Michigan football coach calls for action from NCAA, TV Networks

Today, for the first time since the end of fall camp leading up to the 2023 season, Michigan football head coach Jim Harbaugh addressed the media. Before any questions were asked, Harbaugh addressed a major flaw that he sees in the landscape of college football right now — players being paid. While some remain against paying college athletes, Jim Harbaugh wants more of it, and demanded action from the NCAA and TV Networks to make it happen; this is a point that Harbaugh has been hammering home for quite some time now.

Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh addresses revenue sharing ahead of the 2023 season

Jim Harbaugh wants action from the NCAA, from the TV Networks, and more — and he wants it now. Harbaugh has been calling for revenue sharing for years, and ahead of the 2023 season, he made yet another plea based on his own opinions.

“I want to take this opportunity to speak about the big picture … bigger than one game, any game this season,” Harbaugh stated this afternoon at Schembechler Hall. “… The big one, the one I first started mentioning in 2020, then again in 2022 at Big Ten Media Days, and I continue to advocate for that today — a system of revenue sharing with the student-athlete. I’m aware and understand when someone speaks out in defense of those without a voice, attempts are made to diminish the individual’s character and credibility. As a former player and current coach mentoring many of these student-athletes, what I wanted to do was be a voice for the student-athletes. I want them to be treated with the respect and dignity they deserve.

“What I don’t understand is how the NCAA, television networks, conferences, universities, and coaches can continue to pull in millions and, in some cases, billions of dollars in revenue off the efforts of college student-athletes across the country without providing enough opportunity to share in the ever-increasing revenues,” he said. “When student-athletes call it a game, corporate types call it a business. When the student-athlete calls it a business, corporate types call it a game. I am aware that Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick said, ‘I think the decision-making lost its way in terms of the focus on the student-athlete and what’s primarily best for them, but we are where we are. We have to try to make it work.’ And … we do. We have to try to make it work.

“Today, every game during the 12-week regular season is broadcast,” Jim Harbaugh said. “The major conferences, every game is nationally televised to millions of households and sold out stadiums every Saturday. Why wouldn’t we let the student-athletes share in the success of their sport?

“We all should be about diversity, equity, and inclusion.” said the 9th-year Michigan football coach I’m calling for a system that is fair, equitable, and benefits all involved. Don’t exclude the student-athletes from the profits. In my opinion, you can’t say you’re about diversity, equity, and inclusion if you aren’t willing to include the student-athletes in revenue sharing.

“I think we would all agree it worked out pretty well for Nike,” Harbaugh said. “As an NFL player, I was part of the change in NFL free agency rules and profit sharing with the talent. I lived it. I benefited from it. So did thousands and thousands of players that followed. I think we can all agree that the organizations and the NFL as a league and corporate entity have benefited greatly, as well.

“I’m not saying I have all the answers — what I’m hoping to accomplish today is sparking constructive conversation and timely action with and between the NCAA, conferences, coaches, universities … certainly a group representing the student-athletes, as well as experts and legal minds that specialize in revenue sharing,” Harbaugh stated.

“I don’t know exactly how that sausage is going to get made, but the current system and the status quo — we can’t just keep kicking this can down the road,” Harbaugh said. “It’s got to change, and it’s got to happen timely — now.”

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