Would the American style of attending university/college before becoming a professional work in football?

[horsechoker]

As far as I understand it American athletes attend university while developing their professional career as an American Football player, basketball player or something else.

I'm not sure whether the system works but it should in theory lead to more educated people.

Could such a system work in British football? Would it even be worth it?

Footballers are becoming richer and richer at the highest level but may run into problems because of this. Would it benefit society and themselves if they were well-educated?

 

[limerickcitykid]

Work in what capacity? Create good footballers? It’s already been done for decades in the USA and the answer is no.

To get an education, sure. But nothing is stopping footballers from getting an education anyway. I work with a former Championship academy player and now in the Conference and he’s a chartered accountant. Many PL players have uni degrees. Footballers have more than enough free time to attend uni courses if they wanted to. A corrupt NCAA system isn’t required.

Id also say a higher education qualification for a very small set of people who are professional footballers will have exactly zero impact on society.

 

[giorno]

The only reason that happens(and works) in america is because of how their sports are set up and momentum. Two of their 4 main sports already don't draw many players from college, and the NBA really ought to be going that way too now with the G league and the age restrictions lifted. Already most nba players only spend 1 year in college because they can't go straight to the NBA out of high school due to age limits

 

[Nick7]

For making good footballers? No. It doesn’t work in the US. For making more educated footballers? No, there’s no guarantee. Players can already get educated while coming up, they’re encouraged to do so.

 

[clarkydaz]

what education do you need on 200k a week

 

[Rado_N]

It only really “works” because of the draft system and that in turn only works because of the way their teams are franchises and don’t have promotion/relegation.

Also college athletes are massively exploited and it’s not a great model to aspire to.

 

[Nick7]

what education do you need on 200k a week

Surprising amount of very rich athletes end up pissing that money away, even after going to college.

 

[Rado_N]

what education do you need on 200k a week

Well 40% of former PL footballers go bankrupt, so they clearly do need some help.

 

[horsechoker]

what education do you need on 200k a week

L O D S What's that spell?

Lodsamoney, probably

 

[crossy1686]

I guess you’re referring to scholarships? Where the team they play for pays their uni fees at a good university so they don’t have to worry about working part time to pay their uni fees?

The systems are totally different so there’s no incentive for UK based teams to do that. Also what happens if they players grades start to slip? Dropped from the team? Kicked out of the club?

 

[Classical Mechanic]

Also college athletes are massively exploited

How so?

 

[LInkash]

My girlfriend's son had the potential to be a professional American football player but couldn't in the end because he didn't make the grade academically.

This would prevent some potential stars from making it. Like would Wayne Rooney have made it if this system was in place?

 

[Rado_N]

How so?

It’s broken down well here:


But the tl;dr is that the people running the sport make absolute fortunes whilst going to extreme lengths to make sure the players can’t make a dime, and a massively small percentage of those players go on to the professional game.

 

[giorno]

It only really “works” because of the draft system and that in turn only works because of the way their teams are franchises and don’t have promotion/relegation.

Also college athletes are massively exploited and it’s not a great model to aspire to.

Not to mention it's only NFL players that need to go through the whole 4-5 years of college before going pro. And let's not kid ourselves, they're not there to play school, they're not really getting that much of an education unless they want to. MLB and NHL players tend to come up through the minor leagues rather than college no? I mean a few do but for the most part they get drafted at 17/18 and then sent to affiliated clubs.

Also north american franchises don't have academies, except for MLS

 

[Rado_N]

Not to mention it's only NFL players that need to go through the whole 4-5 years of college before going pro. And let's not kid ourselves, they're not there to play school, they're not really getting that much of an education unless they want to. MLB and NHL players tend to come up through the minor leagues rather than college no? I mean a few do but for the most part they get drafted at 17/18 and then sent to affiliated clubs.

Also north american franchises don't have academies, except for MLS

To be honest I don’t know enough about the other sports to really comment, but I did think that grades were monitored for college scholarships and they had to maintain certain level?

 

[P-Nut]

Wouldn't a benefit of it be that the kids that don't make it have a uni level education?

 

[Stacks]

The only reason that happens(and works) in america is because of how their sports are set up and momentum. Two of their 4 main sports already don't draw many players from college, and the NBA really ought to be going that way too now with the G league and the age restrictions lifted. Already most nba players only spend 1 year in college because they can't go straight to the NBA out of high school due to age limits

true but college basketball is the only basketball for some regions and towns due to lack of an NBA team and removing the stars will drain the interest and entertainment. They have the option to do either which is fine

 

[Firstouch20]

Luka Doncic and Le Melo Ball both went straight to pro level in Europe after high school and both seem to have started their nba careers on fire.

 

[giorno]

Wouldn't a benefit of it be that the kids that don't make it have a uni level education?

