Northwestern beats the NCAA!

[eagle eye]

If you remember after the college season ended players from Northwester University filed suit claiming they were employees of the university and thus eligible to unionize. This could be seen as a landmark decision in college athletics and could open the door for collegiate athletes to receive pay compensation for playing their sport for their school. Right now this only applies to private universities like Northwestern. State run schools have a different path that would need to be taken.

Here's a link to an SI article about the case.

 

http://tracking.si.com/2014/03/26/northwestern-nlrb-employees-capa-college-football-ncaaf/

[geezer]

While I have long thought the NCAA rules on stipends for athletes was way to controlling, this may be devastating to non-major universities especially in football. It potentially adds significant costs, that most FCS schools can't afford. Also does each universities athletes negotiate with individual schools or does a national group negotiate to keep things on a somewhat equal basis, say between Notre Dame and Incarnate Word.

[LUSportsFan]

If the ruling stands, I could see this back-firing in all but the "have" conferences. It could put a strain on a lot of the "have" programs as well. I could see movement to a Pioneer Football League / Ivy League / DIII conference model where there are no scholarships for athletics; academics only. Such a model would benefit neither party. Athletes would have to compete with non athletes on academic merit. Programs would also be hurt because the player pool would be potentially reduced.