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Posted

Major decision for US college sports...

 

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/39466589/nlrb-regional-official-clears-way-dartmouth-hoops-union

 

The gist:

 

Quote

"Because Dartmouth has the right to control the work performed by the Dartmouth men's basketball team, and the players perform that work in exchange for compensation, I find that the petitioned-for basketball players are employees within the meaning of the (National Labor Relations) Act," NLRB Regional Director Laura Sacks wrote.

 

 

I presume Dartmouth will appeal, but...wow.  On those criteria?  It'll be blanket for every scholarship athlete...including partial scholarship athletes, which are fairly frequent in the secondary sports...even baseball.  Non-scholarship, the walk-ons?  Maybe not, but it might depend.  Team meals, team trainers, that sort of thing...for free?  That could be considered compensation, and often would be.  If so, then probably virtually all athletes on a university's teams.  And even if it's just scholarship athletes, it'd be hard to NOT give the non-scholarship athletes union status.  The attempt to do so would be extremely divisive.

 

Downside...there are gonna be many, many schools that drop numerous minor sports, I suspect.  Not the big boys, perhaps, but the NMSUs that have a hard time supporting things now?  I think it won't be pretty.

Posted

I feel like the ability to drop minor sports is going to be severely limited by Title IX, but I could be mistaken.

 

It will be interesting to see how this plays out at a private FCS university. If it works, how long until other private schools pick it up? Notre Dame? Vanderbilt? USC? And if it happens at USC, how long until UCLA finds a way to follow suit?

 

I don't know that I'm ready to proclaim this a Pandora moment just yet, but in the NIL world, who knows?

Posted

Thing is, those criteria will apply very broadly...state or private, FBS or FCS...probably even Div II, where IIRC there's still some scholarships.

 

Title IX only forces schools to cut both mens' and womens' non-revenue sports.  For example, at UNM, there's both men's and women's golf, cross country, tennis, and track and field;  there's baseball and softball as well, that are effectively equivalent for this purpose.

 

It's not a Pandora moment yet, as there are still appeals to be made.  That said, if the appeals fail as I think they will...I go back to the criteria cited.  They're fundamental, basic definitions of "what is employment?"  On those grounds, it's totally a Pandora moment.

 

Side thought?  I wouldn't be surprised that the Big 10 and SEC expected this, and this is part of the whole "WE are gonna start making rules because the NCAA is inept" announcement.

Posted

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/media/2024/02/07/sports-streaming-app-espn-fox-warner-bros-viewers-know/72501606007/

 

The devil's in the details, of which there are very little, but this may be the critical juncture.  I see 3 paths:

 

1.  The deal is too complex overall...and may well run afoul of antitrust concerns.  If it can move forward?

2.  Success probably is the death knell for satellite TV first, then non-basic cable.

3.  If it doesn't succeed, I have very serious questions about whether streaming is viable *at all* in the US.

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

And in the continuing exhibition of ineptness, then NCAA lost in court *again*.

 

This time, it's a temporary injunction barring them from enforcing their rules about using NIL during recruitment, until a final decision can be reached.  The judge said the rules likely violate anti-trust laws.

Posted (edited)

I couldn't believe it until I read it. Apparently by using that glove to partially cover his window opening he could gain that extra .133 mph that put him on the pole. You wouldn't want to do it in traffic but in qualifying there are no other cars around in NASCAR.

Edited by Grailknight
Posted

A 18-year-old English driver named Ollie Bearman has been called up out of motor racing's equivalent of the "minors" do drive Ferrari's second car in the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix, He had a decent qualifying run yesterday, ending up in the eleventh spot on the grid (naturally, Max Verstappen is on pole and is a near-prohibitive favorite to win the race).

 

Bearman will be the only rookie in the field. Nobody is signed this y4ear to drive in Formula 1 who was not there in 2023. It's still questionable if there are some drivers in f1 who shouldn't be there at the point, but nobody gave a rookie a shot.  I appreciate Ferrari taking the low-risk gamble (he's filling for the #1 driver on the team, Carlos Sainz), and then it will be back to Ferrari's F2 team for Bearman.

 

I will be watching the race with interest and keeping an eye on how Bearman does. There was another substitute driver in 2023who I was hoping would get an F1 ride, but didn't. I'm just hoping (if the world lasts that long) there will be a rookie driver or two in 2025. 

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