College Athletes Granted the Right to Unionize—Is This the End of the NCAA?

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College Athletes Granted the Right to Unionize—Is This the End of the NCAA?

College Athletes Granted the Right to Unionize—Is This the End of the NCAA?

The monumental ruling could change the face of college athletics, as we know it.

In a ground breaking decision, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued a ruling on Wednesday holding that Northwestern football players qualified as “employees” of the university and therefore had the right to form a union, the NY Times reported.

The ruling in essence now allows players to hold a vote on whether they want to be represented by a union as well as granting them collective bargaining powers with Northwestern over player benefits.

NLRB regional director Peter Sung Ohr mentioned in the 24-page decision that the player’s time commitment to their sports and the fact that their scholarships, valued at $ 60,000 per year, are tied directly to their performance allowed them to fall within the broad definition of ‘employee’ under common law.

President of the National College Players Association, Ramogi Human, said he had much respect for the players who stood up to exercise their rights under labor law, ESPN reported.                                                                            

“The NCAA invented the term student-athlete to prevent the exact ruling that was made today. For 60 years, people have bought into the notion that they are students only. The reality is players are employees, and today"s ruling confirms that. The players are one giant step closer to justice.”

The decision comes as a huge blow to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) which plans on fighting the decision. Northwestern issued a statement after the ruling saying it would appeal to the full NLRB in Washington D.C. arguing that student-athletes are not employees but students and that the decision will throw away a system that has helped millions of students attend college.

“We want student athletes – 99 percent of whom will never make it to the professional leagues  – focused on what matters most, finding success in the classroom, on the field and in life,” NCAA chief legal officer Donald Remy said.

They say giving employee status to students can hurt college kids in many ways by raising the prospects of strikes by dissatisfied players or lockouts by athletic departments.

Yet, advocates of the ruling say the organization is merely acting out of fear in an epic fight for its life as the decision potentially has the power to threaten its very existence. Not to mention, a ruling of this magnitude could open the floodgates for other university non-employees such as custodial staff, work-study students and graduate teachers to join in the fight for union rights.

The NCAA currently generates billions of dollars from college football and has come under scrutiny before for its amateur, byzantine rules.  It has been criticized for failing to protect players from debilitating head injuries as well as unfairly profiting from players from live broadcasts, all for the indulgence of corporate sponsors.

Wildcats quarterback Kain Colter, one of the students who brought the case in January has declared the decision a huge win for all college athletes.  Colter testified that he was steered away from difficult science class and denied his dream of pursuing a career as a doctor.

“For me this was just an opportunity to make things right and stick up for future generations and make up for the wrongs of past generations,” Colter said.

Consequently, the College Athletes Player Association hopes the decision will modify the rules on how athletes should be compensated and lead to guarantees to protect coverage of sports-related medical expenses for current and former players.  What’s more, it is hoped the ruling will allow players to fairly profit and pursue commercial sponsorships, which may one day extend to other division at private universities.

 

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College Athletes Granted the Right to Unionize—Is This the End of the NCAA?

College Athletes Granted the Right to Unionize—Is This the End of the NCAA?

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College Athletes Granted the Right to Unionize—Is This the End of the NCAA?

Signal to Russia: US Olympics Delegation Includes Gay Athletes

In a move that sends a signal to Russia about its anti-gay laws, the White House announced Tuesday that the presidential delegation to the Winter Olympics in Sochi will include two gay athletes, tennis great Billie Jean King and ice hockey player Caitlin Cahow, The Hill reported.

The legendary tennis champ received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009 in recognition of her work on behalf of the LGBT community.

Two-time Olympian Cahow came out as a lesbian earlier this year.

Civil rights groups pressured the White House to include gay leaders in the delegation as a symbol of its opposition to Russia’s laws banning ”gay propaganda,” which impose fines and imprisonment for those who stage gay-pride rallies or events.

Last week, Human Rights First sent a letter to Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett that “the selection of the members of the official U.S. delegations for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Sochi Olympics is an important opportunity to signal to Russia and the world the priority the Obama administration places on equality and human dignity.”

“We urge you to ensure that the U.S. delegation includes prominent LGBT people – athletes, government officials and others – as well as allies of the LGBT community who will carry a message of tolerance and respect for individual rights and human dignity,” the letter, obtained by McClatchy, continued.

Former Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano will lead the U.S. delegation to the Opening Ceremonies. U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul, deputy chief of staff Rob Nabors, and gold-medal figure skater Brian Boitano will also appear.

The Closing Ceremonies delegation will be led by deputy Secretary of State William Burns, and will include McFaul, speed-skating gold medalists Bonnie Blair and Eric Heiden, and Cahow.

Neither the president nor first lady Michelle Obama will be in either delegation.

Earlier this summer, Obama said he did not “think it’s appropriate to boycott the Olympics” — but said he hoped gay U.S. athletes would win medals and in turn change attitudes.

“One of the things I’m really looking forward to is maybe some gay and lesbian athletes bringing home the gold or silver or bronze, which I think would go a long way in rejecting the kind of attitudes that we’re seeing there,” he said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said gay athletes will be welcome at the games.

“We are doing everything, both the organizers and our athletes and fans, so that participants and guests feel comfortable in Sochi, regardless of nationality, race, or sexual orientation,” Putin told RIA Novosti.

Related stories:

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Newsmax – America

Signal to Russia: US Olympics Delegation Includes Gay Athletes

Grambling Football Strike: Do College Athletes Have Rights?

Grambling Football Strike: Do College Athletes Have Rights?
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Audio for this story from Tell Me More will be available at approximately 3:00 p.m. ET.

Football players at Grambling State University in Louisiana refused to play this past weekend, complaining about unsanitary facilities and unsafe equipment. Host Michel Martin talks more about the issue with The Root’s Corey Dade, who used to play football at Grambling, and The Nation’s Dave Zirin.

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Read more about Grambling Football Strike: Do College Athletes Have Rights? and other interesting subjects concerning NSA at TheDailyNewsReport.com

The World"s 100 Highest-Paid Athletes

Athletes from 11 sports and 23 countries made the cut for Forbes’ 2013 look at the world’s 100 highest-paid athletes. Our earnings figures include salaries, bonuses, prize money, appearance fees, as well as licensing and endorsement income for the 12 months between June 1, 2012 and June 1, 2013. We do not include investment income or deduct for taxes and agents’ fees.

Forbes – Business

The World"s 100 Highest-Paid Athletes

Sources: Navy athletes eyed for sex assault

By Jim Miklaszewski, Chief Pentagon Correspondent

Three U.S. Naval Academy football players are under investigation for alleged sexual assault last year against a female midshipman, sources have confirmed to NBC News. 

It’s alleged that the victim and the three students had been drinking when she reportedly had sex with one of them, her boyfriend, in the back seat of a car, sources said. The other two then allegedly had sex with the woman.

One was a senior set to graduate last week; his graduation was put on hold pending the investigation. The other two are juniors at the Annapolis, Md., school.

The sources said the victim initially reported the incident in February 2012 and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service immediately launched an investigation. Four months later, the woman essentially withdrew her complaint when she stopped cooperating with investigators, and the investigation was halted.  

This past February, the woman renewed her complaint and the investigation was restarted. 

No charges have been filed.  The investigation is ongoing.

In 2007, the Academy expelled Navy quarterback Lamar Owens, Jr. in a sexual assault case. Although he was acquitted of any sexual assault, he was found guilty of conduct unbecoming an officer.

Sources: Navy athletes eyed for sex assault