College athletes are headed to federal court to take another shot at upending NCAA rules that prevent them from sharing in a multibillion-dollar college sports economy, reported the Wall Street Journal.
A two-week trial that started Tuesday, September 4, aims to allow well-off schools and conferences to compete for highly prized athletes by offering cash compensation or other benefits tied to academics.
The plaintiffs in “In Re: National Collegiate Athletic Association Athletic Grant-in-Aid Cap Antitrust Litigation” say the NCAA’s rules violate US antitrust laws by artificially depressing athletes’ compensation. Previous litigation by athletes sought to stop the NCAA from profiting from their name, image, or likeness without sharing the proceeds, but in this case they’re seeking to change the basic relationship between college sports leaders and participants.
The NCAA claims compensation limits are necessary to maintain the distinction between college and professional sports, and that letting schools pay athletes unlimited sums would erode college sports’ appeal to the public. NCAA officials say athletic scholarships and the chance to earn a college degree, in many cases worth a few hundred thousand dollars, are ample compensation for what they say is an amateur pursuit.
Full Content: The Wall Street Journal
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