Today's Congressional hearing on NCAA athlete name, image and likeness rights signals that many coaches and higher education leaders could benefit from a sport law class.
For starters, outside entities compensating NCAA athletes for NIL rights doesn't invoke or violate Title IX.
Arguing that corporations may choose to endorse NCAA athletes over partnering with the entire athletic department is a Chicken Little argument. Athletic departments with strong brands and social media followings will not lose money to the few athletes who can secure endorsements.
Olympic sports will continue to be cut NOT because college athletes can enter into NIL deals, but because athletic departments have grossly mismanaged budgets. Spending on coaches' salaries, facilities and travel are to blame. Not NCAA athletes entering into legal endorsements.
The NCAA generates over $1B in revenue/year. In this tough economy all of its employees will be furloughed for 3 weeks. However, here's what the NCAA spent on legal fees in part to defend its amateurism standard & prevent payment to NCAA athletes:
2019: $54M
2018: $46M
2017: $36M
To put these legal fees into perspective, the NCAA's 2018 Form 990 says it spent $77.7 million on salaries. If I'm a furloughed employee and know that $54 million was spent on legal fees defending amateurism, I'm asking if it's time to reimagine our mission.
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