LA times article over NCAA and collegiate sports

Another case that covers the controversy, as to whether college students should get paid, was an article that I came across in the LA times. In the article, NCAA Antitrust Ruling Barely Chips at College Sports Dysfunctions, the author, Michael Hiltzik, writes about his hand on experience with college sports. He became more aware of the money situation with the NCAA and collegiate sports, when he attended the football game for the University of Michigan and noticed how many fans and merchandise the school was selling. Hiltzik then comes across a ruling in which the district judge Claudia Wilken of Oakland, revokes an antitrust ruling that undermines the NCAA ban on paying student athletes. Wilken suggests alternatives such as setting up trust funds that players can touch after graduating college and Pell Grants. Ultimately, Hiltzik agrees with Judge Wilken’s that the NCAA needs to not be so involved when it comes to dealing with money in collegiate sports.

In the article, NCAA Antitrust Ruling Barely Chips at College Sports Dysfunctions, the author Michael Hiltzik refers back to a case that dealt with licensing revenue on college athletes and the ruling of district judge Claudia Wilken. Wilken and Hiltzik both agree with the college athletes and that their “academic responsibilities are hopelessly irreconcilable with the role of athlete factories”. This makes the point that, not only are these students athletes, but they are college students. They believe that their hard work in school is going unrecognized which is something that I as well believe. Wilkens feels as though there can be a different solution and suggests setting “up [a] trust fund of several thousand dollars per player per year to hold their shares of licensing revenue until graduation.” This is a solution that I cannot stress enough. I agree with Wilkens 100%, students should not get paid while they are in college, but all of that hard work should not go unrecognized. With simple solutions like this, I feel as though little by little this ongoing debate can finally come to a halt. I felt as though this article not only helped get the authors point across clearly, but also related so well with what I believe in.