Jeffrey Kessler files against NCAA [amateurism]

[alp227]

Source: ESPN

In the most direct challenge yet to the NCAA's longstanding economic model, high-profile sports labor attorney Jeffrey Kessler filed an antitrust claim Monday in a New Jersey federal court on behalf of a group of college basketball and football players, arguing the association has unlawfully capped player compensation at the value of an athletic scholarship.

"The main objective is to strike down permanently the restrictions that prevent athletes in Division I basketball and the top tier of college football from being fairly compensated for the billions of dollars in revenues that they help generate," Kessler told ESPN. "In no other business -- and college sports is big business -- would it ever be suggested that the people who are providing the essential services work for free. Only in big-time college sports is that line drawn."

The lawsuit names the NCAA and the five largest conferences (the Southeastern, Big Ten, Pacific-12, Atlantic Coast and Big 12) as defendants and effectively asks for an end to NCAA-style amateurism. The players listed as plaintiffs include Clemson defensive back Martin Jenkins, Rutgers basketball player J.J. Moore, UTEP tight end Kevin Perry and Cal tight end Bill Tyndall, though the claim is a class action and proposes to represent all scholarship players in FBS football and Division I basketball. Jenkins is a junior, while the other three are seniors who recently completed their NCAA eligibility.

Read more: http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/10620388/anti-trust-claim-filed-jeffrey-kessler-challenges-ncaa-amateur-model

[cosmicone]

1. Now we'll have mega-million jocks in colleges

while ordinary students are crushed under the weight of student loans.

[Lucky Luciano]

2. Bad behavior for the jocks is likely to grow exponentially once they get paid too! nt

[warrant46]

3. Looks like expensive drugs

and a lifestyle of massive partying on the horizon

[1000words]

4. They'll regret pushing for this

Mark my words.

[AngryAmish]

5. I hope the colleges lose.

Big time athletics have no business being part of universities. The optimum silution for the revenue sports is to have a for-profit (or non-profit like the Green Bay Packers) have long term licensing deal with individual colleges to use the name of college, lease the facilities and sell the tickets. They can be the nfl and nba minor leagues.

The non-revenue sports will get a bit screwed but if alums want to finance a sport, let them. At the big schools golf will have support, for example. Fencing not so much.

[maindawg]

6. there are two lawsuits

In one , they seek to unionize college athletes.There are many issues. The one that stands out as grossly unfair is that all athletic scholarships are only ONE YEAR scholarships. So If you get hurt you loose your Scholarship. Thats wrong.Scholarships should be 4 years period.
Athletes are adults. Therefore they have rights. They will prevail.
The other lawsuit deal with compensation. Merchandising, is the crux of the issue.
Once again these are adults who enter into contracts. They should be allowed representation.
For over 100 years this system has been in place. The universities have become professional sport franchises. Its the same way the Dutch slave traders became wealthy to this day!

[d_legendary1]

7. Good! Pay those kids!

Its ridiculous that anyone should have to work for an education that may or may not be there based on how well you play and how healthy you are. The colleges have become mini franchises instead of centers for higher education. No one should be profiting off students period!

[Hoppy]

8. If colleges lose, cost to run these programs will escallate.

Maybe the costs will lead to the elimination of these programs and the schools can get back to the work of education... what an interesting idea that would be.

[Lucky Luciano]

9. Although, maybe the profits are used to improve the school outside of athletics.

Not sure if they really do that though.