Northwestern QB Kain Colter testifies in bid to from college athlete union

[Sportsguy9695]

The National Labor Relations Board opened a closely watched hearing Tuesday on a bid by Northwestern football players to form what would be the first union for college athletes in U.S. history.

From a witnesses stand in a federal court building, Northwestern quarterback Kain Colter testified that players adhere to sometimes grueling schedules, putting in 40- to 50-hour weeks on football during and before the season. During August training, he said, players wake at 8 a.m. and often only finish practice at 10 p.m.

"It's a job, there is no way around it -- it's a job," said the 21-year-old Colter, who is a senior and whose college career is over. He is expected to be in Indianapolis later this week for the NFL combine, a series of predraft workouts for prospects.

The key question for the NLRB is whether college football players qualify as employees; if they do, under U.S. law they would have the right to unionize. The Colter-led bid, which is supported by the United Steelworkers, is seen as a test case that could transform the landscape of college athletics. The NCAA and Big Ten Conference, which includes Northwestern, both maintain that college students are not employees whatever their participation in athletics.

Source: ESPN

 

[MarkOU]

Ooh its a job

Quit football and take out a student loan.

Problem solved.

 

[Red_Alert]

Couple of ways of looking at this.

1. If they unionize college football, they'll have to unionize all college athletes.

2. This could be what separates major college football from the NCAA.

 

[Red_Alert]

I'm guessing they'll be a cash starved union.

College kids there for 4 years.

 

[BritishDolfan]

In before the NCAA makes union membership an eligibility violation anyway...

 

[outofyourmind]

I'm sure what this guy is doing could be viewed by the University as violating his scholarship in some way. Hey, Northwestern, revoke the damn thing. Problem solved.

 

[Red_Alert]

I'm sure what this guy is doing could be viewed by the University as violating his scholarship in some way. Hey, Northwestern, revoke the damn thing. Problem solved.

He's already a senior. He'll be in the combine.

 

[BritishDolfan]

I'm sure what this guy is doing could be viewed by the University as violating his scholarship in some way. Hey, Northwestern, revoke the damn thing. Problem solved.

I'd be interested if any colleges specifically include anti-union language in their scholarship agreements actually. If not they may well start doing.

 

[outofyourmind]

He's already a senior. He'll be in the combine.

Damn, why should he care then.
It's not just him doing this, is it?

 

[Red_Alert]

Damn, why should he care then.
It's not just him doing this, is it?

He probably wants to be the Union Rep when his NFL aspirations don't pan out. (He's projected 7th round/Free Agent)

My guess is the court rules against him solely on the basis that college athletics does not meet the definition of a career structure.

As for him being the only one doing this, it's just another avenue of getting CFB players paid.

 

[Hornsstampede2.0]

The University should open up free tryouts for the football team.


The line will be 1000 people long willing to be on the team for no scholarship.
In fact, they could probably CHARGE MONEY to play for a major FBS team.


I would have gladly paid a few thousand a semester to play for the Longhorns.
These "exploited players" have no idea the enviable lifestyle they enjoy relative to the normal population.


The simple law of supply and demand suggests there would be a near infinite replacement pool of talent more than willing to play football for a scholarship only. And plenty who would be willing to play for nothing.

 

[TexasExes98]

if it's too tough, DON'T SIGN THE FUCKING SCHOLARSHIP!!!! This next generation of self entitlement pussies are really beginning to piss me off. I don't blame them though, I blame their parents for fucking up.

 

[potzer25]

I wonder what they get $/hr if you consider the scholarship, housing, food, etc. etc. as $. Probably pretty good. Colleges are making a lot of money from the effort of the football players but that doesn't necessarily mean they should get paid more than they are already. Really there could be only negative changes by treating the players differently - more rigid hour requirements, restructuring scholarships, divergence between rich and poor schools, etc. etc. I don't think student-athletes are thinking this through and it's probably being driven more by agents and other hanger-ons that look to get some of the pie....

 

[Edisto_Tiger]

Time to quit handing out athletic scholarships. Let them pay their own way through school. That should weed out most of the riff raff.

 

[BritishDolfan]

My guess is the court rules against him solely on the basis that college athletics does not meet the definition of a career structure.

Agreed, I think that will probably be why this attempt fails.

Time to quit handing out athletic scholarships.

I wouldn't be against that particularly. The British equivalent of the NCAA doesn't allow them (although that's perhaps a shit comparison, because the BUCS and British college sport in general is a joke).

 

[cane_man]

They gonna get a stipend to pay their dues

 

[rmilia1]

Im surprised more of you arent open to this idea. While I dont agree with it 100% I find it offensive the amount of money these colleges make off of these kids yet the kids really dont see any of it. A scholarship is nice but it really doesnt provide any kind of life and MOST of the kids still end up taking out loans anyway so they have money to live off of. If the NCAA just did the right thing and gave a small amount to these kids each month to live on then this would be avoided IMO.

 

[Red_Alert]

Im surprised more of you arent open to this idea. While I dont agree with it 100% I find it offensive the amount of money these colleges make off of these kids yet the kids really dont see any of it. A scholarship is nice but it really doesnt provide any kind of life and MOST of the kids still end up taking out loans anyway so they have money to live off of. If the NCAA just did the right thing and gave a small amount to these kids each month to live on then this would be avoided IMO.

The athletes are given a monthly stipend though. That money the colleges make is used to support non-revenue generating sports. There is not a financial windfall like people think.

I'd hope a kid on a full ride scholarship in college can live a reasonable lifestyle for 4 years. He is there to learn first right?

Look at the base pay of an E-1, E-2, in the military serving their country. The ones with families qualify for food stamps.

 

[Jack_John_Mark]

I am absolutely against this.......absolutely.

Too much politics would be involved. How would you ever justify giving more money to one player over another? It would have to happen......I mean, you can't give the Heisman winner $5,000 and give the back-up kicker $500.

I worked for the Nebraska Football team. I saw those "poor souls" every single day living the life. There isn't one of them getting the short end of the stick.....I absolutely guarantee it.

 

[iruletheskool]

>from