise among teams based on the amount of NIL money each player is receiving, especially in football due to the fact that players must be three years removed from high school to be eligible for the draft. Basketball players can play just one season in college before trying to make it to the NBA.

"If I'm a quarterback, I'm probably going to make the most money, and the running back and the wide receivers," Barkley said. "But the hardest two positions in pro sports are probably offensive line and defensive line. I'm not sure people are going to be paying those big, ugly guys a lot of money. They're going to pay the pretty quarterback and running back. I'm not sure that's fair."

Balancing that fairness in regard to NIL is something Freeze has been tasked with since he landed the Auburn job in November.

"Whether we like it or don't like it, it's part of the world that we live in," Freeze said of NIL on the first day of spring practices in February. "... There's not a single person in regards to NIL on any college football team, probably, that would say, 'I wasn't for that.' And so, if we're all for that, then we have to be willing to also deal with when we think it might not be adequately done for you.

"There are still a lot of guys that go in debt to be a part of this program. And every program. You could trade seats with them if you'd like to, and, obviously, nobody would. I want our young men to try to operate out of an attitude of blessing and not entitlement. ... Life's not fair sometimes, and everything won't always be fair. But what do we do when it's not? I've spent a lot of time trying to teach them on those kinds of things."

And while Barkley would've likely enjoyed the ability to make money from NIL during his time with the Tigers, he's glad he didn't have to deal with the challenges that may have come with it.

"I made the best decision ever going to Auburn," Barkley said. "But I'm not stupid enough to think if I was making a lot of money at Auburn, that other players wouldn't get jealous at some point."

Richard Silva is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at rsilva@gannett.com or on Twitter @rich_silva18.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Charles Barkley: Why Auburn basketball legend is 'not a big fan' of NIL

[W.E.D 11,071]

7 hours ago, aubiefifty said:

"I think what's going to happen in the next three to five years is we're going to have about 20 good teams because everybody is going to start going to the highest bidder," Barkley said at the Regions Tradition pro-am golf tournament

[Dual-Threat Rigby 9,064]

https://www.al.com/sports/2014/09/charles_barkley_i_got_cash_fro.html

 

"I got some cash from agents," Barkley says on the Season 5 premiere of In Depth with Graham Bensigner, which will air Saturday. "I've talked to the NCAA. I think that should be legal. I want some money too, everybody else is making money. I want to go on dates. I want to go buy myself some new suits. I want to buy myself some new sneakers, and I paid the agents back."

Gotta love C-Bark's consistent inconsistency lol 

[AU9377 6,037]

On 5/17/2023 at 8:22 PM, Dual-Threat Rigby said:

https://www.al.com/sports/2014/09/charles_barkley_i_got_cash_fro.html

 

"I got some cash from agents," Barkley says on the Season 5 premiere of In Depth with Graham Bensigner, which will air Saturday. "I've talked to the NCAA. I think that should be legal. I want some money too, everybody else is making money. I want to go on dates. I want to go buy myself some new suits. I want to buy myself some new sneakers, and I paid the agents back."

Gotta love C-Bark's consistent inconsistency lol 

That isn't the same thing though.  NIL is not about name image and likeness.  NIL is about recruiting and paying kids to sign.

[Mikey 16,781]

My thinking is that baseball, softball and other sports where the athletes don't get full scholarships should get the NIL money. Those who are getting the full ride plus their stipend are already better off than most of their classmates. I know that's not how this is going to go and Barkley is correct, but it's sad.

[Golden Eagle 466]

On 5/17/2023 at 8:32 AM, aubiefifty said:

"Whether we like it or don't like it, it's part of the world that we live in," Freeze said of NIL on the first day of spring practices in February. "... There's not a single person in regards to NIL on any college football team, probably, that would say, 'I wasn't for that.' And so, if we're all for that, then we have to be willing to also deal with when we think it might not be adequately done for you.

"There are still a lot of guys that go in debt to be a part of this program. And every program. You could trade seats with them if you'd like to, and, obviously, nobody would. I want our young men to try to operate out of an attitude of blessing and not entitlement. ... Life's not fair sometimes, and everything won't always be fair. But what do we do when it's not? I've spent a lot of time trying to teach them on those kinds of things."

 

1 hour ago, Mikey said:

My thinking is that baseball, softball and other sports where the athletes don't get full scholarships should get the NIL money. Those who are getting the full ride plus their stipend are already better off than most of their classmates. I know that's not how this is going to go and Barkley is correct, but it's sad.

