The Business of Amateurs
The documentary starts with Scott Ross’ story. He was a lineman for USC and carried on to play in the NFL. He claims to have experienced at least 12 concussions, as well as multiple times when he remember “shaking off” a hit and going back into the huddle. Ross has developed multiple mental health issues making it increasingly difficult to hold jobs and maintain relationships. His football career negatively impacted his life forever, ultimately passing away from an overdose.
During the early 1900s, President Roosevelt threatened to ban football unless it was made safe. As a response, the NCAA was formed to protect the health and welfare of the college athlete, but that view has drastically shifted. According to the documentary, football players in the FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) division are worth over $137,000 a year; basketball players are worth over 290,000 a year, but the average scholarship for student-athletes is around $23,000 a year. Over 80% of college athletes live below the poverty line. The NCAA does not take care of athletes during college and especially not after college.
There is a law in about 40 states in the US that forbids college athletes speaking to agents, but non-athletic students are allowed to go out and hire employment counselors. Agents help football players evaluate their worth. Speaking to one can lead to banishment from college athletics for the rest of their lives, but yet athletic departments are for-profit organizations that do not pay their greatest athletes a dime.
The NCAA claims they protect athletes from commercial exploitation, but commercial exploitation is what they are exactly doing. Athletes are in they prime during their college years, before major injuries and aging take a toll on their body.
UNC created a paper class system that required one paper for the semester. It started in the late 80s, when UNC was becoming a basketball powerhouse. This system was put in place to get the best athletes possible to continue to be a powerhouse. Rashid McCants stated that he did not pick his major, “my major picked me.” Football players and basketball players were shoved into African-American Studies. Many of the athletes were only at a 3rd grade reading level, essentially making the university give fake grades to keep the players.
Student-athletes are not promised 4 years of scholarship. Athletes can be released from the team and scholarship if they become ineligible, even if it is from an injury while playing for the team. Players are not protected nor being set on a path to graduate and that needs to change.
Glad you got to see this video. I think it really fits with your project.
ReplyDeleteCongrats: you have 21 points and can get one more when you post the final blog post #10 -- with your abstract and works cited of your final paper. Good job.
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