Senators Chris Murphy of Connecticut and Bernie Sanders of Vermont have announced their push for a bill that will allow collegiate athletes to unionize. If passed, the College Athlete Right to Organize Act will offer these athletes the opportunity to organize and make changes on the university and conference levels. 

On Tuesday, May 18th, Governor Hogan signed the Jordan McNair Safe and Fair Act into law that now offers economic and wellbeing protections to student-athletes in the state of Maryland.

The NCAA is taking steps towards allowing student-athletes to use their name, image, and likeness for personal profit. This shift has come from the Board of Governors supporting changing the rule that prevented student-athletes from receiving compensation for using their status as athletes. This includes third-party endorsements and promotion, starting businesses, and personal appearances, all of which can be related to athletics or not.

College athletes work long and hard to support a multi-billion dollar enterprise from which they are largely cut out from the profits. Sports Fans Coalition has long advocated for name, image, and likeness rights, health care for student-athletes, and much more. SFC has fought for and alongside college athletes in state legislatures. Now, SFC is excited to join the fight in Washington.

Sports impact our lives and our economy in ways big and small. Sports permeate American culture in a way nothing else can, transcending gender, race, class, and political affiliation. 

American fandom, however, is under attack. Corporations rake in big bucks taking advantage of your devotion to your teams and players. However, many of our elected officials stand idly by while fans get overcharged, college athletes are exploited, women soccer players win more but are paid less than their male counterparts, and greedy owners exploit the men and women who work to make our game experience memorable.

One elected official is not silent: presidential candidate, Senator Cory Booker.

Yesterday afternoon, Rep. Mark Walker (R NC-6) introduced the Student-Athlete Equity Act to restore the rights of student-athletes. By conditioning the NCAA's tax exemption, the legislation hopes to give student-athletes power of their personal identity and likeness. So now, the NCAA must choose — do what's right or pay taxes.

It's no secret that the NCAA doesn't usually act in the interest of the student athletes they govern. After the tragic death of University of Maryland offensive lineman, Jordan McNair, one Maryland state delegate and former college athlete took it upon herself to provide a way for college athletes to protect themselves. Del. Brooke Lierman introduce HB 548 which would grant college athletes the right to collectively bargain with the university. 

Executive Director, Brian Hess, testified in support of this bill:

At SFC, we’ve been tackling owner greed in professional sports for years. If an owner wants an extra Rolex, they’ll jack up parking fees. A new car? Pricey concessions will do the trick! We understand owners as the money-hungry billionaires they are.  

What we don’t understand, though, is how owner greed has managed to infect higher education. Moreover, we don’t understand why the NCAA is sitting back while everyday students pay for the mistakes of a select few.