by Colin Rajala
Trove: With the recent legalization of gambling on sports, what implications does that have on Seton Hall and the landscape of collegiate sports?
Pat: It’s obviously not as much a Seton Hall issue as it is an issue that every athletic director across the country is concerned with. No one really knows how it is going to affect us, so its been a wait and see approach until it is fully rolled out. For us, we do a ton of education with our athletes across the board on these types of issues. We have done some teaching on sports wagering and it is clearly something that we are going to have ramp up given the access that is going to be available and the fact that it is being allowed now. We're really going to beef up the education aspect, which is our initial plan of action following the new law.
We’ve already talked to a couple of different groups who are probably going to come in and spend some time with our athletes and coaches and make them aware of potential dangers. We are working with these groups now to see how they want to structure the sessions and we will meet with all the athletes because it impacts everyone. We will ramp up the session even more with men’s basketball, especially given the fact that is a popular sport – even though in New Jersey I do not think that you can bet on teams in state.
Trove: With the idea of legalizing sports gambling being floated out there for a while now, did you expect it to come this fast?
Pat: It was expected that it was going to happen. Obviously with there being talk about it for a few years now it wasn’t a surprise. The NCAA was looking to sites that they were going to allow NCAA tournaments to be held at based on the law in place and things like that had implications. So yes it has definitely been something we’ve been tracking for a while now. It was out in the public and it was pretty clear the administration was in favor of it, so it was more so when it would happen and not if it would happen.
Trove: With the new tax law signed in late 2017, which removed tax deductions for contributions related to seating at athletic events, what effect do you anticipate that having at Seton Hall?
Pat: When the law was passed last year, I kept saying to myself, ‘some school is going to figure out a way to get around this, right?’ Unfortunately, everyone kept coming up with these great ideas and great thoughts, but at the end of the day we really found out there is no way around it. It is a reality for us and something we have to face.
I will say that I firmly believe that the majority of people that give to Seton Hall do so because they love Seton Hall and there is an affinity for the school - it means something special to them. I give to Seton Hall, I don’t do it because I get a tax deduction from it, although it was a nice benefit. I also give to my alma mater, but I don’t give to my alma mater for the tax deduction. Again, it is a nice side benefit, but I do it because I had a great experience there and I believe in what they are doing.
I hope people give to Seton Hall because of what we are doing. Could the tax have an effect? Absolutely, but in talking to people I don’t think it is going to have as major of an impact as we may have been fearful of. Again, we will know for sure in the next couple of years when it's rolled out, but no one has come up to me and said I can’t give what I am giving because I am not getting a tax deduction out of it.
Trove: The college basketball landscape has been under scrutiny lately following the FBI investigation and subsequent arrests, which has been followed up by recommendations from the Rice Commission on how to improve the system moving forward. With Seton Hall being tied to some of the issues through Isaiah Whitehead and Tiny Morton, what effect has the situation had on college basketball in general and Seton Hall in particular?
Pat: I can’t comment on anything pertaining to Seton Hall, but I will say college basketball in general is going through a time of sweeping changes. It really is a moment for college basketball that could be a great thing to be honest with you. Between The FBI arresting 10 people directly tied to the sport, to the Rice Commission’s recommendations and the task forces that are being put into play – we are going to see some real change that has some real teeth to it in the next year or two.
I think it's great and I am all for anything that is going to benefit the game and keep the game that we love intact. I am looking forward to seeing what is going to continue to come out. I have already seen some things about changes to the summer recruiting, so it is going to be interesting to see it play out in the next couple of years.
Trove: In your opinion was the investigation and arrests a long time coming or did it catch you by surprise?
Pat: It was surprising only in the sense that you would never think you would see the FBI tied to collegiate sports. In that sense it wasn’t just surprising to athletic administrators or coaches or people in the game, it was surprising for everyone. Any industry that has the FBI involved and arresting people will get your attention.
Trove: Financial compensation for student athletes is receiving seemingly more attention than ever before, especially since the FBI investigations. How do you view the matter now as well as moving forward?
Pat: I don’t tie those conversations to the FBI or the ongoing investigation into college basketball. It is more so an age old question, should athletes be paid? I have always said I do not believe that they should. Philosophically, I do not believe athletes should be getting paid for their services because it turns it into a pro model. I like the amateur model. Right now, especially with basketball, if a student athlete decides to come here they are going to get a great education and they are going to be taken care of very well not only by great coaches but by a great support system.
They are going to have access to the best doctors, the best trainers, the best nutritionists, the best strength coaches. We could always give them their room and board checks and now that we can give them cost of attendance too I think you would be hard pressed to find an athlete, at least at Seton Hall, that says all their needs are not being met.
The other thing is there are other options for athletes if they want to get paid. You don’t have to go to college - you can go play overseas, you can go to different leagues that would pay you. This isn’t the only option these athletes have. Paying student athletes would really professionalize what we are doing and it is just not something I have ever believed in.