Don't understand Freeze's statement that a lot of guys go into debt to be part of AU football program?  Per Mikey's comment, aren't scholly footballers adequately compensated?  If he's talking about the few team members who may not be on a scholarship, I would think they knew what they were getting into and could afford to take it on.  Baseball and softball, on the other hand, are limited as you can see below.  'Equivalency' means a scholarship can be split among  multiple players with the total money awarded equivalent to the scholarship limit. 

How many baseball scholarships are allowed: Number of baseball scholarships by division level

Division Level	Number of Teams	Total Athletes	Average Team Size	Scholarship Limit Per Team	Scholarship Limit Type
D1	298	10,400	35	11.7	Equivalency
D2	259	9,000	39	9	Equivalency
D3	374	11,200	34	N/A	N/A
NAIA	212	6,300	38	12	Equivalency
JUCO	511	15,300	30	24	Equivalency

 

Number of softball scholarships by division level

In 2018-2019, approximately 1,691 schools sponsored varsity softball teams. Here’s how that number shakes out for each division level:

Division Level	Number of Schools	Max Scholarships per School	Average Roster Size
D1	301	12	21
D2	282	7.2	20
D3	404	N/A	18
NAIA	207	10	21
JUCO	497	24 (D1) / 12 (D2)	17

[aubiefifty 18,259]

5 minutes ago, Golden Eagle said:

 

Don't understand Freeze's statement that a lot of guys go into debt to be part of AU football program?  Per Mikey's comment, aren't scholly footballers adequately compensated?  If he's talking about the few team members who may not be on a scholarship, I would think they knew what they were getting into and could afford to take it on.  Baseball and softball, on the other hand, are limited as you can see below.  'Equivalency' means a scholarship can be split among  multiple players with the total money awarded equivalent to the scholarship limit. 

How many baseball scholarships are allowed: Number of baseball scholarships by division level

Division Level	Number of Teams	Total Athletes	Average Team Size	Scholarship Limit Per Team	Scholarship Limit Type
D1	298	10,400	35	11.7	Equivalency
D2	259	9,000	39	9	Equivalency
D3	374	11,200	34	N/A	N/A
NAIA	212	6,300	38	12	Equivalency
JUCO	511	15,300	30	24	Equivalency

 

Number of softball scholarships by division level

In 2018-2019, approximately 1,691 schools sponsored varsity softball teams. Here’s how that number shakes out for each division level:

Division Level	Number of Schools	Max Scholarships per School	Average Roster Size
D1	301	12	21
D2	282	7.2	20
D3	404	N/A	18
NAIA	207	10	21
JUCO	497	24 (D1) / 12 (D2)	17

i agree. i rarely watch baseball or prof ball because you always end up with a different team. and i get they want to earn that money but it has changed the pleasure i used to enjoy watching sports. for some weird reason i always gave the raiders a pass because they were the "outcasts" and players no one else wanted much. anyway i have not lost my love for all things auburn yet but i hate we are a pro team now. but to be clear i might not care for it much but i want ours to get theirs just like everyone else. war eagle.

[NoALtiger 4,009]

2 hours ago, Mikey said:

My thinking is that baseball, softball and other sports where the athletes don't get full scholarships should get the NIL money. Those who are getting the full ride plus their stipend are already better off than most of their classmates. I know that's not how this is going to go and Barkley is correct, but it's sad.

I’d imagine the big thing is where does the NIL $$ come from and where does the main donors want their contributions to go to. Obviously football is the main attraction cash cow by a mile and because of that, thats where the majority of the funds will generally go I would think. Football is better off than the other sports but they also contribute much more to the University’s economy than probably all the other sports put together. 

[Dual-Threat Rigby 9,064]

4 hours ago, AU9377 said:

That isn't the same thing though.  NIL is not about name image and likeness.  NIL is about recruiting and paying kids to sign.

Yeah unfortunately, your interpretation isn’t the actual definition of NIL. Regardless, Barkley is a hypocrite on this topic, even by your own imparted interpretation. Money kept him from leaving Auburn as soon as possible, and money is what’s drawing these guys from one spot to another. 

