NIL NETWORK INSIGHT
Recap: NCAA President Mark Emmert has agreed to meet with the athletes who started the social media campaign #NotNCAAProperty but not until after the tournament is over. The athletes sent a reply expressing their frustrations in the meeting delay, and also that the meeting may be limited to just three athletes, without representation.
Observations: Emmert’s move to delay the meeting is strategic in that the tournament will be over, nixing any opportunities for boycotts or delays. Furthermore, the NCAA might have more clarity around the outcome from their appeal to the Supreme Court in the Alston case. While not what the athletes wanted, the most problematic element to me is that the meeting invitation is only being extended to three athletes. At the very least, the NCAA needs to extend the meeting invitation to Ramogi Huma, the executive director of the National Collegiate Players Association who is providing guidance to the athletes on their movement.
The National College Players Association said Tuesday that NCAA president Mark Emmert has informed a group of basketball players who started a social media campaign to protest inequities in college sports that he will meet with them after March Madness.
NCPA executive director Ramogi Huma said in a statement that he received a letter from Emmert in response to the advocacy group’s request for a meeting between the head of the NCAA and three players who led the #NotNCAAProperty protest that started last week.
Through the NCPA, the players had requested to meet with Emmert and one of the NCAA’s top lobbyists on Tuesday morning.
Michigan’s Isaiah Livers, Rutgers’ Geo Baker and Iowa’s Jordan Bohannon are pushing for the NCAA to change its rules restricting athletes from earning money for personal sponsorship deals, online endorsements and appearances.