What education? These people are effectively professional athletes except they don't get paid. Watch that John Oliver video. They don't have neither the time nor the energy to work on education

The whole thing is ridiculously exploitative

 

[rooney2009]

I have always thought it would be a good idea
It would help a lot of the kids that clubs let go at the age of 18-20
A lot of this kids have given everything to football and don’t really know what to do when they are let go

 

[peridigm]

Not to mention it's only NFL players that need to go through the whole 4-5 years of college before going pro. And let's not kid ourselves, they're not there to play school, they're not really getting that much of an education unless they want to. MLB and NHL players tend to come up through the minor leagues rather than college no? I mean a few do but for the most part they get drafted at 17/18 and then sent to affiliated clubs.

Also north american franchises don't have academies, except for MLS

My initial thought is much the same. Many of these players not getting much of an education. College sports is also largely driven by money too.
Plenty of time for players to be educated after they retire. May also have more motivation for it as well since they’re more mature. All youth will be thinking about is being a pro and getting paid.

 

[Dec9003]

I’m not sure how it works in America but in the UK some academies pay for their academy players to get private education rather than going to public high schools.

 

[limerickcitykid]

To be honest I don’t know enough about the other sports to really comment, but I did think that grades were monitored for college scholarships and they had to maintain certain level?

Grades are just faked. My high school has produced a bunch of NFL and CFL players who’ve gone through the collegiate system and a couple of them could barely read. They wouldn’t legitimately pass a primary school class let alone university level.

The top level athletes are there for sport, not school. Education is an after thought red tape requirement. I know people who have even turned down full scholarships because they wouldn’t allow them to take an actual meaningful degree.

 

[Rado_N]

Grades are just faked. My high school has produced a bunch of NFL and CFL players who’ve gone through the collegiate system and a couple of them could barely read. They wouldn’t legitimately pass a primary school class let alone university level.

The top level athletes are there for sport, not school. Education is an after thought red tape requirement. I know people who have even turned down full scholarships because they wouldn’t allow them to take an actual meaningful degree.

I wish that was surprising.

 

[NewYorkRed]

I mean have you looked at most NFL players? They don’t really do academics unless they really want to, especially at a D1 school.

I played D3 soccer and even I got bailed academically by my coach from time to time.

 

[adexkola]

Grades are just faked. My high school has produced a bunch of NFL and CFL players who’ve gone through the collegiate system and a couple of them could barely read. They wouldn’t legitimately pass a primary school class let alone university level.

The top level athletes are there for sport, not school. Education is an after thought red tape requirement. I know people who have even turned down full scholarships because they wouldn’t allow them to take an actual meaningful degree.

This.

 

[giorno]

The bball players generally don't even get a good development, it's literally a lost career year for them

 

[Vidyoyo]

Wouldn't work because it's linked to the draft system but as a separate point, I think more excellence scholarships should be available for British students. That's something Americans do better than us generally.

 

[RedTiger]

What education? These people are effectively professional athletes except they don't get paid. Watch that John Oliver video. They don't have neither the time nor the energy to work on education

The whole thing is ridiculously exploitative

I think this explains it better

 

[Ali Dia]

A serious @horsechoker thread? Whatever next?

 

[horsechoker]

A serious @horsechoker thread? Whatever next?

Nobody's spotted the joke yet

 

[JPRouve]

It's always interesting to see people make these foreign comparison when there is one just under their noses. In Rugby, players generally stay in school and have college degrees. It's part of how acacdemies and contract are structured at a young age, players don't get actual professional contracts until relatively late instead they have different type of apprentice contracts some of them puts the responsibility on the club to provide education and also make sure that the players are actually average to good.

 

[Sandikan]

We really don't have anything to learn from the american "sport" system.

No promo/relegation, "draft" systems, owners moving clubs to different areas willy nilly, away fans not really being a thing.
Tonnes of adverts breaking up play.

No thanks.

 

[adexkola]

The bball players generally don't even get a good development, it's literally a lost career year for them

Players should either go straight to the G League or develop for years in a program. The one and done player in most situations is the worst compromise between both scenarios.

 

[Ali Dia]

Nobody's spotted the joke yet

Ive read it twice now. Not sure I get the joke. I’m usually a bit slow though

Education for all!

 

[Red_toad]

Well 40% of former PL footballers go bankrupt, so they clearly do need some help.

They also go broke in the States, so maybe there’s no answer.

 

[Scarlett Dracarys]

They should focus on educating the racist supporters first.

 

[Rado_N]

They also go broke in the States, so maybe there’s no answer.

True, the players associations could be doing a lot more than they do.

The PFA over here are nowhere near proactive enough in helping educate players on handling their finances.

 

[JPRouve]

They should focus on educating the racist supporters first.

Golly! Shots have been well and truly fired.

 

[Eplel]

I don't think there's anything in America I would really copy.