Former UCLA basketball star Ed O'Bannon was named lead plaintiff in a lawsuit against the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The suit claims that former student-athletes should be compensated for the use of their images and likenesses in television adds, video games and on apparel. The N.C.A.A. makes an estimated $4 billion in licensing deals, yet student-athletes see a overwhelming $0 of that money. Ed O'Bannon is not pushing for money for himself, even though he could use it now that he is a car salesman in Las Vegas. He wants current athletes to benefit from the money they are bringing into the N.C.A.A. But why should they see any of that money?
I looked more into that question, and came up with a few reasons why they should.
1. Lets compare how the N.C.A.A treats student-athletes compared to how colleges treat students who are professional actors or musicians. Unlike student-athletes, student-actors and musicians can keep their earnings without jeopardizing their scholarships.
3. If the N.C.A.A paid students, they could avoid issues they have run into like point shaving and illegal payments. It would also give student-athletes an incentive to stay in college and finish their degree program, instead of leaving college for the pros to make money.
4. Antitrust Law: If former student-athletes could negotiate their own licensing deals, more licenses would be sold and it would make for a more competitive market, triggering lower prices for the consumers.
5. Division 1 Student-athletes are required, if not forced, to sign a series of documents in order to participate in their respective sport. The document specifies that, "You authorize the NCAA . . . to use your name or picture to generally promote NCAA championships or other NCAA events, activities or programs." This sounds like it answers everything, except for its not signed under very fair circumstances. The athletes signing this are, in some cases, under 18 years of age. Also, they don't really have any other choice but to sign this, for if they don't, they are deemed ineligible to play and risk losing their athletic scholarships.
Now, it's hard to put a price tag on how much a college athlete is really worth to a college program, but in my opinion, way more than nothing. If we like it or not, college athletics are a business, and the athletes are the biggest and quite possibly the only money makers. With out them there would be no broadcasts, no pictures, no video games, no merchandise and no interest. Just like in every business in America, the people who bring in the money, see a cut of that money. That's why i believe college athletes should see some money. I don't think they should be getting rich, or it would just be the pros, but they should be getting enough money to live nicely on.
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