Unionized college athletes: Taxes? What taxes?

[WWMJD]

They can't have it both ways.  Other people who work through college are subject to taxes, and they should be too if they want the benefits of being deemed an employee.

[Skingraft]

 

The IRS should go after it.  Additionally, now they'll have to pay union dues.  This falls into that, "Be careful what you wish for..." category.

 

 

apis- i see you are a problem identifier not a problem solver

 

they should go after an under educated kid that is already being exploited!    makes no sense

 

and let cliven bundy keep stealing 

 

if kids were paid fair market value there would be no problem

 

 

http://news.investors.com/ibd-editorials/041514-697268-bundy-ranch-harry-reid-rory-reid.htm

 

I'm sure there are two sides to the college athlete "exploitation" as there is two sides to the Cliven Bundy story.   To be a problem "solver", you need to identify "ALL" variables to complete the equation 

 

So calling out Apis, and only telling one side of either story shows that you yourself are problem identifier....

 

Pot, I'd like you to meet Kettle....

Edited April 17, 2014 by Skingraft

[BullFan98]

Who is getting exploited?  Student athletes are getting a very expensive FREE education, FREE room & board & often times FREE meal plans and books.  How is that exploiting these athletes?  In addition, lets not forget that the universities are training and grooming student athletes to excel at the next level (whether or not a particular student athlete is skilled enough to make it to the next level).  This is added value.

 

If a company such as EA Sports for example wants to use the athletes name or likeness, then I am 100% behind that company compensating the student athlete.  However, student athletes are getting a lot in return for playing a sport they love in college.  To say they are being exploited by universities is ignorant.  Whether universities are profiting off of their student athletes and how much of a profit isn't, and shouldn't be, the issue (lets not forget that only approximately 10% of athletic departments are profitable).  As set forth above, student athletes are receiving valuable consideration in return for playing a sport they love at the college level. 

Edited April 17, 2014 by BullFan98

[Gismo]

The value of tuition and tuition waivers paid by a fellowship for example is normally reported on the 1098-t and taxes are owed on its value. HOWEVER, there is an exemption in the tax code that graduate student teaching or research assistants are exempt from paying tax on tuition waivers. I am not sure the language would extend this exemption to student athletes so the paid athletes might be in for a surprise.

[Gismo]

Who is getting exploited? Student athletes are getting a very expensive FREE education, FREE room & board & often times FREE meal plans and books. How is that exploiting these athletes? In addition, lets not forget that the universities are training and grooming student athletes to excel at the next level (whether or not a particular student athlete is skilled enough to make it to the next level). This is added value.

If a company such as EA Sports for example wants to use the athletes name or likeness, then I am 100% behind that company compensating the student athlete. However, student athletes are getting a lot in return for playing a sport they love in college. To say they are being exploited by universities is ignorant. Whether universities are profiting off of their student athletes and how much of a profit isn't, and shouldn't be, the issue (lets not forget that only approximately 10% of athletic departments are profitable). As set forth above, student athletes are receiving valuable consideration in return for playing a sport they love at the college level.

There is little exploitation. I did the math on the cost of the food, housing, books and fees, et cetra and compared it to what I received as graduate student assistant. I determined that value of athletes compensation was on par with that of graduate studmets. In the absolute worst case an athlete may be compensated up to $300/month less than my graduate assistantship. Consider that not all assisstantships pay what mine did and athletes get all sorts of perks, trainers, coaches, private study areas, free tutors, computers and all... a chance at being drafted... Athletes compensation is very good. Much better than most students.

[aroth]

Housing and food are already suppose to be reported as income when filing your return....

I'm not an accountant so I'm not familiar, but has the IRS ever prosecuted an athlete for not reporting this as income? I highly doubt many athletes are claiming this as income, and I don't blame them if it isn't being enforced.

[hightechbull]

My understanding is that the IRS is being kind by not forcing any food or housing supplied to athletes to be considered income, as it isn't an educational expense. I think we are all aware of how long the IRS's kindness lasts, and unionizing/being deemed an employee would certainly be poking the hornet's nest. This move could come back to bite all college athletes if it stirs the IRS into enforcing housing and food athletes receive to be claimed as income.

 

 

The IRS should go after it.  Additionally, now they'll have to pay union dues.  This falls into that, "Be careful what you wish for..." category.

 

 

Housing and food are already suppose to be reported as income when filing your return.  Chances are the IRS would still not consider the tuition and books income even if scholarship athletes were designated employees but additional taxes (social security, medicare) would have to be paid on the compensation received.  The benefits would probably not be taxed because what professional athlete gets taxed for training at a team facility.  But athletes may owe state income tax in states they perform.  So players in Florida would owe taxes for road games in other states.

 

So you are all OK with the NCAA exploiting the "student athletes"?  Coaches make millions, universities make millions, administrators make millions, everyone makes millions but the people actually playing the games.

 

A lot of the student athletes are concerned with other things besides getting cash in their pockets.  What about student athletes who are injured and can no longer play?  The universities do not have to maintain their scholarship, and they could cut them from the team.  Therefore the player is left with no way to pay for their education, and a life long disability.  Who takes care of those student athletes now?  They gave up their bodies so coaches could make millions, universities could make millions, administrators could make millions, yet they are not even afforded the dignity of completing their education or compensated with healthcare to cover their life long injuries.

