Players push for NCAA reform on social media
INDIANAPOLIS » Several prominent players at the March Madness basketball tournament took aim at the NCAA on social media Wednesday, demanding changes to how they are allowed to be compensated in the latest organized display of power by college athletes.
Isaiah Livers of Michigan, Geo Baker of Rutgers and Jordan Bohannon of Iowa were among those pushing for NCAA reforms with the hashtag #NotNCAAProperty. The athletes, who are staying at hotels a short walk from NCAA headquarters in downtown Indy, are urging the association to allow them to earn money for things like sponsorship deals, online endorsement and personal appearances.
“The NCAA OWNS my name image and likeness,” Baker tweeted. “Someone on music scholarship can profit from an album. Someone on academic scholarship can have a tutor service. For ppl who say “an athletic scholarship is enough.” Anything less than equal rights is never enough. I am #NotNCAAProperty”
The tweets were posted on the eve of the tournament. Because of the pandemic the event is being played entirely in Indiana with all 68 teams staying in what the NCAA describes as a “controlled environment.” Players are largely limited to their hotels, practices and games. The tournament generates nearly $900 million in revenue for schools and conferences from the NCAA’s media rights deal with CBS and Turner Sports to broadcast the games.
“It’s become clear to even the biggest NCAA apologist that we are playing this tournament primarily to deliver content to media rights partners,” said ESPN’s Jay Bilas, a former Duke player. “That’s what this season was about.”
The NCAA is in the process of trying to change its longstanding rules to allow athletes to profit from their names, images and likenesses. But those efforts have bogged down since the start of 2021.
The NCAA was scheduled to vote on NIL legislation in January, but that was delayed after a letter from the Justice Department warned the proposed changes could violate antitrust laws. Now the DOJ is backing plaintiffs against the NCAA in a case that will be heard by the Supreme Court, further complicating the situation.
Earlier this week, NCAA President Mark Emmert told The Associated Press he was frustrated by the delay in NIL reform and hoped rules would be in place for the start of the next fall semester as was originally intended.
But there is a good chance the gridlock doesn’t let up until after the Supreme Court hands down a decision.
“I know the members are ready, willing and able to act on (NIL), but there’s no doubt that this is all been made more complex because of their position, the DOJ, the antitrust division’s position and our uncertainty about it and its connection to the Supreme Court case,” Emmert said.
Critics say the NCAA is years overdue in addressing name, image and likeness issues, and college sports leaders have only themselves to blame for giving state lawmakers the opportunity to force the issue.
“They lead from behind,” said David Ridpath, associate
professor of sport management at Ohio University and a former compliance officer for Division I schools who has been a sharp critic of the NCAA.
With dozens of states working on NIL-related bills, the NCAA has turned to Congress for help in the form of a federal law. The athletes decided enough is enough and grabbed the spotlight as the nation’s attention turns to the tournament.
Livers, the second leading
scorer for top-seeded Michigan, simply Tweeted: “I am #NotNCAAProperty”
Bohannon has been a vocal proponent for NCAA reforms that give athletes more rights. Earlier this year he was among several college athletes in Iowa to publicly back the state legislature’s NIL bill.
“It’s been far too long,” he tweeted. “Time for our voices to be heard. #NotNCAAProperty”
Among the other players who jumped on board throughout the day were Baker’s Rutgers teammate Ron Harper; Creighton star Marcus Zegarowski; Maryland’s Darryl Morsell, the Big Ten defensive player of the year; Colorado standout McKinley Wright; Villanova’s Jermaine Samuels Jr., and Alabama’s Jahvon Quinerly.
While in Indianapolis, players are being shielded from the general public, tested daily for COVID-19 and strongly encouraged to limit their movements to the hotels where they are staying and the attached convention center where practice courts and meeting rooms are set up.
There have been a trickle of complaints about cold food and not much to do. Baker went to Twitter on Tuesday night to point out the inequities some players see.
“Think you can definitely be grateful to play this game while also understanding there’s more that should be on the table. Players ISOLATED entire year to help make this tournament happen. NCAA: rewarded w/ $900 million. Players: rewarded w/ free deodorant and small boxed meals,” Baker tweeted.
Following a one-year absence because of the pandemic, the NCAA Wrestling Championships are back and when the action gets underway Thursday morning there will be a strong local presence.
Rider has six wrestlers in the field and Rutgers has five. In addition, there are 23 wrestlers with New Jersey ties in the tournament at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis.
The two locals who are considered the strongest contenders are Rutgers’ Sebastian Rivera and Rider’s Jesse Dellavechia.
Coming of a thirdplace showing in the Big Tens where he dropped an overtime decision to Penn State’s Nick Lee in the semifinals, Rivera is seeded third at 141 pounds. Along with Big 10 champion Jaydin Eierman of Iowa, this weight appears to be a toss-up between those three.
Also representing Rutgers are MikeVan Brill (149), Jackson Turley (174), John Poznanski (184) and Billy Janzer (197).
Van Brill is seeded 10th after he surprised many by coming on strong to finish third in the Big Ten. An outstanding freshman out of Colonia High, Poznanski also finished third at the Big 10 Championships and is seeded sixth.
With its five qualifiers,
RU has now qualified five or more wrestlers for the national tournament for the seventh consecutive season under head coach Scott Goodale. Rutgers is also hoping to have two or more All-Americans for the sixth straight season.
Rider’s Dellavacchia comes into the tournament as the No. 4 seed at 157 pounds. The two-time MAC champion has been ranked in the top five all season long and is hoping to become the first Rider wrestler to reach the final.
Should he advance, Dellavecchia is probably facing a tough quarterfinal bout against Iowa’s fifth-seeded Kaleb Young. The winner of that bout will in all likelihood
face Northwestern’s Ryan Deakin, who is the top-seed and an absolute hammer from the top position.
Next up for Rider is heavyweight Ethan Laird, who enters the tournament as the No. 7 seed. His only loss was in the final of the conference tournament to a four-time MAC champion from Central Michigan.
In addition, Rider will be represented by Jonathan Tropea (125), Richie Koehler (133), McKenzie Bell (141) and Jake Silverstein (165). Koehler and Bell both finished second at the MAC Championships, while Silverstein received an at-large bid after a wrestler withdrew.