Issues and some consequences off the top of my head:
Issues
1. Title IX
2. Non-revenue sports. As others have said, whether an enterprise makes money or not is irrelevant to the question of whether one is an employee.
3. Salaries. How. Hard to imagine without a CBA. And good luck with that.
4. Unions vs Universities. Again I think their would have to be a CBA. A Union for college athletes is hard enough. How do the University’s organize into a cohesive group. They can’t even agree on an NCS. You think Alabama and Stanford are going to have the same interests?
5. Taxes. If they are employees, then why wouldn’t the scholarship be considered income?
6. Different states. Different laws.
6. NAIA and Non Div 1 schools. How can you have two different systems. If they are employees for Stanford they are employees for North Dakota St.
Consequences
1. Most Universities end their football programs. And many their basketball programs.
2. Those that keep football limit rosters to perhaps 55-60. Max
3. Non revenue sports all become club sports.
4. The system is worse, not better for all except those few that are the stars.
Large numbers of kids that at least had the opportunity to attend college on an athletic scholarship (and lack other resources and avenues) now have no opportunity.
Also, if they are employees, they get the full range of labor laws. Absent some Congressional action. The Courts are not going to solve any of these issues. The Courts may decide big picture issues. The main one being are they employees.
In the end, I put this in the “careful what you wish for” category. Because in the end, I think it’s a massive negative for kids that want to have an avenue after HS to play their sport.
Issues
1. Title IX
2. Non-revenue sports. As others have said, whether an enterprise makes money or not is irrelevant to the question of whether one is an employee.
3. Salaries. How. Hard to imagine without a CBA. And good luck with that.
4. Unions vs Universities. Again I think their would have to be a CBA. A Union for college athletes is hard enough. How do the University’s organize into a cohesive group. They can’t even agree on an NCS. You think Alabama and Stanford are going to have the same interests?
5. Taxes. If they are employees, then why wouldn’t the scholarship be considered income?
6. Different states. Different laws.
6. NAIA and Non Div 1 schools. How can you have two different systems. If they are employees for Stanford they are employees for North Dakota St.
Consequences
1. Most Universities end their football programs. And many their basketball programs.
2. Those that keep football limit rosters to perhaps 55-60. Max
3. Non revenue sports all become club sports.
4. The system is worse, not better for all except those few that are the stars.
Large numbers of kids that at least had the opportunity to attend college on an athletic scholarship (and lack other resources and avenues) now have no opportunity.
Also, if they are employees, they get the full range of labor laws. Absent some Congressional action. The Courts are not going to solve any of these issues. The Courts may decide big picture issues. The main one being are they employees.
In the end, I put this in the “careful what you wish for” category. Because in the end, I think it’s a massive negative for kids that want to have an avenue after HS to play their sport.