The University’s Department of Intercollegiate Athletics has established a new program allowing Duck fans to get their hands on authentic athletic gear ranging from volleyball jerseys to game-worn football helmets. But some athletes are feeling less than enthused their apparel is raking in so much money while they get none of the cut.
The athletic department has sold surplus gear for a number of years on its website, but the new website oregonauthentic.com puts the sales on a platform in which fans bid on selected items in an open, online auction. The idea was conceived back in September but didn’t materialize until recently in this new form.
Craig Pintens,@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=staff&d=person&b=name&s=Craig+Pintens@@ senior associate athletic director for marketing and public relations, said the massive surplus of equipment is what turned the athletic department on to a new website. Instead of amounting an even larger stockpile of old gear, the department decided to sell it and use the profits to stimulate its own budget.@@and not giving any to academics@@

“We have a lot of excess inventory, and it takes up a lot of space,” Pintens said. “We’ve actually had to rent off-site storage to store some of our equipment. The money is going to go into operating expenses, so it can benefit all current and future student-athletes.”
Some former Duck athletes are not happy about the athletic department using their old numbers to make money.
“ilove the university,” tweeted former running-back LaMichael James, “but the amount of money they have made off me I could buy several educations lol am I a donor now?”
James’ “Fighting Ducks Kelly Green” jersey is priced for $1,210 in an auction and, as of Friday, has roughly one day left for bidding.
Mark Asper, former offensive lineman, expressed slight animosity towards the situation in an interview with The Register-Guard. He views it as just another way for the athletic department to make money. @@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=4458&SPID=252&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=1148913@@
National Collegiate Athletic Association regulations prevent the athletic department from simply giving the old equipment to the athletes, and with such a large surplus as the Ducks have, it is more affordable to sell it all than pay to store it.
“There are certain restrictions on what we’re allowed to provide them with,” Pintens said, “but we can make their jerseys available for them to purchase.”
Former Duck quarterback Nate Costa said he understands the athletic department’s actions, but he himself bought all of his jerseys when he graduated. @@good idea      http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=4458&SPID=233&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=529194@@
“The University has a bunch of gear on hand, and a lot of bills to pay,”@@not doubt with the latter@@ Costa said. “It’s logical to turn to the gear for cash flow. I think the athletic department can only operate within the rules outlined by the NCAA. The University’s hands are tied. If you want to talk ethics, the NCAA system in general needs to enter the conversation, not just UO.”
Campus community members reacted sympathetically with the athletes.
“It’s all part of the NCAA cartel, and this just furthers the mentality that they can make money off of athletes without paying them,”said Maneesh Arora,@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Maneesh+Arora@@ student member of the Intercollegiate Athletics Committee of University Senate. “On the other hand, it’s nice to see the athletic department doing creative things like that to increase revenue.”@@aka, pay da’ bills@@ @@http://committees.uoregon.edu/node/41@@
Arora said another important facet of the conversation surrounding the auction is whether or not the noticeable amount of revenue from the auctions will be shared with academic departments. IAC member and economics professor Bill Harbaugh@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=staff&d=person&b=name&s=Harbaugh@@ also pointed out that this is money that could be put toward operation costs of the Jaqua Academic Center, which is still heavily subsidized by academics. @@http://harbaugh.uoregon.edu/@@
“The NCAA cartel has set it up so that money can’t go to the players, and that’s a real shame because they’ve earned it,” Harbaugh said. “But there is nothing in the rules that prevents the athletic department from using it to offset tutoring costs that regular students help pay.”