Jim Harbaugh doubles down on student-athlete revenue sharing

Jim Harbaugh will scream it from the mountaintops: student-athletes deserve revenue sharing and their piece of the collegiate sports pie.

It’s a hefty pie for sure. Heck, the Michigan coach even suggested taking money out of his and other’s pockets to give to the student athletes at Michigan and other institutions nationwide.

Speaking at Media Day for the national championship, Harbaugh hammered down on student athletes sharing in revenue.

“The billions that are being generated they’re not getting much of,” Harbaugh said. “Very small percentage. They’re getting the same I got: a scholarship for books and tuition lets us do the right thing here. Who has that voice? I don’t know that. Who is the voice for the student athletes? You got the organization’s that are really fighting for their share, their piece and share. I would say this I mean, I’ll say it this: anybody that’s profiting off of the student athletes right now, myself included, coaches, somewhere between five and 10%.

“Take five to 10% less. Goes for any administrator, any coach, any conference, any university, NCAA, five to 10%, less than maybe a 10% tax from the television stations into one pot. That’s a start … I don’t know if people know this but I’ve been told … TV contracts are going up another 17% next year.”

This isn’t the first time Harbaugh took this message to a national platform. The Wolverines’ coach mentioned it before the College Football Playoff even began.

“It’s not about any coach, it’s about the players,” he said, a day after securing his third consecutive Big Ten title. “I love the way you’re talking about the players, that’s who everyone comes to see. Those are the people who put in the work. I hear a lot of the controversy about who should’ve been in, who shouldn’t of been in it. It’s going to be fortunate that the next year is going to be an expanded playoff and a true champion – it’s just going to be better.

“As you make those comments, I want you to remember – it’s the players. Don’t forget to give them a share of the revenue.”

That could be a drastic change to college athletics, should it happen the way Harbaugh suggested. It certainly could level the playing field in some ways.

But, the space would need more than just Harbaugh on board for this type of drastic change in the collegiate space.