Johnson vs NCAA

[18IsTheMan]

There's so much going with college football, I haven't been able to follow it all. Just came across this recent article about the Johnson vs NCAA lawsuit. There have been a lot of significant changes to the game, this lawsuit could result in seismic changes.

Main issue is whether student athletes should be recognized as employees of their respective universities under the Fair Labor Standards Act...and that the NCAA is considered a joint employer.

This case could blow things up.

The case that could strike the next key blow to NCAA amateurism

Those who work around college sports often wonder where the next major domino to fall may come from. Here is one distinct possibility.

theathletic.com

 

[USCBatgirl21]

This would last up until the moment the athletes have to pay income taxes on their "earnings".

 

[18IsTheMan]

This would last up until the moment the athletes have to pay income taxes on their "earnings".

Well, that's certainly one by-product. I would assume the lawyers considered that from the outset and decided to move forward.

If they transition from being student athletes to employees, would they still get scholarships? Or at that point, would it matter? If they were employees, would they even have to be enrolled in school? If employees, would schools still have to provide housing etc? If they provide housing for those employees, what about other employees? Employees, can of course, be fired. Then there's unionization.

Too many possible complications to even consider, none of which are good for the future of the game.

 

[USCBatgirl21]

Well, that's certainly one by-product. I would assume the lawyers considered that from the outset and decided to move forward.

If they transition from being student athletes to employees, would they still get scholarships? Or at that point, would it matter? If they were employees, would they even have to be enrolled in school? If employees, would schools still have to provide housing etc? If they provide housing for those employees, what about other employees? Employees, can of course, be fired. Then there's unionization.

Too many possible complications to even consider, none of which are good for the future of the game.

Not necessarily.
It's a classic example of not to bite the hand that feeds you.

 

[18IsTheMan]

If we're talking about, people are talking to them about it.

 

[athenscock3]

Going from one extreme to the other. It was definitely wrong for the University of Georgia to sell A. J. Green's jersey/helmet and make money off the sale and then have Green suspended for XX games when he sold an item to a fan. IMO that sort of rigid ruling by the NCAA brought about what we are experiencing today. To make football players employees goes to the other extreme. Might as well call them gladiators.

 

[KingWard]

I'm at a point now that, if it's meant to implode, then let it implode.

 

[atl-cock]

Villanova competes in FCS. I naively believed than all divisions below FBS would not be impacted.

 

[18IsTheMan]

I'm at a point now that, if it's meant to implode, then let it implode.

I'm amazed at the shortsightedness displayed by those who are pursuing this stuff

 

[KingWard]

I'm amazed at the shortsightedness displayed by those who are pursuing this stuff

Shortsightedness is evident in almost everything now.

 

[GboCOCK]

This would last up until the moment the athletes have to pay income taxes on their "earnings".

Correct. Their scholarship and related freebies would presumably be treated as income. That's $30,000 to $100,000 (depends on the school) that would be subject to taxes. It's benefits they'd have to reach in the back pocket to pay for. A few elite athletes who are students would do fine. The "Joe blow" athlete who will never play another game after their college career ends, will get hammered. There are a lot more of the latter than the former.

 

[18IsTheMan]

Correct. Their scholarship and related freebies would presumably be treated as income. That's $30,000 to $100,000 (depends on the school) that would be subject to taxes. It's benefits they'd have to reach in the back pocket to pay for. A few elite athletes who are students would do fine. The "Joe blow" athlete who will never play another game after their college career ends, will get hammered. There are a lot more of the latter than the former.

Would they even be scholarship athletes at that point though? The only reason they are on scholarship is because they have to be enrolled in school to play. If they are now considered employees, it could very well be that the student athlete becomes obsolete. They no longer have to be students to play.