As a sportswriter, I spend a lot of time referencing “The Associated Press Stylebook,” a comprehensive style and grammar guide for editors and journalists. But today I found myself consulting “The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition,” better known as the DSM-5.
I prefer to leave the expertise to experts, so why would I consult what is, essentially, a medical reference book? Because I needed to understand a feeling I can’t explain.
Some call it concern, others, fear, while some might say existential dread. Communication scholars use the term, “intolerance of uncertainty.” The DSM-5 calls it “Generalized Anxiety Disorder,” which is, in part, characterized by persistent and excessive worrying about everyday events or activities.
Most folks would describe me as an easygoing guy. I’ve found that keeping busy leaves me little time for worry. But I am worried. Mississippi State fans, and college sports fans in general, should be worried, too.
What has me so concerned? The House v. NCAA settlement is looming. On Monday, Claudia Wilken, a senior judge for the Northern District of California, convened a final hearing regarding the landmark court case sure to shake the administration of college athletics to its core.
Here’s the gist. Under the House plan, power-conference schools, and others who chose to opt in, could share revenue with student athletes. Student-athlete salary caps for each participating university would begin at $20.5 million per year and eventually increase to upward of $30 million per year. Athletic departments would have discretion in how they distribute that windfall, but expect most to favor football and men’s basketball players, with women’s basketball, baseball and other “non-revenue” sports splitting the rest.
Judge Wilken set a deadline for next week for all parties to respond to any objections and seems keen on approving the settlement soon. Which means these changes are coming, and fast.
As I’ve written in this space before, I am in favor of paying players. Particularly if it’s legal and transparent. Much of the almost $1.5 billion in revenue the NCAA earns is directly due to the on-field and on-court excellence of student-athletes. The same is true for athletic departments. Fans buy tickets, make donations and sit through TV commercials because they want to see what players do on game day.
So now, on top of “Who’ll coach baseball?” “What constitutes a successful football season?” “Can soccer run it back with a new coach?” and “Who’s on the women’s basketball roster?” State fans now have something else to worry about. Something most of us are already worried about in our personal lives – money. After all, that $20 million per season has to come from somewhere. And unless you’re sitting on a spare fortune you don’t mind donating, that likely means cuts. Cuts to rosters – particularly important for baseball, football and soccer, where having a full squad of practice players is key – but also cuts to programs, scholarships, services and facilities.
But it also means increases – increases in ticket and concession prices, in “premium” options and in further commercializing college athletics.
In theory, these changes are both beneficial and overdue. TV networks, advertisers, athletics administrators and coaches and even local businesses in places like Starkville have long benefitted from the economy of college sports. Student-athletes have always generated a significant portion of that revenue, and now, finally, they’ll get a cut.
But in reality, expect mass upheaval. Participants will lose their right to be accurately called “student-athletes,” because they’re soon to become contract employees. For how much longer they’ll even be required to be students is an open question. Fans will be expected to dig deeper into their pockets to pay more, give more. It’s just the new cost of doing business in big-time college athletics. Some athletic departments won’t have any problem raising – and spending – more money. Others, however, will. Guess which category MSU fits into.
The AP Stylebook defines another word you’ll need to know moving forward – “unprecedented” – which describes something that’s one of a kind, unparalleled or having no equal, and also perfectly encapsulates the present moment. Worry can be healthy when you actually have things to worry about. I found that in the DSM-5, too.
Philip Poe is sports editor. He can be reached at [email protected]
Philip Poe is sports editor.
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