Or compare it to the AHL, where players make $70,000 (this is as of 2012-20130. The $70,000 figure is not hugely out-of-line with the cost of a year of tuition

Or compare it to the AHL, where players make $70,000 (this is as of 2012-20130. The $70,000 figure is not hugely out-of-line with the cost of a year of tuition, room, and board at a good school. Once they make the leap to the NHL it goes up markedly to at least $525,000 (as of 2011-2012), and of course free agents make even more. I do think that most public colleges should get out of the business of fielding sports teams. Except for the best schools, they will not be a net positive financially.