Northwestern football players seek to join union

Not at all FBS schools.

 

Isn't that the point, though -- to open a can of worms? Every aspect of college athletics is different than it was a generation ago: football, basketball (mens and womens) and baseball have achieved quasi-professional status; facilities have been upgraded immensely, and salaries for the professional stakeholders have dramatically increased. Everything has changed completely, with one exception: the lives of the athletes have not improved.

That's why it's exactly time to open the can of worms so that these adults can share in the wealth so many others around them are enjoying. If that means the boosters have to shell out more, of if that means the era of multi-million-dollar coaches contracts is curtailed, then so be it.

 

Couldn't agree more. The opinion is amazingly thorough, well-considered and well written. (It very clearly distinguished this case from the Brown graduate assistants ruling that Northwestern tried to rely on, too.) Anyone involved in college football should take the half hour to read and understand it.

 

Are you kidding me? Are you that obtuse? Yeah, Scott Walker is going to say, "No, don't mess with the unions! Not them!"

 

Including the Pac-12 commissioner.

 

Shorter Larry Scott:

 

Also, I'm sure Mitch Daniels, who pushed "right-to-work" in Indiana, will gladly stand by and accept unionization of athletes now that he's president of Purdue.

 

I don't think that many lawmakers in SEC country are afraid of pissing off unions. Plus, a law which maintains the status quo for college football is going to be pretty popular with the voters.

 

I agree that the can of worms needs to be opened and that this was a pretty well reasoned opinion exposing the hypocrisy of big time college sports.

 

What's the upside of "messing" with them?

He "went after" the public employee unions because they were bankrupting the state -- and it worked. Wisconsin has a surplus and is cutting taxes.

Who gives a shit if players unionize?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obFHu7DCsEs

 

States can pass all the laws they want, but there's a problem with laws saying athletes can't organize. It's an implicit statement that they are employees subject to state labor laws.
I don't think this is how this is going to play out, however. I think it's far more likely some big school breaks the NCAA cartel, begins paying athletes (as other students are paid for work they do for colleges, just more lucratively) and wins in court. Once one does, they all will.