This is my first entry in my first blog, and I could not be more excited to give my thoughts on a subject that I feel does not garner enough attention in the business community. Living in Dallas, Texas it's impossible not to feel bombarded with the influence of sports. Fittingly I have been a Cowboys fan all my life. But as I grew older and entered McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas, I began to see my heroes in a whole new light. Questions that ESPN could not answer began swirling in my mind.
Could it be that legends such as Roger Staubach, Troy Aikman, and Emmit Smith are merely products to be consumed?
How do athletes make the leap from commodities at constant risk of injury to successful entrepreneurs that perpetuate the cycle they once feared?
Where do entertainment and business meet within sports?
Should amateurs athletes that bring in the most revenue for their sport (Vince Young, Reggie Bush, Colt McCoy, etc.) be compensated by the governing body? Are all college athletes really amateurs anymore?
These and other questions have bothered me and i hope that through this blog perhaps we can begin to answer them.
The question of paying college athletes is a really interesting one. I know Penn State College Football coach Joe Paterno supports the idea of giving college athletes a stipend to pay for miscellaneous expenses. I don't agree with this idea. Many college athletes get their tuition, books, and housing paid for through scholarships. That should be enough payment for players. Plus, where do you draw the line on who would get paid. You surely can't just pay star players.
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