For most of modern society, collegiate athletes have been a part of a multi-billion dollar industry, but financially, they were not able to reap those benefits.
That’s not to say college athletes didn’t get anything from participating in their sports. Those who were able to reach higher levels of success gained notoriety and when they joined the professional ranks, the money rolled in quite quickly, both in the form of salary and endorsements.
Then in 2021, the NCAA allowed players to sign name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals. Through these deals, collegiate athletes were finally able to see some financial rewards from their success. As a result, the average athlete makes between $1,000 to $10,000 a year, but some are now earning millions of dollars a year. For example, Bronny James, the son of NBA legend Lebron James, has an estimated NIL value of $7.5 million.
Now, it appears the evolution of the role of amateur athletes may change again. Just last week, the Dartmouth College men’s basketball team voted 13 to two to unionize. However, it’s not a done deal. The college’s trustees filed a motion to have the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) overturn the decision, a motion which was denied by the agency’s regional director. However, the college has asked the organization to overturn that decision, setting up a potential legal battle. The decision to unionize has been lauded by some as a step to protect athletes, while others have called it the potential end to amateur sports.
Whatever side of the argument you are on, the world of collegiate and amateur sports is changing like it has never before, and this will have a huge impact on the future.
