OAKLAND — Just over a week ago, the NCAA released an audited financial statement showing the organization is currently running on a $105.1 million operating surplus while generating $1.1 billion in revenue for the 2017 fiscal year. In addition, the Southeastern Conference, which houses college powers LSU, Alabama and Florida, reported $596.9 million in revenue for the 2016-17 fiscal year.
With the NCAA tournament under way, Warriors center David West offered his disapproval of the organizations’ business model.
“The numbers are ridiculous that they’re starting to post,” West said after shootaround Friday morning. “Not only just the NCAA but the conferences individually are making huge, huge dollar amounts.”
Last week, West retweeted a link reporting the NCAA’s latest revenue numbers with the comment, “Oh, really” to express his disdain for the organization’s current structure.
Adding to the conundrum is the NCAA’s amateurism bylaws, which forbids players from receiving “impermissible benefits.” Athletes can’t cash in on their likeness or sign with agents even though basketball and football players are the chief revenue generators.
“I think something’s gotta give at some point,” West said. “You can’t be making billions of dollars — commissioners and folks can’t be getting $20 million bonuses and the guy generating all the revenue getting a Pell Grant.
“The system is just not fair. I don’t care what type of excuses you come up with. It’s just not fair when you got literally billions on the table and the guys generating those billions are not getting a fair shake of it.”
West’s comments are just the latest from Warriors players on the subject. Two weeks ago, forward Kevin Durant pushed for college basketball players to get paid.
“You want these players to go out and play on the biggest stage, I mean, the Final Four is one of the biggest sporting events in the world in sports, and they don’t get a dime for it,” Durant said after practice Friday. “I don’t think it’s right. They go out there, and they slave for these programs, to go out there and win a championship to bring a good vibe to these programs.”
However, West explained that the NCAA should at least provide more basic amenities for athletes.
“I don’t think college athletes are looking for salaries,” West said. “I think they literally want to be able to go eat when they want to eat.”
