Recruiting Question: Who Pays for all these Events??

[Tampa_cat54]

Quick question that got me thinking: Who pays for all of these kids to attend these events?

I see now where all of the top 2016 kids are in the Bahamas right now for the Nike Training Camp.

Earlier this week was the Elite 24 game in NYC.

Between those events, and Jordan Classic, Mickey D's, Nike Hoops Summit, Adidas Nations, Fab48, etc, these kids are flying around the country (and now the world) every other week it seems.

Surely they aren't all paying for these themselves? But wouldn't it be a violation for them to receive free trips based on their athletic abilities?

I just know that there is no way my family could afford to fly me around like that when I was in HS, especially to places like the Bahamas and NYC, where most of these kids have been this past week.

Just a question

 

[wcc31]

Are you serious? The shoe companies...who sponsor these AAU teams in the first place.

 

[Tampa_cat54]

Are you serious? The shoe companies...who sponsor these AAU teams in the first place.

Why would that not be a violation?

So Nike pays for a week's vacation for all these kids to the Bahamas, then Adidas ups it by taking them all to Cancun?? And the Under Armor takes them all to Hawaii?

Surely that is a violation.

 

[wcc31]

Nope.

 

[Tampa_cat54]

Nope.

Well, according to an article from USA Today, it IS against the rules...but I'm glad you cleared that up.

Given the NCAA’s strict eligibility standards for incoming student-athletes, some wonder if there are rules against future college players receiving these perks. In fact, going by the letter-of-the-law, these sorts of extra benefits provided by shoe companies (travel, food, hotels, etc.) are absolutely illegal by NCAA guidelines. The NCAA expressly prohibits any sort of extra-curricular benefit solely on the basis of a potential student-athlete's athletic ability. So why are football and basketball events (hosted mostly by Nike and Adidas) allowed to persist? In a word, money. But there is little doubt that a line has been crossed in regards to eligibility issues.

 

[wcc31]

Well, shoe companies have been paying for these AAU teams for years now. If it's illegal, the NCAA sure as hell isn't enforcing any rules. How do you think mostly poor high school kids have all these awesome shoes and travel the country playing basketball games? What the hell did you think was going on the last 20 years?

 

[Tampa_cat54]

Well, shoe companies have been paying for these AAU teams for years now. If it's illegal, the NCAA sure as hell isn't enforcing any rules. How do you think mostly poor high school kids have all these awesome shoes and travel the country playing basketball games? What the hell did you think was going on the last 20 years?

That was literally the basis of my question. I assumed that it was the shoe companies, but I was mostly asking why it was not a violation.

What's with the attitude?

 

[RipThru]

Good question Tampa_Cat. Some guys have ALL the answers though....

 

[wcc31]

Just thought it was common knowledge for college basketball fans. It's obviously shady, but this isn't anything new.

 

[RipThru]

I knew it, and it looks like you knew it. Tampa_Cat did not.

 

[BigAbe4UK]

I always thought it was because it's highschool. The NCAA has no power over those kids until they are in college (or attempting to enroll in one)...other than the fact that they stay an amateur and qualify academically. So these shoe companies can basically do whatever they want with these kids. At least that's always been my understanding of it.

 

[BoulderCat]

Well, according to an article from USA Today, it IS against the rules...but I'm glad you cleared that up.

So the NCAA turns the other cheek in this case because of the money. Why does that not surprise me.

 

[Tampa_cat54]

I always thought it was because it's highschool. The NCAA has no power over those kids until they are in college (or attempting to enroll in one)...other than the fact that they stay an amateur and qualify academically. So these shoe companies can basically do whatever they want with these kids. At least that's always been my understanding of it.

Well my thought as well was, how is this any different from Enes Kanter? Part of the reason he was ruled ineligible (a large sum of the 33K they said he received) was due to travel expenses and things like food and hotels.

What's the difference?

 

[W_Heisenberg]

The only time the NCAA is going to care is if these benefits come directly from a university OR professional team which would take away their amateur status.

