(03-04-2018 02:21 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  There isn’t any significant legitimate market for endorsement money but for a limited set of stars. There are plenty of major sport pro athletes who make nothing or a nominal sum.
Now if we are talking about say EA Sports or someone offering a video game with real players and every player getting a payment, I’m fine with that.
But 4 Star being offered $100,000 from Bobs Used Carplex in Tuscaloosa after he signs with Bama? I ain’t buying that as a legitimate payment tied to the guy’s advertising value.
Right now if you play baseball, soccer, track, golf, tennis, or ski and you think you have endorsement value the answer is simple, go pro.
If you play basketball you can go pro overseas or play in a minor league.
Football is the only sport where the star 18 and 19 year old has no option.

If a player is required to have first done something in the sport like win an all conference award before they were eligible for an award that would limit endorsements to those who've competed in their first full season.

Its like regulating the sale of marijuana...can it be done it such way that it ultimately takes the air out of the illicit market? I'm thinking its possible for endorsements.

This whole grant-in-aid slavery system benefits the a-hole administrations of schools at the top of the food chain who don't want a system where 5% of student athletes which carry those athletic teams earn endorsements while the others get stipends like a normal student. They much rather "buy" the 85th best player of a college football team with a scholarship valued at 150k over 4 years.

This is while the men's swim team gets 3 grant-in-aids they have to split over 10 players. You might have a guy is good enough on that swim team for a $250k endorsement from RedBull.