Pinstripe Bowl coaches torn on paying college athletes
Wake Forest coach says 'there's a lot of concern'
The football teams for Michigan State University and Wake Forest University will face off in the Pinstripe Bowl in Yankee Stadium on Friday, but on Thursday, they buried the hatchet to ring the opening bell on the New York Stock Exchange.
Both head coaches spoke to FOX Business afterward about the NCAA's new ruling regarding paying student-athletes.
Wake Forest's head coach Dave Clawson told FOX Business' Charles Payne on Thursday "there's a lot of concern" when it comes to that policy.
Sam Hartman #10 of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons throws the ball during the first half of an NCAA football game against the Syracuse Orange at the Carrier Dome on November 30, 2019 in Syracuse, New York. (Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images)
"There's a student-athlete model that a lot of us believe works, but we also recognize the money involved," Clawson said. "And there's a reality with these players that they're performing for a lot of people and it's certainly a tricky issue right now in our sport."
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Michigan State's head coach Mark Dantonio agreed, saying the NCAA has to find a way to enact a program that's "equitable for everybody involved."
"That's where it gets a little bit tricky from Player A to Player Z, so it becomes a little bit more difficult," Dantonio said. "But I think those are the things that'll be talked about at a higher level."
Michigan State running back Elijah Collins (24) takes a handoff during a college football game between the Michigan State Spartans and Maryland Terrapins on November 30, 2019 at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, MI. (Photo by Adam Ruff/Icon Sportswire
In October, the NCAA voted to permit college athletes to profit from their name, image and likeness, reversing the organization’s long-held opposition to the concept of allowing amateur players to earn income.
The NCAA’s board of governors told its three athletic divisions to update their bylaws to address its stance on the matter. The reversal came just weeks after California approved a law allowing college athletes within the state to earn income from endorsement deals despite resistance from the NCAA and the Pac 12 conference.
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Meanwhile, Clawson said the Pinstripe Bowl is a great reward for his players.
"They get to experience a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to come to New York City, experience New York City at Christmas and over half of our players have never been here," Clawson said. "So, it's been a memorable week."
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Dantonio also said many of his players hadn't been to New York City.
"Getting an opportunity to experience something from a student-athlete's perspective they'll remember for the rest of their life," he said.
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The Pinstripe Bowl airs Friday, Dec. 27 at 3:20 p.m. ET.