UAB FB team 1st to join players association

[rjtide]

UAB becomes first D-I football team to join PA

The UAB football team became the first in Division I to sign on with Athletes.org, a budding players' association.

www.espn.com

Well.....is this the 1st organized step towards college football players forming a union?

 

[rolltide_21]

Of course they did.

 

[4Q Basket Case]

I wish there were another solution. But I don’t see one that will both (1) fix the problem, and (2) stand up in court.

If (two big letters) it takes hold and gets traction in the P4, this could bring some order to the current chaos.

 

[B1GTide]

I wonder if Dilfer got clearance from the school to steer these kids toward this decision. I support the move in this direction. It has to happen to save the sport. But coaches are employees of the schools. They shouldn't make policy decisions like this on their own.

 

[Crimson1967]

Not to get political, but Meemaw took a very strong anti-union stance yesterday against the UAW effort at the Mercedes plant. The governor is on the Board of Trustees, what will she say about this?

 

[Bamabuzzard]

If the revenue sharing passes and players become part of a players' union. I don't see how the school can justify continuing to foot some of the "scholarship expenses" they traditionally have for the athletes. Essentially, they are getting paid for their part in generating the revenue and historically the academic expenses were the "payment" for their playing. So are they now going to not only absorb the cost of their education expenses but also pay them $30,000+ per player? This isn't even counting the NIL deals the players can get. WOW! Things sure have changed. LOL!

 

[NoNC4Tubs]

The players need to be in school to earn the NIL, so charge them the cost of a scholarship to be there...

 

[Bamabuzzard]

And how in the world are they going to justify the players not being employees of the school and keeping "student" status?

*They are part of a union
*They are getting paid to play
*They are being provided the resources and facilities by the college

That is very, very close to what the IRS deems an employee.

 

[mdb-tpet]

A lot of students work for the university in one way or another, so maybe this is the path athletics will have to go. Only time will tell if the kids get more or less after they become employees than they get for NIL now. I, or if they kids get pay that more equal for the players or even more varied.

It's going to be a messy and rapidly changing time for athletes who are also students. I do wonder if some/many schools eliminate some sports to keep up with the Joneses. I can see many smaller schools reducing to three or four sports to maximize the payment to the football and basketball programs and be Title IX compliant to keep up with the biggest schools. Are we about to see something like the Alabama football program in the 19070s where Alabama had hundreds of kids on scholarship (NIL here)?

 

[CullmanTide]

I don't have a problem with player unions as long as they sign contracts.

 

[NoNC4Tubs]

And how in the world are they going to justify the players not being employees of the school and keeping "student" status?

*They are part of a union
*They are getting paid to play
*They are being provided the resources and facilities by the college

That is very, very close to what the IRS deems an employee.

FIFY