What if there was a manner in which college athletes could be paid that would not come from government, would not drain college budgets, and would be completely voluntary and democratic? Also, what if it paid all athletes equally and at fair market value (based upon fan popularity) according to their particular sport and division? Plus, what if it allowed athletes/teams to make endorsement deals so long as all payments from said deals are contributed back into the pot to pay all applicable athletes equally? Plus more, what if its equal-payment policy completely eliminated any potential threat of gambling or “inappropriate game-result influence” and did not influence athletic recruitment because all applicable athletes would receive the same payment regardless of game outcome or school attended? Finally, what if no money, nor permission, was needed from any other organization in order to pay the athletes?

That manner of payment may be a Fan-sponsored College Athlete Payment Fund (FCAPF)—allowing the fans to pay college athletes on a collective and equal basis and allowing athletes/teams to make said endorsements and enlarge the whole economic pie for all such athletes.

The fund would: 1) Allow the private citizens to decide if they wish to contribute funds for college athletes to personally spend in their own private manner—with the funds being paid equally to all applicable athletes. 2) Allow college athletes/teams in all divisions to earn money through endorsements, with said money being added to the aforementioned funds and then paid out equally to all athletes of the applicable sports and divisions.

For those of you who consider it unfair that athletes are not allowed to get a share of the billions of dollars involved in collegiate sports, are not allowed to make endorsements—and who don’t consider college tuition and room & board “adequate compensation” (especially with some coaches making millions a year)—the fund will allow you to correct the imbalance by empowering athletes/teams to promote products/services and by allowing you to personally provide money that athletes can use for fun/relaxation or for more important purposes. One possible side benefit is an increased graduation rate of athletes due to the advantage of economic rewards associated with remaining in school. Also, discipline in athletes could be more effectively enforced via payment losses from game suspension stemming from infractions committed. And let us never forget that economic hardship suffered by many student athletes would be greatly alleviated by this.

Fans would have their selection of all divisions of all significant collegiate sports—with those of lesser significance being added as the fund gains prominence. In the fund’s initial year, all money would be held in storage. In the second year, all applicable full-scholarship athletes would be paid monthly in equal amounts based upon the amount contributed to a particular sport in a particular division and the *standard roster size or limit (*see ABOUT) of that sport in that division. Also during the second year, the next (3rd) year’s funds would be accumulated and stored, with this monthly-payment cycle repeating itself for all subsequent years.