Northwestern University football players can unionize, federal agency says
 

In a ruling that could revolutionize college athletics, a federal agency ruled Wednesday that college football players at Northwestern University can unionize.

The decision by a regional director of the National Labor Relations Board means it agrees football players at the Big Ten school qualify as employees under federal law and therefore can create the nation's first college athlete's union..

The Evanston, Ill-based university argued college athletes, as students, don't fit in the same category as factory workers, truck drivers and other unionized workers. The school plans to appeal to labor authorities in Washington, D.C.

"While we respect the NLRB process and the regional director's opinion, we disagree with it," a statement from Northwestern University read.

"Northwestern believes strongly that our student-athletes are not employees, but students. Unionization and collective bargaining are not the appropriate methods to address the concerns raised by student-athletes."

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Re: Northwestern University football players can unionize, federal agency says
 

Re: Northwestern University football players can unionize, federal agency says
 

The end of college football as we know it?

Re: Northwestern University football players can unionize, federal agency says
 

It will be interesting to follow the development of this process.

Re: Northwestern University football players can unionize, federal agency says
 

The development of the process of this will be very bad for the majority of these college athletes.

They do not understand, know, or want to know and most have any one to tell them or understand it all for them like parents about their current situtations vs. what will happen to them if this becomes the new standard.

Re: Northwestern University football players can unionize, federal agency says
 

Exactly. With unionization/employee status, they're scholarships & other perks they enjoy for playing college football will undoubtedly be counted as income and subject to tax, IMO ... just as with any other employee, unionized or not.

Someone should have told them, "be careful what you wish for, you just might get it" ... something like only 1% of these guys make it to the NFL and Northwestern certainly ain't no football-factory, :rolleyes:.

The whole thing is just absurd if you ask me.

Re: Northwestern University football players can unionize, federal agency says
 

Hi SloMo. Good point about tax.

Re: Northwestern University football players can unionize, federal agency says
 

Well thats the thing. 1% makes the NFL and a few of the guys who makes it all the way cash in big-time. The rest doesn't get a whole lot of dough and they want a piece since the schools in D1 football make a ton from their work.

Re: Northwestern University football players can unionize, federal agency says
 

Yeah, it's a very convoluted issue. You could say those that don't make it to the NFL are compensated with a degree and/or the means to make (on average) a million more in salary throughout their career as opposed to what they would make without that degree, but it's been documented that a lot of these athletes are just passed through in order to keep them on the field/court & there is no real practical application in their degrees. Many of the athletes in NCAA sports that pro careers are not available to, actually do study/complete degrees and these are the ones that will be hurt the most.

So now what?

Declare them as employees and the scholarships, financial aid & whatever else becomes taxable income. On average, the taxable income for these athletes becomes approx. $75k, just based on what it costs to attend a major university. Add in a base salary, and it becomes even more, say $90k. That's a pretty big tax liability for a single person/no dependents. It will be a rude awakening for some.

Then, what about the kid who's on a bowling scholarship at a Div II school who's suddenly declared an employee? Or the student athlete in a Div I school that participates in a not-so-popular sport, like track & field? Their projected salaries/compensation will undoubtedly fail to cover any tax liability they now assume as their scholarships/financial aid become taxable income.

This is a big time money grab and attempt to legitimize the NCAA as the minor-league to the NFL, IMO ... as I spelled out in another thread. Just sayin', :).

Re: Northwestern University football players can unionize, federal agency says
 

What happend if Northwestern University, decide to shut down the football program ?

Re: Northwestern University football players can unionize, federal agency says
 

The issue dies, the players either stay at Northwestern and continue their education or move on to another school to play football. My guess is not too many of them would be moving on to other schools to play football ... :neutral:.

I've had employers pull that stunt ... "unionize & we'll move operations overseas". Looking back at where those companies are now, nobody wins at that game, employees (who lose a job) or employers, who, with the increased costs of shipping product/materials and the additional costs of basically having to rework entire jobs upon receiving them from an overseas manufacturer, are bankrupted.

Northwestern loses it's football program & the revenue associated with it, the student/athletes lose out on an important part of their college experience or on a Northwestern diploma, which I've heard is held in high regards because of the academic standards for their student/athletes.

Just a personal observation, :).