 

Do some schools take care of students in those situations?  Some do, but many find ways to worm out of paying for those responsibilites.  Just look at our friend to the east of USF, the good ole UCF.  They had a player die in practice, and the coaches, UCF, and even the State of Florida wormed their way out of compensating his family for the death of the player.  The State of Florida is the worst, since they pass a convenient law that caps money paid out in lawsuits.  It would be nice if private citizens had that type of protection from lawsuits.

 

It is so funny how people get up in arms as soon as they see the word union, as if someone just said Al-Qaeda or Russia.  You know all those things that you enjoy such as:

• Actually attending primary and secondary school instead of working, i.e. no child labor
• 40 hour work week
• Paid vacations
• Employer provided health care
• Safe work conditions
• And a whole host of others

are from unions, you know, organized labor.

 

If student athletes want to organize to strengthen their bargaining position, then more power to them.  They should have a say on if the NCAA wants to add more games to the season.  They should have a say in the safety of their sport.  They should have a say in the long term care of disabled athletes.  They should have the right to organize and strike to protest unfair conditions.

 

They are not slaves for your entertainment.

[Gismo]

Athletes compensation is comparable to that of graduate students. You can argue that grad students are underpaid also, and that they bring in millions of research dollars, and they are exploited. However grad students don't feel that way, they are grateful for the chance to get their Masters or PhD at no cost to themselves. I doubt most student athletes feel exploited. Do swimmers, track runners, volleyball players feel exploited? Full ride is a dream come true for most families and most families are grateful for their full ride athletic scholarships.

I really don't have a problem though treating student athletes exactly as graduate students. Give them a stipend and tuition waiver. Let them pay for their own fees, books, housing, meals and other expenses from the stipend. I bet you would find a lot of these kids would end up in bad shape financially and mis-manage the money. They have it even better, they don't even have to think about bills like most every other person in society. They get to focus 100% on school and sport.

Edited April 17, 2014 by Gismo

[Gismo]

My understanding is that the IRS is being kind by not forcing any food or housing supplied to athletes to be considered income, as it isn't an educational expense. I think we are all aware of how long the IRS's kindness lasts, and unionizing/being deemed an employee would certainly be poking the hornet's nest. This move could come back to bite all college athletes if it stirs the IRS into enforcing housing and food athletes receive to be claimed as income.

The IRS should go after it. Additionally, now they'll have to pay union dues. This falls into that, "Be careful what you wish for..." category.

Housing and food are already suppose to be reported as income when filing your return. Chances are the IRS would still not consider the tuition and books income even if scholarship athletes were designated employees but additional taxes (social security, medicare) would have to be paid on the compensation received. The benefits would probably not be taxed because what professional athlete gets taxed for training at a team facility. But athletes may owe state income tax in states they perform. So players in Florida would owe taxes for road games in other states.

So you are all OK with the NCAA exploiting the "student athletes"? Coaches make millions, universities make millions, administrators make millions, everyone makes millions but the people actually playing the games.

A lot of the student athletes are concerned with other things besides getting cash in their pockets. What about student athletes who are injured and can no longer play? The universities do not have to maintain their scholarship, and they could cut them from the team. Therefore the player is left with no way to pay for their education, and a life long disability. Who takes care of those student athletes now? They gave up their bodies so coaches could make millions, universities could make millions, administrators could make millions, yet they are not even afforded the dignity of completing their education or compensated with healthcare to cover their life long injuries.

Do some schools take care of students in those situations? Some do, but many find ways to worm out of paying for those responsibilites. Just look at our friend to the east of USF, the good ole UCF. They had a player die in practice, and the coaches, UCF, and even the State of Florida wormed their way out of compensating his family for the death of the player. The State of Florida is the worst, since they pass a convenient law that caps money paid out in lawsuits. It would be nice if private citizens had that type of protection from lawsuits.

It is so funny how people get up in arms as soon as they see the word union, as if someone just said Al-Qaeda or Russia. You know all those things that you enjoy such as:

• Actually attending primary and secondary school instead of working, i.e. no child labor
• 40 hour work week
• Paid vacations
• Employer provided health care
• Safe work conditions
• And a whole host of others

are from unions, you know, organized labor.

If student athletes want to organize to strengthen their bargaining position, then more power to them. They should have a say on if the NCAA wants to add more games to the season. They should have a say in the safety of their sport. They should have a say in the long term care of disabled athletes. They should have the right to organize and strike to protest unfair conditions.

They are not slaves for your entertainment.

No they aren't slaves. If they don't want to play sports then they don't have to. They can stop playing, and find another means to get a university education like the rest of the non-athletes do. To compare them to slaves is a terrible analogy and in poor taste.

[GaUSFBull]

If student athletes want to organize to strengthen their bargaining position, then more power to them.  They should have a say on if the NCAA wants to add more games to the season.  They should have a say in the safety of their sport.  They should have a say in the long term care of disabled athletes.  They should have the right to organize and strike to protest unfair conditions.

 

They are not slaves for your entertainment.

 

 

They do have a say.  It's called ... "don't play." 

 

The slaves comment is absolutely ridiculous.  They are not forced to be on the field.