FBI docs list range of payments
New details of payments to athletes in a federal investigation mark the latest threat to college basketball’s basic foundation, showing the breadth of alleged corruption.
Bank records and other expense reports that are part of the investigation list a wide range of impermissible payments from agents to at least two dozen players or their relatives, according to documents obtained by Yahoo Sports.
The depth of the violations raises questions about the structure of college athletics, a business funded primarily through college football and basketball, including $19.6 billion in TV money for the NCAA tournament over the past 22 years.
NCAA President Mark Emmert said in a statement Friday the allegations “if true, point to systematic failures that must be fixed and fixed now if we want college sports in America.”
Yahoo said Friday that the documents obtained in discovery during the investigation link current players including Michigan State’s Miles Bridges, Duke’s Wendell Carter and Alabama’s Collin Sexton to potential benefits that would be violations of NCAA rules.
Michigan State and Duke officials said Friday they didn’t believe their players did anything wrong, and Alabama coach Avery Johnson said Sexton, who was held out of the season opener for violating NCAA rules, will play Saturday against Arkansas.
According to the report, players over the last several years and family members allegedly received cash, entertainment and travel expenses from former NBA agent Andy Miller and his agency ASM Sports. Line items in four pages of documents released by Yahoo showed a wide range, including some five-figure payments and two dinners for less than $40 each.
Don Jackson, an Alabama-based attorney who has worked on numerous college eligibility cases, said the root of the problem is that the NCAA’s model of amateurism doesn’t work.
“This problem can be solved if players are compensated,” Jackson said. “The NCAA is not capable of adequately policing tens of thousands of athletes around the country.” Auston Matthews will miss the Maple Leafs’ home game Saturday night against the Bruins because of a shoulder injury.
“He’s day to day,” Leafs coach Mike Babcock said after practice Friday. “He’ll get looked at more ... and then we’ll know more about the day to day tomorrow.”
The All-Star forward had an MRI, and a clearer indication of the severity of the injury is expected Saturday.
One shift after scoring his 28th goal of the season Thursday night in a 4-3 victory over the Islanders, Matthews left the game following a hit in which he was sandwiched by defenseman Adam Pelech and forward Ryan Clutterbuck. Matthews has 28 goals and 22 points in 53 games. F Josh Bailey agreed to a six-year, $30 million deal to stay with the Islanders instead of testing free agency during the offseason. Bailey, 28, who made his first All-Star appearance last month, has 15 goals and a career-high 47 assists.