Talk to the hand, kid.
On Saturday, June 10, De La Haye uploaded a new YouTube video titled, “Quit college sports or quit YouTube?”. In the video, the kicker showed up to a meeting at the football offices exclaiming he felt like it was Judgement Day.
“Everything’s going to go well,” he said in the video. “We’re just going to talk about ways that I can keep doing what I’m doing and follow the rules.”
It’s unclear who the meeting was with, but upon returning, De La Haye said he was basically given an ultimatum of choosing between football or YouTube videos.
“The meeting went well, but it didn’t go well at the same time,” he said. “Basically, I’m not allowed to make any money off of my YouTube videos. I’m working hard basically as a job — filming, editing and things of that sort, and I’m not allowed to make any money. If I do, then bad things happen for me. I feel like they’re making me pick between my passion for what I love to do shooting videos and entertaining and my other passion, playing football.”
Just like any other student, amirite?
Get The Picture 
Wow that’s pretty crazy that he can’t make some money on the side doing something unrelated to football.
LikeLike
If I recall correctly, didn’t Northwestern have a stud RB back in the 90s that was in sort of the same boat? He was a Theater or Drama major and was all set to be flown out to Rome to shoot a movie (while still in school) and the NCAA stepped in and said you have to choose which one you want more: your Major passion or football. Their reasoning? You never would have gotten the part if you weren’t a football player. I imagine it’s probably the same here: you never would have gotten all those youtube views… if you weren’t UCF’s kicker….
When’s that Kessler wrecking ball due in court?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lot of blurred line potential. Let’s say Todd Gurley had painted a #3 red jersey as a “piece of art” and signed each piece at the bottom. Legal, or violates the NCAA rules? Not saying it would work for 98% of the scholarship athletes in D1 football but there are “names” that have value. Think of what AU and Ole Miss boosters would pay for similar things just to add to their collection?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Frankly, so what? If fans want to overpay their favorite football players for products those players are selling, what’s the harm? That’s Nike’s entire business model. Should Tom Brady be prevented from endorsing expensive products no one needs on the basis that people might foolishly buy them?
LikeLike
No shit. That’s the whole argument for why a player should be able to sell as many autographs as he wants and cash in on his name and likeness like any other red-blooded American. There might not be much of a market nationally for a signature from Ben Cleveland, but he’s certainly recognizable enough amongst the Georgia fanbase that there’s a market for his autograph.
So what? Sounds like that’s what they consider to be fair value if they paid for it in an open marketplace.
LikeLike
And my answer to you is: So? I don’t agree with you, or the others who want to fair market this. Fine that you and the Senator want to pay, or allow, players to be compensated above the current level. I think it is plenty, and should be left alone. Please don’t feel I, or others, should be spoken to condescendingly. We have little respect for your ideas, and don’t attack you. You want to change the model and, in my mind, put at risk the sport I love the most. Excuse me for not being impressed by your position, but I am not.
LikeLike
Dude – you’re more than welcome to feel how you want to feel. But please stop insulting others’ intelligence with the idea that it were hypothetically okay that players get openly compensated for their NIL, there’s some black hole of death coming for the sport. Players have been paid under the table since the beginning of time by boosters (including those at dear old UGA) and the sport’s survived just fine. My snark obviously get the best of me, but it’s a silly argument if you’re being intellectually honest with yourself.
In all seriousness though – we’re on the same page in that I don’t see structurally how it could cleanly work for a direct pay for play from the colleges themselves even if I believe that’s what’s fair. Players not being able to cash in on their NIL though is just (1) frankly un-American and (2) it furthers the gap between the athletes and the rest of the student body when we’re told everyday by the powers that be that they are just another student. They either are students or they’re not students and this situation with the UCF kicker is further evidence that the people in charge want to be able to argue they’re both.
LikeLike
First, I am not a “dude”, GTFUP. Secondly, I am not insulting anyone’s intelligence by saying it will bring the house down as it plays out, that is my opinion. And as you say later, you aren’t sure how it work out. That is fair, I don’t think it works out at all. CFB, as we know it and love it, will fall off the campuses, imo.
LikeLike
I guess you’re just not into the whole brevity thing. ¯_(ツ)_/¯
LikeLike
What sort of videos are they? Article doesn’t really say.
LikeLike
Most likely a vlog. Just him, face to camera talk about life and doing stuff. I watch a couple of different ones.
52k subs is not bad for youtube, but he isnt really making serious money from it. Maybe couple hundred per month. If he had maybe 500k subs he could be doing it at full time support yourself financially type of level.
It’s stupid that he created a business in high school that generates money and the NCAA is going to make him close his business.
LikeLike
oh but he would have likely shut the channel down in college anyway. The time committment for football and vlogging would not be compatible.
LikeLike
He created it in High school and they are telling him no more? Could he still cut his Grandmother’s grass for $20/week? That’s ridiculous.
I don’t see where one has anything to do with the other. BS like this is why the NCAA should be disbanded and all of it’s employees forced to actually work for a living.
LikeLike
Thank God the NCAA continues to limit these players from any money whatsoever……as they continue raising their own salaries on a yearly basis
LikeLike