The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of RCN or any other agency, organization, employer or company.
The NCAA has a huge mess on its hands. This past week, the governor of California signed into law a bill that now allows California student-athletes to receive compensation for the use of their name, likeness, or image. They also can hire agents to represent them. It’s called the Fair Pay to Play Act. Several other states have said they would also pass a similar law. Pennsylvania is one of them.
The NCAA strictly prohibits their athletes to be compensated. So what happens now?
The quandary: Today, if you go into any store and buy a jersey, a poster, a mug, etc., with a player’s name, number, or face on it, the team or university derives some sort of royalty for that purchase. The student-athlete receives nothing. Obviously, the case can be made that the athlete is, in most cases, receiving a full scholarship and a complete education for his efforts. Does the athlete deserve more or are they getting enough?
All students have the ability to work after-school hours in order to make some money. Should we now consider athletes who “work” every day as a member of a team someone who should have the right to make money, if there is a demand for their wares directly associated with the university?
Sports agents at the college level are often portrayed as sleazy people who sneak around in the shadows of NCAA athletics. Now, a student-athlete risks everything if they are lured into an illegal arrangement with an agent to gain financial rewards. Often, these stories center around students who come from poor backgrounds and the lure of financial gain is quite enticing even at the risk of losing eligibility and their scholarship. Should they now openly be allowed to hire an agent to help them get the best deal for their talent?
Colleges, universities, and the NCAA make billions of dollars on their product. Coaches get paid millions at major sports institutions. Shouldn’t the athletes have the opportunity to share in those funds?
And, finally, will this law make these young people more athlete than student? Will they spend more time setting up appearances and endorsement opportunities that they spend in the classroom? Will academics take a back seat to the now-legal lure of making as much money as one can in the short time available to a student-athlete?
There are plenty of questions with, I’m sure, plenty of different answers. And once again, it will be the courts that will decide the issue. What is your opinion? How would you rule in this case? For the athletes or for the universities?
ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)
- Interesting move by the Phillies this week. They fired their pitching coach, Chris Young. This makes me believe that they will not fire Gabe Kapler. You would have thought that would happen first and the new manager would decide on staff. By the time you read this, I could be totally wrong and Kapler will be gone. But, unless a more attractive manager says yes to the Phillies, Kapler will be the man.
- It was a “good news-bad news” situation for the Gruden family after this weekend’s NFL games. Jon Gruden’s Oakland Raiders upset the Chicago Bears on Sunday putting the Raiders at 3-2 for the season. Jon’s brother, Jay Gruden, the head coach of the Washington Redskins, was fired after losing to the Patriots 33-7. He became the fifth coach fired by team owner Dan Snyder but he did last longer than any of the others.
- Despite an outstanding performance by the Eagles’ defense against the woeful Jets, the offense looked pretty bad this past Sunday. They looked nothing like the offense that did their job the previous week against the Packers. But a win is a win, I guess.
- Watching the Cowboys on Sunday against the Packers, I felt they were pretty listless throughout much of the game. There was no spark at all until they finally put together some scoring plays. There is something wrong in Dallas.
- There are three high school games this weekend on RCN-TV. Friday night features Emmaus at Freedom at 7:00PM followed by Allen at Northampton at 9:30PM. On Saturday night, we will bring you Easton at Bethlehem Catholic. The action starts at 7:00pm on RCN-TV.
GARY’GUESSES (LAST WEEK – 11-3) (YEAR-TO-DATE – 53-23-1 70%)
DALLAS
