NCAA lawsuit: Potential GOP challenger to Gov. Tom Corbett in 2014 questions lawsuit's timing

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2013/01/ncaa_lawsuit_potential_gop_cha.html ^ | 3/3/2013 | Jan Murphy

[Scoutmaster]

And in connection with the lawsuit, Senator Corman says "the state gives Penn State so much money every year that "it would be impossible for the payments to be derived solely from non-commonwealth funds."

Fine. We've already established that Penn State's football program makes over $50 million in profit each year.

Let's make it a $100 million fine payable in two annual payments of $50 million each. That way, it's possible for "the payments to be derived solely from non-commonwealth funds."

[FlJoePa]

In recent discussions with a prominent professor (head of a department), there are at least 2 more law suits against the ncaa coming. Soon. Hope their legal team is eating their Wheaties.

[FlJoePa]

...and cancel all the other ncaa sports at PSU? Or would the state have to step in and fund them in order to be in title 9 compliance?

[Publius Valerius]

We've already established that Penn State's football program makes over $50 million in profit each year.

But as you note in your Post 16, the football program funds the rest of the athletic department. Absent football program dollars, the athletic department faces a $20m shortfall. With a shortfall, they can either make up the difference in state funds or eliminate other sports, neither of which seems like a particularly fair opinion to the taxpayers of the state, some of whom enrolled at PSU to play sports like tennis or lacrosse or whatever.

Plus, your $50m profit number seems pretty inflated. The article to which you linked noted that the p/l numbers didn't include debt service or capital expenditures, which was $35 million. Take that into account, the athletic department runs a deficit of a few million dollars. Minus the football money, that deficit would have to be made up by state funds.

[Scoutmaster]

First, we could stretch the $100 million payment over three years, and in that case we wouldn't touch any other NCAA sport at PSU. Even after funding ALL other NCAA sports, PSU football generates over $30 million profit a year.

Second, the fact the Athletic Department wants to spend football profits elsewhere doesn't keep them from being football profits.

[Scoutmaster]

Fine, as long as we can all agree that these lawsuits aren't really about the money or commonwealth funding - they're about politics and Penn State football.

Or just Penn State football.

It's always been about Penn State football.

[maxwellsmart_agent]

This is the kind of nonsense that undermines the Republican party constantly. I would not now vote for Bruce Castor if he were the only candidate. Can’t he run based on fact and history, rather than undermine someone else’s efforts?

[Ramcat]

Didn't answer my question.

What gives the NCAA the authority to lift 60 million from the taxpayers of Pennsylvania?

The 53 million stayed in the athletic dept to fund the rest of the college sports programs many of which are title 9 dictated. Did the women and coaches of the ladies lacrosse team do something wrong?

Where will the state get the money to fund those programs now?

Attendance was down considerably this year and will continue to decline for a decade. Revenues will be down across the board for the football program and the supporting businesses.

I realize that innocent youth were terribly wronged by the actions of a few there. IMO that doesn't give the NCAA the authority to harm the innocent taxpayers, students and student athletes.

Not trying to argue, too painful, just trying to approach things logically. Can't get my head around the concept that a body established to govern college sports can issue monetary fines that will penalize every person in the state.

[Scoutmaster]

What gives the NCAA the authority to lift 60 million from the taxpayers of Pennsylvania?

PSU's membership agreement with the NCAA gives the NCAA the right to "impose appropriate penalties on a member found to be in violation, or recommend to the Council suspension or termination of membership."

In this case, there are issues regarding the failure of the NCAA to act through the Committee on Infractions, and PSU's waiver of action through the COI.

PSU agreed to pay penalties in the case of any violations of the membership agreement.

[bjcoop]

Castor has said he’d actually pursue right-to-work. Corbett is suing to save face with PSU fans even though this lawsuit may have merit. And now, Corbett is open to regulating gun shows.

[SueRae]

Corbett has said there wasn’t much of an appetite to take on right-to-work at this time and he’d rather save the firepower for pension reform. THat would have a bigger impact on the State’s budget and I see it as a bigger priority than right to work at this time.

Also, I believe the players at PSU should not be penalized for the acts of the coaches. NCAA went too far.

As far as regulating gun shows, I don’t know. I’ve not been to one yet but plan on attending one next month. A simple background check is not too much to ask for. Mine took all of five minutes. Beyond that, hands off.

All IMO.