Cardale Jones is getting a lot of love for his Twitter rant Monday about the NCAA from those who are tired of the organization's hypocrisy. But it's the NCAA that should take note of Jones' biggest point.
The NCAA doesn't need to pay players. It can just let others do it by getting rid of "amateurism" and allowing players to pursue endorsement deals and profit from their likenesses.
It's deeper than athletes thinking we should get paid. The @NCAA control our lives with insane and unfair rules.
— Cardale Jones (@CJ12_) April 11, 2016
Why shouldn't a collegiate athlete be able to use their OWN likeness/brand to benefit themselves but yet the @NCAA can sell there jerseys🤔
— Cardale Jones (@CJ12_) April 11, 2016
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There's your solution right there, albeit one that probably wouldn't be permanent and surely wouldn't come without issues. It's also nothing new — this has made sense for years, and many people have seen that.
The NCAA needs to let players profit from their likenesses and images — autographs, jersey sales, sponsorships, etc. — because it would be much easier (and cost less) than trying to straight-up pay them. It should create good will among players like Jones, whose relationships and feelings toward college athletics' governing body are strained more and more every day.
It appears this may be in the cards, too. Big East commissioner Val Ackerman told Sports Illustrated "(allowing endorsement deals is) one that’s actually under consideration, I believe, by the NCAA." While it's not a long-term solution, and eventually all athletes should be compensated fairly, it's something.
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And it's perfect for the NCAA because it doesn't have to pay any players. It can just allow other people to pay them. So here's what it needs to do:
— Abolish everything related to "amateurism" and "amateur status." This will let players pursue endorsement deals without fearing for their eligibility. Everything else about players profiting from their likenesses should fall into place.
— Allow players to hire agents to help them pursue these endorsement deals. They can't negotiate on their own, but right now, hiring an agent means the forfeiture of amateur status. Again, get rid of that, and things become much easier for players.
— Make schools give up some merchandise revenue to players.
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The NCAA having to pay college athletes would be complicated. Which athletes get more money? Do private and public schools have different systems? What about non-revenue sports? This argument sucks, because it's one factor that's allowed the system to stay in place for so long. Well, it's too complicated, so let's just do nothing.
The process of paying players won't be easy. It will be drawn out, if it ever does get off the ground. But in the interim, it's a good solution for the NCAA.
Don't pay players yourselves, just let others do it.