They make millions for the school?
They are one of 100 guys who together with the coaches make about $5 million tops for the top schools, while the next 20 schools break even, and the rest of them are actually in the red. If you looked at the real numbers however with the taxpayers footing the biggest part of the bill and the school not being reimbursed for the $40,000 they shell out per football player (the athletic departments only return tuition, which in many state schools is $5 to $10k) then you realize that the players are not getting $40k of value in schooling, another $15k in room & board, another $35k a player in football training (i.e. football expenses). Each of these guys gets $90k of food, shelter, education and training a year. Multiply that x 100 players and you begin to understand how much more well paid they are compared to, say, a teaching assistant with a 2/1 load who teaches 200 students over the course of a year. Do the math to get a real breakdown about who brings more cash to the school, and you'll be surprised. It's pretty easy to do, tuition divided by 8 classes equals price per course, multiplied by 200 students. It far exceeds what a football player will bring in.
I think college football has gone well past its profitability. I think it's ok for a school to lose a couple million on football because of the value added with campus atmosphere and alumni networking, but when you're taking it on the chin for far more, then it starts being a bad idea. almost every school eats up the profits with expenses. Few make a profit, and no make more than $10 million.
