Flying Dutchmen Fans

Here are a couple more articles, including one about an NLRB hearing that addresses the possibility of classifying college athletes as college employees. According to some college administrators, this could lead to the drafting of high school players, college athletes being fired, and international athletes having to secure work visas to play here.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/22/us/c ... =url-share

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/21/us/c ... =url-share

This is too much for my small brain to absorb, but it does not sound good for us:

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/550645 ... ge-sports/

The essence:

"The 22 smaller, non-FBS conferences (colloquially referred to as the CCA22) were not initially briefed on the settlement talks until earlier this month, multiple administrators said, once the financial structure of payouts had already been formulated.

"One Division I commissioner estimated that non-FBS conferences would be on the hook for $2.5 million per year to help cover the NCAA’s costs of the settlement. Two sources in different CCA22 leagues said that equates to roughly 25 percent of the annual revenue those schools receive from the NCAA. That level of reduction could lead to cutting sports and athlete resources, despite a lawsuit that was clearly aimed at power-conference schools with the most lucrative media deals."

The squeeze on the Mids continues.

Well, the Devil's Bargain has finally been struck. The NCAA has agreed to settle three lawsuits that could have forced the NCAA into bankruptcy had they gone to trial:

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/551035 ... ent-votes/

https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-legal-p ... bcc9f1ee8e

College athletes in power conferences (Big Ten, SEC, Pac-12, Big 12 and ACC) are to receive more than 20% of their schools' athletic revenues -- estimated to be more than $20 million per school per year -- while athletes who participated in sports in the past will share more than $2.75 billion. The 20% will likely increase in coming years, as athletes unionize and possibly strike to pressure schools to pay them more.

As if that's not enough, this settlement will bring other changes, according to the plaintiffs' lawyers:

"These new payments and benefits come in addition to scholarships, third-party NIL payments, health care and other benefits that college athletes already receive, and schools can choose to make the new payments and benefits to athletes playing any Division I sport. The settlement also eliminates NCAA scholarship caps to open the door to more opportunities for Division I athletes across every sport."

https://www.hbsslaw.com/press/ncaa-stud ... ege-sports

When the dust settles, Hofstra and all other non-power-conference schools, will be on the outside looking in.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/ncaa-power ... 36810.html

This is long winded but seems to say that the other 27 conferences 32-5(power conferences) will have to pay more over a 10 year period to compensate athletes that should have been compensated from TV ETC. revenues then the Power 5 conferences. How does the mid majors get screwed every which way. This will lead to further law suits I would imagine. The NCAA HAS CAVED IN AND GIVEN these money hungry power 5 schools seemingly carte-blanche!! NUTS!!