NCAA President Mark Emmert said yesterday thatr college athletes should receive “scholarships for life.” Emmert also told a United States Senate panel that scholarships should also cover the full cost of attending college, not just the basic needs. Well, it’s the correct thing to do. He’s finally showing movement, albeit very slowly, in the right direction.
Still, it’s too little, too late. The NCAA has a neo-plantation business model that is up to date with the 1950s.
Emmert listed seven changes he favors before the Senate Commerce Committee. Some of them are quite similar to the changes proposed by the Big 10 a couple weeks ago, and the list the Pac 12 advocated awhile before the Big 10 made their statement.
Oh, now you guys seem to get it? It’s about time! Make no mistake, Emmert and the NCAA did not grow a social conscience or have some kind of come-to-Jesus epiphany. Neither did the conference commissioners. They simply no their way of life is going the way of the velociraptor. Emmert, the NCAA and the big five leagues face pressure from multiple fronts to reform how athletes are treated and compensated.
Emmert said he feels college sports “works extremely well for the vast majority” and the overall current model of amateurism should be preserved.
Fat chance!
Emmert and company are just trying to find a way to find common ground so they can settle out of court with the people that are suing them. Nothing more. Nothing less.
Paul M. Banks owns The Sports Bank.net, an affiliate of Fox Sports and Yahoo! The Postgame. He’s been a guest on news talk shows all across the world. Banks has been featured in numerous media outlets including NFL.com, Forbes, Bleacher Report, Deadspin, ESPN, NBC, the History Channel and more. President Barack Obama follows him on Twitter (@paulmbanks)