Why the NCAA has put all efforts to derail employment model in Congress' hands -- Eric Prisbell, On3 As Charlie Baker fielded questions from federal lawmakers for the first time since becoming NCAA president in March, the focus of the 10th NIL hearing on Capitol Hill turned to the industry's most consequential matchup: The NCAA vs. the courts. The NCAA has decided that begging Congress for federal legislation – that specifically includes limited antitrust protection and a designation that athletes are not university employees – is its best, and perhaps only, defense against what many see as an inevitability: the coming employee model. The employment train is barreling down the tracks. Amateur hour is over. And the NCAA views a congressional lifeline as the only way to derail it. This is the NCAA's fourth-down Hail Mary pass – throwing into the wind. "Even employee status, all this is about is, 'We don't want to pay them [athletes] fairly," witness Ramogi Huma, a longtime athlete advocate, said during the hearing. "We're talking about equal rights. And this industry is operating in illegal fashion. It is breaking antitrust law. Breaking labor law. And now it's coming home." Don't be distracted by Senators describing the NIL world as "dangerous chaos" or "absolute chaos" or mere "chaos." The beleaguered NCAA sees the writing on the legal wall: In a post-Alston world, federal courts are increasingly looking askance at the association. Plenty of battles are afoot: The high-stakes House antitrust case is proceeding in Oakland, while the Johnson lawsuit is ongoing in Pennsylvania. Meantime, the important National Labor Relations Board hearing begins next month over the unfair labor practice charges against the NCAA, Pac-12 and USC. Baker's contention is that an employment model would force Division II and III schools to drop sports to club level because they wouldn't be able to afford them. David Ridpath is a professor of sports business at Ohio University who has appeared before numerous congressional committees regarding college athletics. He saw Baker, Notre Dame Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick and Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti acting like college athletes are students while treating them as employees – but not giving the full rights of either category to the athlete. "The sad reality is people on that panel put us where we are now," Ridpath told On3. "It is not about education. It is largely professional sports. The leaders do not want to unwind that because of the money and pressure to win, so they are hoping to have it both ways – and that will never work." – Eric Prisbell Posted by Will Stewart on another board, since many of you are from other schools, I thought it deserved a lively discussion here too. It sure got many post on the other board that is almost all Hokies. What do you say about the future of college sports? ** Edited by Stech at 10/18/2023, 9:51:22 PM