https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/eight-nebraska-football-players-file-lawsuit-against-the-big-ten-seeking-to-reverse-canceled-season/
“Eight Nebraska football players have filed a lawsuit against the Big Ten. By doing so, the players hope to force the conference to reverse its previous decision to postpone its football season until 2021.”
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In all, the suit raises three counts against the conference:
Wrongful interference with business expectations -- that the season represents an opportunity for players to work towards a career in football and develop brands for name/image/likeness use later.
Breach of contract by not holding an actual vote within its Council of Presidents and Chancellors.
Declaratory judgment by either not actually voting on the decision or being unable to produce evidence of a vote.”
My Comments/Questions:
Where is the contract between the players and the University or the Conference that establishes exactly what their relationship is? Why aren't the players to be considered employees? Independent contractors? “Student athletes”?! “Athletes who attend classes?” Al this fuzziness that has gone on for decades about this is slowly coming to an end.
Is anyone denying the players the right to pursue an education? Is the University a place of higher learning or is the football program and others like it not a farm team for the National Football League?
Bottom line... become professionals. There’s no shame in that. You trade a skill for direct compensation. Billions of people do this every day. End the masquerade and the pretending and the slight of hand and put an end to this fuzzy relationship tilted in favor of those who make billions of dollars off the "unpaid" efforts of young men. Stadiums are filled around the country on a normal Saturday not to see Conference officials or University representatives. They buy tickets and pay good money to see... the PLAYERS. They have thr skill and the talent. What they lack is the legal protections they need.
Treat the players like the professionals that they already are in all but name recognition. Let the players form a Union and become professionals and let’s move on with an honest foundation and stop the pretending.
Honestly, how many people in the State of Nebraska would stop being Husker fans if the players were considered professionals? A few might, but true Husker fans root for the State and legacy of the University and all the great Husker memories and those yet to come and just because the legal status of the players would change should not affect any of that.