College Athletes Can Now Earn Money Off Their Name, Image, and Likeness

July 1, 2021, will forever be an impactful date in the history of college sports as the US Supreme Court motions to overturn NCAA rules which, up until this point, have limited the educational benefits offered to college athletes. These long-standing rules have denied players various forms of monetary compensation that would be earned from the revenue produced by the “name, image, and likeness” of said athletes.

At the basis of the Supreme Court’s decision is the argument that these rules, implemented by the NCAA, violate the nation’s antitrust laws. However, the NCAA states that these rules should be exempt from the normal operation of the antitrust laws as they are in place to preserve the amateur nature of this college sport. Additionally, they argue that this preservation is essential as it gives the consumers a wider variety of viewing options- either college sports or professional sports.

The opposition to this ruling speculates that this is a huge loss for the NCAA and could potentially drastically change the amateurism model the league has operated with for years. This matter begs the question: will fans still be as charismatic and excited when watching these college games? However, the athletes argue that the multi-billion dollar business that the NCAA has become should rightfully compensate those bringing in the vast majority of the revenue. Additionally, they contend that, just like any other business in the United States, the NCAA must agree to pay their workers, in this case, the athletes, a fair market rate. They state that “the NCAA is not above the law.”

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