His quotes in that article actually even reinforce the by the book definition of NIL’s advantage for the athlete and the school. "Most of these kids leave school for money," he said. "What's wrong with an agent letting me borrow some money, so I can give it to my mom and do some stuff I want to do? He's making me stay in school by lending me money. The bank's going to charge me interest. He's helping me. I understand (he wants to represent me professionally) but I think more kids would stay in school.“ 

 

[AU9377 6,037]

3 hours ago, Dual-Threat Rigby said:

Yeah unfortunately, your interpretation isn’t the actual definition of NIL. Regardless, Barkley is a hypocrite on this topic, even by your own imparted interpretation. Money kept him from leaving Auburn as soon as possible, and money is what’s drawing these guys from one spot to another. 

His quotes in that article actually even reinforce the by the book definition of NIL’s advantage for the athlete and the school. "Most of these kids leave school for money," he said. "What's wrong with an agent letting me borrow some money, so I can give it to my mom and do some stuff I want to do? He's making me stay in school by lending me money. The bank's going to charge me interest. He's helping me. I understand (he wants to represent me professionally) but I think more kids would stay in school.“ 

 

You are absolutely correct.  It isn't the actual definition, but it is how the concept (for lack of a better word)  is being applied.  I have no problem with compensating players while they attend school.  However, NIL cannot be used simply to pay recruits, including current players on a roster, to secure their attendance or it will destroy the very sports that it is being used to support.  Make no mistake.  That is exactly what it is being used for today.

For college athletics to thrive as part of colleges and universities, there has to be some degree of a level playing field among the schools that compete.  When Congress gets off its fat lazy butt and passes an exemption to anti-trust legislation for college sports, some sanity can be restored.  There will be no basis for litigation at that point.

Edited May 28, 2023 by AU9377

[AUApostle 7,768]

It’s already a different sport than it was…more equitable for the players for sure, but a far cry from the greatness that it was.  

I hate that it’s gone and hate that we’re watching a slow death…just go ahead and create a legit farm system and separate collegiate sports for those that are truly focused on an education in their late teens and early twenties.  
 

No sense in having this charade where we pretend that most of these super talented athletes are also serious students.

*I’m more-so talking about football; I think basketball is getting there with the G League

Edited May 28, 2023 by AUDevil

[Mikey 16,781]

12 hours ago, NoALtiger said:

I’d imagine the big thing is where does the NIL $$ come from and where does the main donors want their contributions to go to. Obviously football is the main attraction cash cow by a mile and because of that, thats where the majority of the funds will generally go I would think. Football is better off than the other sports but they also contribute much more to the University’s economy than probably all the other sports put together. 

You are 100% correct, of course. It's a shame but that's the way it is.

[AU9377 6,037]

17 hours ago, AUDevil said:

It’s already a different sport than it was…more equitable for the players for sure, but a far cry from the greatness that it was.  

I hate that it’s gone and hate that we’re watching a slow death…just go ahead and create a legit farm system and separate collegiate sports for those that are truly focused on an education in their late teens and early twenties.  
 

No sense in having this charade where we pretend that most of these super talented athletes are also serious students.

*I’m more-so talking about football; I think basketball is getting there with the G League

Reluctantly, I agree with this.  The truth is, I would enjoy college football just as much if every athlete on the field was required to meet the same academic requirements for admission as every other student on campus.  Every player could be a little slower, a little smaller and finding a diamond in the sand could be even more difficult for coaches.  The vast majority of the people I know, and really everyone I can think of, would quickly move on from being concerned about how things are now with NIL and genuinely appreciate the hard work the student athletes put into their sport.  Those student athletes should all have scholarships provided, along with a respectable stipend.  They would still be provided with an incredible opportunity to better themselves, whether that be thru becoming better athletes for their dream of playing in the NFL one day or thru education.  After all, this is what the college experience should provide.........

The downside to this is what people spend too little time discussing.  The young men and women who will be hurt the most are those that don't come from communities that have stressed the importance of education and for whatever reason have never been given second third and fourth chances to catch up with the kids that always seemed smarter and always tested well.  They will no longer have a path to change their future by using their athletic abilities.  Instead, they will be judged as good enough or not good enough.  Those that are not good enough will be kicked to the curb without much of a cushion and with their options often being very limited.

The more difficult the path becomes, the less likely it becomes that these young men and women see that path as a viable option.  That hurts not only those individuals, but it also hurts the communities they call home.  The number of young men from backgrounds that offer little to no support that have been able to change their lives and their futures because of their time as student athletes gets far too little attention, because to focus on that is to focus on the actual benefits that don't come in the form of cash.