[ef4]

That's not really it. You don't need a degree to play professional sports, and some of the most talented players skip directly into professional leagues without finishing college. But college is where they have the best chance of honing their abilities and getting noticed.

College sports is all about money. Consider this map:

http://deadspin.com/infographic-is-your-states-highest-paid-...

Why are the mostly highly paid "public servants" in most states athletic coaches? Because the public universities make huge amounts of money from sports: the TV licensing deals, the ticket sales, the merchandising.

The players get paid nothing -- at most they get their tuition waived.

[alexeisadeski3]

>Why are the mostly highly paid "public servants" in most states athletic coaches? Because the public universities make huge amounts of money from sports: the TV licensing deals, the ticket sales, the merchandising.

That's not why.

The coaches are paid a ton because were they to quit, they could be paid a ton somewhere else.

Why would they be paid a ton somewhere else?

Because other colleges want to win!

Why do they want to win?

Because without their football team, schools like Alabama and Texas and USC and and and would have ZERO credibility.

[tcpekin]

Zero credibility?? I can't speak for Alabama but I know several people who went to Texas and USC for the education. Both have strong (top 15 [1,2]) engineering programs, USC has well known med, law and film schools, UT Austin is labeled a "public Ivy" and has a law school, and highly ranked architecture school as well. Both schools have several other well known departments.

If football left it would definitely hurt these two schools. However, they have a LOT of academic credibility aside from athletics.

[1]http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-gradu...

[2]http://coe.berkeley.edu/about/rankings.html

[alexeisadeski3]

If these schools never had the huge football programs, yes they would have zero credibility.

Without the notoriety and prestige granted by their athletic programs, no one would respect their academics.

For a recent example, witness the transformation of USC from a joke of a school (academically) to a somewhat respected, some might even say moderately prestigious (!!) university. A transformation which coincided 100% with their successful football program.

The great team builds recognition. It builds respect. You graduated from a school which is a football powerhouse, people respect you. Even if you graduated decades before they rose to football prominence. Even if you never cared about football. People want to be affiliated with success, thus they want to be affiliated with you.

[JoeAltmaier]

If you're a naïve boogerbrain, they don't get paid anything. Then why do they wear expensive clothes and drive sports cars? They get plenty of 'in kind' gifts and privileges. Colleges are investigated all the time for outright bribing promising students.

[ForHackernews]

> Colleges are investigated all the time for outright bribing promising students.

I think you mean "promising athletes". I guarantee colleges do not care how these young people perform as students.

[gaadd33]

Do any NFL players go directly from high school? I think I've heard of a few NBA players that have come close and MLB has its own minor league system so they recruit directly from high school.

[yardie]

No, NFL has a gentleman's agreement with NCAA-FB. A highschool graduate would have to sit out 3[1] years before being eligible to tryout for the NFL. They could play in Arena football or CFL. Uni is the best path because you have competition and training.

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Football_League_draft#...

[CyrusL]

Nope. It's because of physical development more than skill. A top tier 18 year old body can hang in the NBA but would get wrecked in the NFL.

[GBond]

In the NBA, the current rule is a draftee must be 19 years old during the calendar year of the draft and one year out of high school.

There were players in the past who have gone straight from HS before the rule was in place. Most notable, Lebron James.