Don’t Reform NCAA – Replace It

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Don’t Reform NCAA – Replace It

By Dr. Donna Lopiano and Dr. Gerald Gurney Originally published September 11, 2014 Three weeks after a trial over the NCAA’s use of college athletes’ likenesses ended this summer, U.S. Senator Jay Rockefeller’s Commerce Committee began hearings on the welfare of athletes and included testimony from NCAA President Mark Emmert. Amid the senators’ skepticism and … Read more

Athletic Scholarship Rules Should be Clear

Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the Student-Athletes’ Right to Know Act last fall. This requires California colleges and universities to publicly disclose, among other things, their policies regarding sports-related medical expenses and the renewal or cancellation of athletic scholarships.  A similar bill is before the Connecticut General Assembly. This bill is long overdue. Follow … Read more

Ralph Nader and “Pay for Play”

Even the consumer advocate and former presidential candidate Ralph Nader, a relative newcomer to the debate over paying college athletes, was able to use the media frenzy around March Madness to launch his own proposal to eliminate athletic scholarships altogether. The tepid to hostile reaction his proposal brought in many circles, including at the NCAA, … Read more

Making Peace with the NCAA

Much to my surprise the NCAA, under the leadership of President Mark Emmert, has recently enacted financial aid reforms that I have supported for many years. Critics have argued that the changes amount to little more than “window dressing,” but a strong case can be made that the revival of multi-year scholarships makes athletes students … Read more

Establishment of a Congressional Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics Reform

The Drake Group urges Congress and the general public to understand the need for comprehensive federal reform legislation that goes beyond the current singular focus on college athlete name, image, and likeness rights or a slight nod to athlete health and protection. There is a clear need for an independent Congressional Commission that examines the … Read more

Real Scholarships Need to Make a Comeback

I have always believed that colleges and universities that treat athletes like employees should have to pay them and provide other employment benefits. Under common law, an employee is a person who performs services for another under a contract of hire, subject to the Follow this link to read the US News and World Report … Read more

How to Save the NCAA from Itself

Big-time college football has changed significantly since I played decades ago. Millions of dollars rain down from ticket sales, luxury suites, media rights, corporate sponsorships, and sales of licensed apparel. Conferences are realigned to penetrate new target markets. These changes, however, raise serious questions about the future of sport in higher education. Follow this link … Read more

College Athletes Have the Legal Right to Unionize

I have always believed that colleges and universities that treat athletes like employees should have to pay them and provide other employment benefits. Under common law, an employee is a person who performs services for another under a contract of hire, subject to the other’s control in return for payment. The unionization movement at Northwestern … Read more