College football has experienced significant changes in recent years, notably with the introduction of NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) contracts allowing athletes to be paid. The NCAA’s recent lawsuit settlement may lead to universities directly paying athletes by 2025. The transformation suggests that athletes could be deemed employees within the next few years, altering the landscape of college sports. This shift challenges the traditional notion of amateurism, which is rooted in the idea that athletes participate for the love of the game, not for monetary gain.
The term “amateur” originates from the Latin word “amator,” meaning lover, reflecting the ideal that college athletes play for passion rather than profit. This concept of amateurism ties back to Victorian England and the ethos of muscular Christianity, which emphasized physical activity as essential for character building. Promoted by figures like Thomas Arnold, headmaster of Rugby School, muscular Christianity linked sports with moral and physical development, aligning with British nationalism and the maintenance of the British Empire.
Muscular Christianity’s influence extended to the United States post-Civil War, coinciding with America’s concern over maintaining national vigor. Caspar Whitney, a key proponent of amateurism, imported these ideals from Britain. Whitney’s writings in Harper’s Weekly in the 1890s helped cement the division between amateurism and professionalism in American sports, emphasizing that true amateurs play for sport, not financial reward.
The amateurism model, however, was not without its contradictions. As college football gained popularity and financial significance, institutions found ways to indirectly compensate athletes, blurring the lines between amateurism and professionalism. For instance, in the late 1800s, football expenses at schools like Harvard and Yale were substantial, revealing the sport’s growing business aspect.
The NCAA, formed in 1905 to regulate college sports, further entrenched amateurism by establishing eligibility rules and inventing the concept of the “student-athlete” in the 1950s. This designation aimed to prevent athletes from being classified as employees, thereby avoiding workplace regulations and compensation claims.
Despite these efforts, instances of indirect payments and benefits persisted. Notably, Pop Warner, a prominent coach, secretly compensated his players in the early 1900s, acknowledging their contributions to the team’s success. Such practices underscored the ongoing tension between maintaining amateur ideals and addressing the financial realities of college sports.
Had the NCAA adopted a revenue-sharing model with athletes early on, many of the scandals involving illegal benefits might have been avoided. Coaches’ salaries and lavish facilities might not have escalated as dramatically, and athletes could have been better supported. Although full-time professionalism for college athletes was unlikely in the early 20th century, the potential for a different path remains a topic of speculation and debate.
Today’s changes in college football, driven by a reevaluation of amateurism, prompt reflection on its historical roots. Understanding that amateurism was initially a way to preserve the dominance of the upper classes over the working class adds context to the ongoing evolution of college sports. This historical perspective invites fans to reconsider their views on the current and future state of college football.
I’m Jon Johnston, and this is Hardcore College Football History. Thank you for watching.
Books for Reference:
The Real All Americans – Sally Jenkins
https://amzn.to/4d0A28Q
John Sayles Watterson’s College Football: History, Spectacle, Controversy
https://amzn.to/4cfd3WE
A Global History of How the Worlds Football Codes Were Born by Tony Collins
https://amzn.to/46uAKcf
A Brief History of the Olympic Games – David C Young
https://amzn.to/3ytlO19
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