Trove: With the recent legalization of gambling on sports, what implications does that have on Seton Hall and the landscape of collegiate sports?
Pat: It’s obviously not as much a Seton Hall issue as it is an issue that every athletic director across the country is concerned with. No one really knows how it is going to affect us, so its been a wait and see approach until it is fully rolled out. For us, we do a ton of education with our athletes across the board on these types of issues. We have done some teaching on sports wagering and it is clearly something that we are going to have ramp up given the access that is going to be available and the fact that it is being allowed now. We're really going to beef up the education aspect, which is our initial plan of action following the new law.
We’ve already talked to a couple of different groups who are probably going to come in and spend some time with our athletes and coaches and make them aware of potential dangers. We are working with these groups now to see how they want to structure the sessions and we will meet with all the athletes because it impacts everyone. We will ramp up the session even more with men’s basketball, especially given the fact that is a popular sport – even though in New Jersey I do not think that you can bet on teams in state.
Trove: With the idea of legalizing sports gambling being floated out there for a while now, did you expect it to come this fast?
Pat: It was expected that it was going to happen. Obviously with there being talk about it for a few years now it wasn’t a surprise. The NCAA was looking to sites that they were going to allow NCAA tournaments to be held at based on the law in place and things like that had implications. So yes it has definitely been something we’ve been tracking for a while now. It was out in the public and it was pretty clear the administration was in favor of it, so it was more so when it would happen and not if it would happen.
Trove: With the new tax law signed in late 2017, which removed tax deductions for contributions related to seating at athletic events, what effect do you anticipate that having at Seton Hall?
Pat: When the law was passed last year, I kept saying to myself, ‘some school is going to figure out a way to get around this, right?’ Unfortunately, everyone kept coming up with these great ideas and great thoughts, but at the end of the day we really found out there is no way around it. It is a reality for us and something we have to face.
I will say that I firmly believe that the majority of people that give to Seton Hall do so because they love Seton Hall and there is an affinity for the school - it means something special to them. I give to Seton Hall, I don’t do it because I get a tax deduction from it, although it was a nice benefit. I also give to my alma mater, but I don’t give to my alma mater for the tax deduction. Again, it is a nice side benefit, but I do it because I had a great experience there and I believe in what they are doing.
I hope people give to Seton Hall because of what we are doing. Could the tax have an effect? Absolutely, but in talking to people I don’t think it is going to have as major of an impact as we may have been fearful of. Again, we will know for sure in the next couple of years when it's rolled out, but no one has come up to me and said I can’t give what I am giving because I am not getting a tax deduction out of it.
Trove: The college basketball landscape has been under scrutiny lately following the FBI investigation and subsequent arrests, which has been followed up by recommendations from the Rice Commission on how to improve the system moving forward. With Seton Hall being tied to some of the issues through Isaiah Whitehead and Tiny Morton, what effect has the situation had on college basketball in general and Seton Hall in particular?
Pat: I can’t comment on anything pertaining to Seton Hall, but I will say college basketball in general is going through a time of sweeping changes. It really is a moment for college basketball that could be a great thing to be honest with you. Between The FBI arresting 10 people directly tied to the sport, to the Rice Commission’s recommendations and the task forces that are being put into play – we are going to see some real change that has some real teeth to it in the next year or two.
I think it's great and I am all for anything that is going to benefit the game and keep the game that we love intact. I am looking forward to seeing what is going to continue to come out. I have already seen some things about changes to the summer recruiting, so it is going to be interesting to see it play out in the next couple of years.
Trove: In your opinion was the investigation and arrests a long time coming or did it catch you by surprise?
Pat: It was surprising only in the sense that you would never think you would see the FBI tied to collegiate sports. In that sense it wasn’t just surprising to athletic administrators or coaches or people in the game, it was surprising for everyone. Any industry that has the FBI involved and arresting people will get your attention.
Trove: Financial compensation for student athletes is receiving seemingly more attention than ever before, especially since the FBI investigations. How do you view the matter now as well as moving forward?
Pat: I don’t tie those conversations to the FBI or the ongoing investigation into college basketball. It is more so an age old question, should athletes be paid? I have always said I do not believe that they should. Philosophically, I do not believe athletes should be getting paid for their services because it turns it into a pro model. I like the amateur model. Right now, especially with basketball, if a student athlete decides to come here they are going to get a great education and they are going to be taken care of very well not only by great coaches but by a great support system.
They are going to have access to the best doctors, the best trainers, the best nutritionists, the best strength coaches. We could always give them their room and board checks and now that we can give them cost of attendance too I think you would be hard pressed to find an athlete, at least at Seton Hall, that says all their needs are not being met.
The other thing is there are other options for athletes if they want to get paid. You don’t have to go to college - you can go play overseas, you can go to different leagues that would pay you. This isn’t the only option these athletes have. Paying student athletes would really professionalize what we are doing and it is just not something I have ever believed in.
