The National Labor Relations Board’s top lawyer says college football players and some other athletes in money-making sports are employees of their schools.
College football players and many other athletes are employees of their schools, the National Labor Relations Board’s top lawyer said in a memo Wednesday that would allow players to unionize and otherwise negotiate over their working conditions.
NLRB General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo also threatened action against schools, conferences and the NCAA if they continue to use the term “student-athlete,” saying that it was created to disguise the employment relationship with college athletes and discourage them from pursuing their rights.
“The freedom to engage in far-reaching and lucrative business enterprises makes players at academic institutions much more similar to professional athletes who are employed by a team to play a sport,” the memo said.
I'm waiting for some university with balls to tell the NLRB to drop dead. But that will never happen.
It's fair to ask what authority the NLRB to make this "ruling". Does some statute somewhere say this? Has there been a public debate I missed? Has any legislative or judicial ruling demand or imply this?
This is a prime example of ruling by fiat that further erodes our democracy. Who will stand up to this?
Nothing stays the same. That old college rah rah spirit has been dying a slow death for the last 75 years.
On the one hand I loved college football as it was. On the other hand I have always supported the right of these students to make money from their skills just like students in accounting, law, science, can do.
I also believe the student athletes should be taxed on the value of their scholarships, meals, lodging, travel, tutoring, just like any other employee.
I am sickened that people like Jennifer Abruzzo will push this way beyond even where it is today towards actual university paying players just like in the pros. That willl ruin college football.
Universities can still save the game but it will take some real smart and creative people to do so. I don't believe such people exist anymore in 90% of the athletic departments.