Research Proposal

Topic: That status of a Student Athlete at the college level has always been surrounded by controversy for many years. Despite all the money these athletes generate for their universities, they are ultimately labeled with the title of amateurism preventing them from receiving any extra benefits whatsoever. The athletes are under extremely strict rules that specifically forbids them from talking to agents, signing any endorsement deals, or even something as small as throwing a birthday party and charging guests money to enter the venue. Ironically, all these student athletes are responsible for their universities earning millions of dollars from ticket sales, tv deals, team merchandise, and more, yet they are prohibited from touching any of it. A player cannot even sell a ring they personally won from a college football bowl game, or receive any cash from signing thousands of autographs for memorabilia stores. Despite all the rules, NCAA regulations aren’t treated with much respect due to the increasing amount of infractions that occur regularly on college campuses. Student athletes are constantly accepting extra benefits, talking to agents, and even involved in academic cheating rings. The behavior suggests that a change is needed within the system. It doesn’t take much thought to realize how unfair the NCAA can be towards its student athletes. In today’s society, it’s been stressed through the privatization of universities how money is becoming the centered issue around education. It’s the driving force towards a bright a better future. The players are unfairly not allowed to progress and adapt to these new changes. Universities are raising their tuition, so it makes no sense why student athletes cannot be allowed to earn extra money that they certainly deserve.

Research Question:

How does the NCAA’s treatment of college athletes unfairly depict them as amateur athletes even though they’re surrounded by professional results?

Should college athletes be considered amateurs? Even though they aren’t professional, their system still operates and generates money comparable to professional teams yet they don’t receive any money. Why can’t student athletes accept endorsement deals? Hire or even communicate to agents? Receive any benefits? These players bring in all the attention and buzz surrounding universities. Why not use some of the revenue to compensate top division I schools athletes with extra spending cash. Not only do some of the students desperately need the money, but it would only be fair considering they are unable to accept money from any other source. They drive the TV deals, create demand in school merchandise, generate ticket sales, and more, yet they are treated almost as the unpaid intern. College is suppose to transition young students into adults so why can’t they be treated like adults in college; be allowed to make their own decisions and receive money that they truly deserve and have earned? The strict rules of the NCAA seem to have minimal effects because players are continuing to be caught up with infractions. It doesn’t make sense to keep enforcing these rules when the players seem to have no respect for them because it’s unfair in their eyes.

Theoretical Frames:

I will be using statistical studies to show the lack of respect college athletes have for the NCAA’s unnecessary rules. Labeled as amateurs, student athletes have strict rules against receiving any additional benefits or even communicating with agents among other things. I’m going to detail in the paper how these rules are constantly broken and taken almost as a joke by these athletes. I will further provide statistics about the revenue's generated from various college athletic departments and highlight the amount of money coaches are paid. I want to show how much money is involved within NCAA and among college teams and how it’s ridiculous players cannot earn any.

Research Plan, Case or Additional Questions: Throughout the paper I want to highlight different aspects of the amateur vs student athlete debate. I want to first discuss and highlight all the money made from college sports. I’m gonna provide facts and statistics to show and explain how university's athletic departments are a business within themselves. This will further explain how college athletes are almost represented as the unpaid intern. Next I want to elaborate the amatuer status of these athletes among the business they’re involved with. Connecting those two points together, I want to cite specific examples of NCAA infractions where players tried to make some money off themselves, just like how their schools make money off of them (Reggie Bush, Terrell Pryor, Johnny Manziel examples). I want to continue citing infractions and statistics showing the lack of respect players have the rules. To end research I’m gonna include that this debate has been going on for years now and that change is certainly needed.

Sources:

Byers, Walter. Unsportsmanlike Conduct: Exploiting College Athletes. Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan Press, 1995. Print.

Cullen, Francis, Edward Latessa, and Cheryl Jonson. "Assessing the Extent and Sources of NCAA Rule Infractions." . Criminology and Public Policy, 22 Nov 2012. Web. 10 Mar 2014. <http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.proxy.libraries.rutgers.edu/enhanced/doi/10.1111/j.1745-9133.2012.00840.x/>.

Gouveia, Gordon. "Making a Mountain Out of a Mogul." Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment Law & Practice. (2003): 22-34. Print.

Hurst, Thomas R. (2000) "Payment of Student-Athletes: Legal & (and) Practical Obstacles,"

Jeffrey S. Moorad Sports Law Journal: Vol. 7: Iss. 1, Article 4. <http://digitalcommons.law.villanova.edu/mslj/vol7/iss1/4>

Remis, Rob, and Diane Sudia. "Escaping Athlete Agent Statutory Regulation: Loopholes and Constitutional Defectiveness Based on Tri-parte Classification of Athletes." Seton Hall Journal of Sport Law. 9. (1999): n. page. Web. 11 Mar. 2014.