Emmert: NCAA still expecting to get pay issue done in ’21
NCAA President Mark Emmert expressed frustration Tuesday with the delay in moving ahead with proposals surrounding athletes’ ability to make money and to freely transfer to another school and said he remains committed to getting those things done in 2021.
Emmert’s remarks came during his state of college athletics address at the NCAA’S annual convention, which is being held virtually this week because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
College sports leaders had expected the convention to hail a new era, one in which athletes would move closer to entering agreements to be paid for third- party use of their name, image and likeness, and to be able to move from one school to another without having to sit out of competition for one year.
The Division I Council, however, postponed votes on NIL and transfers scheduled to take Makan Delrahim, assistant lenges down the road. — On diversity: “We have to place Monday, in part because attorney general of the DOJ’S “We think we have it right,” continue to make better progof Justice Department concerns antitrust division, wrote in a Emmert said, “but it’s been ress with coaching and adminabout potential anti-trust violetter to Emmert that the NIL called into question, so now istrative ranks that better relations. proposal and the restrictions it we need to pause and answer flect our society and athletes.
“Because of an enormous puts on athletes’ ability to acthose questions.” We know full well the numbers amount of issues surrounding cess the free market could be As for athletes who want are not good today.” all of this, issues that frankly problematic. to transfer before new rules — On health and safety: are beyond our control, it is Delrahim said the NCAA’S are in effect, Emmert said the “We’ve got to deal with COnow a very ill- advised thing transfer rules could also be in NCAA must “continue to exVID-19 and make sure in 2021 for us to do at this stage,” Emconflict with antitrust laws. ercise compassion and flexiwe are persistent, disciplined mert said. “We have to pause The Division I Council was exbility” in considering waivers and follow the science. We have on this progress, and I’m very pected to pass a proposal that that allow athletes to compete to stay the course until socidisappointed in that. More imwould loosen restrictions on immediately. ety is safe and our students portantly, all of our college transfers for football players Emmert also voiced his opand coaches can re- engage in athletes are profoundly disapin the Bowl Subdivision, men’s position to critics who are athletics in the way we all want gry. pointed do.”— and I suspect even anball and and women’s men’s basketball, ice hockey. basePower pushing Five for conferences schools in the to On schools offering schol
“But we need to make clear Another cause for the pause break away from the NCAA and arships to athletes whose eliwe’re still committed, we’re is the Supreme Court’s agreegovern themselves. Emmert acgibility has expired: “Post- elistill determined to move forment last month to hear an anknowledged, without naming gibility support should be the ward with name, image and titrust case involving the NCAA football and men’s basketball, norm, not the exception. Many likeness modernizations and as well as the turnover in Conthat some sports generate sigschools are providing (athletes) certainly with changing Divigress, where it’s hoped fednificant revenue but that the the ability to finish their desion I transfer rules,” he said. eral legislation will be crafted NCAA model serves the intergrees. That needs to be an ex“We promised this to our stuto create uniformity on NIL ests of the participants. pectation rather than be somedents. We’re going to get it rules across all states and proAmong Emmert’s other rething that happens occasiondone.” tect the NCAA from legal chal- marks: ally.”