NCAA needs these events to market the kids, and as long as (at face value) this is not influencing their decision on where to attend school then they will let it go. Now, we all know the shady actions of shoe companies so let's not get started there.

Kanter situation was the amount of money he was paid, which was in great excess of reasonable travel expenses and tuition. Even though they offered to pay it back the NCAA said no. That whole thing is very effed up.

 

[W_Heisenberg]

Also, same thing goes for when college teams go to Bahamas or overseas trips. Universities are paying for travel expense and have per diem allotments.

 

[TeoJ]

Also, same thing goes for when college teams go to Bahamas or overseas trips. Universities are paying for travel expense and have per diem allotments.

Who would it be a violation against?The shoe company's are in business for them selves and offer the same to the players.enis got money for his self by playing.

 

[Alumni Gym]

I think Roy Williams pays for them, but Fats pays for the transportation.

 

[kybassfan]

My understanding was that the kids themselves are presumed to be merely traveling and playing. They can recover expense associated with travel, motel, local transportation and meals. No salary or "income" can go to the athlete.

The NCAA lacks the competence and knowledge to police this. I'm guessing if you pull the threads enough you'll find a money trail from the shoe companies and other sponsors leading directly to the NCAA wallet.

 

[Bigblueforever]

Well my thought as well was, how is this any different from Enes Kanter? Part of the reason he was ruled ineligible (a large sum of the 33K they said he received) was due to travel expenses and things like food and hotels.

What's the difference?

None, It's what NCAA want to do at that present time.

 

[kybassfan]

None, It's what NCAA want to do at that present time.

While this didn't come from Sportcenter (inside joke), it does offer the explanation provided by the NCAA with respect to Kanter. My question is whether each and every inbound athlete is subjected to the same scrutiny.

HELL NO!

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/08/sports/ncaabasketball/08kentucky.html?_r=0

The final decision of the reinstatement committee is completely compatible with the collegiate model of sports our members have developed,” said Kevin Lennon, the N.C.A.A. vice president of academic and membership affairs, “since he received a significant amount of money, above his actual expenses, from a professional team prior to coming to college.”

In the interest of full disclosure, I think his expenses were incurred while playing in a league versus one of the player showcases like McDonalds AA, etc. This makes it a little different, I suppose.

 

[W_Heisenberg]

Who would it be a violation against?The shoe company's are in business for them selves and offer the same to the players.enis got money for his self by playing.

Against the player, would lose amateur status if they took money strictly for playing basketball vs covering expenses only.

 

[JPScott]

Well my thought as well was, how is this any different from Enes Kanter? Part of the reason he was ruled ineligible (a large sum of the 33K they said he received) was due to travel expenses and things like food and hotels.

What's the difference?

Actually most of the expenses that Kanter received was for educational expenses.

The other expenses were living expenses, not for travel etc., expenses which were all allowed by the NCAA's own regulations.

What the NCAA did was to calculate what they thought Kanter's expenses should be based on the Turkish average, rather than the city he actually was living in and then proclaimed that he was overcompensated. That's like trying to figure out what the living expenses of New York City should be by looking at the average rate of living in Peoria.

As far as the question of how does all this differ from your typical American AAU/prep school player, there does seem to be a huge double-standard at work. An American prep player can transfer to prep schools and receive education worth tens of thousands of dollars, they can travel around the country, be outfitted with the latest gear, stay in nice hotels etc. and the NCAA doesn't bat an eye.

 

[W2R]

He is an article on a 30 for 30"that aired about all thishttp://www.espnfrontrow.com/2015/04/sole-man-sonny-vaccaro-reflects-on-30-for-30-film/

This has been going on for 30 years. That's why a lot of coaches doesn't like it. There is,even stories about kids leaving their high school teams to go play or practice with their aau team. I get it. More exposure all,the talent in one place. But for,the most part all the games are glorified all star games. You see the best of the best against each other that's about it

 

[TeoJ]

Against the player, would lose amateur status if they took money strictly for playing basketball vs covering expenses only.

Not under the impression the players get payed just expenses.