I've written extensively about the NCAA and what I perceive to be its consistent effort to exploit the black community. It spends millions on public service announcements to protect its deception, but eventually the athletes and the public are going to wise up to what it is doing. The truth is that college athletes should be paid for the same reasons that any actor in a Hollywood blockbuster film would expect to receive compensation. The problem is that the families of athletes don't quite know how to organize and fight for their power. So, when I read about the recent lawsuit against the NCAA for allegedly misusing the images of athletes for video games, I was a very happy man.
Let me break it down for you:
Based on my 16 years of experience as a college professor (I currently teach at Syracuse University, a school that earns millions off black families every year), collegiate athletics is not, in my opinion, about amateurism and it's not about education. It's about making money. Period. Many athletes are admitted to college every year, and they would not be granted admission were it not for their ability to play sports and make money for the campus. Making money is not a problem, but the problem comes when universities do not share this revenue with the families of the players.
He's considered the one of the greatest power forwards of all time, but the mailman didn't deliver a title. The Utah Jazz went to the conference title twice, but sadly there was a man named Michael Jordan standing (or dunking) in Malone and the Jazz's way in 1997 and 1998. As a Los Angeles Laker he did get to the NBA Finals with Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, but dreams of championship bling were shot down by the Detroit Pistons.
NBA Players Without a Title
Karl Malone (1985-2004)
He's considered the one of the greatest power forwards of all time, but the mailman didn't deliver a title. The Utah Jazz went to the conference title twice, but sadly there was a man named Michael Jordan standing (or dunking) in Malone and the Jazz's way in 1997 and 1998. As a Los Angeles Laker he did get to the NBA Finals with Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, but dreams of championship bling were shot down by the Detroit Pistons.
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Charles Barkley (1984-2000)
Barkley could out-muscle and out-rebound anyone on the court, he had attitude, earned 11 NBA All-Star Game appearances and two Olympic gold medals and was always good for a colorful quote. But alas, never ever once did he win a NBA title. Barkley came close to championship glory in 1993, when he led the Phoenix Suns to a berth in the 1993 NBA Finals. However, the Suns lost to some fella named Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in six games.
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Patrick Ewing (1985 - 2002)
It was "our year" ever year for the Knicks, and every year they and the big man fell short. His final years were plagued by injuries and he ended his career with the Orlando Magic in 2002.
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Dominique Wilkins (1982-1999)
He was one of the best dunkers the game had ever seen, but he couldn't find a way past Larry Bird. The Atlanta Hawks' superstar never played in a single NBA Finals series.
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John Stockton (1984-2003)
Regarded as one of the best point guards in NBA history, Stockton, like his Utah Jazz teammate, Karl Malone, had Air Jordan standing in his way of championship bling two consecutive years. Stockton retired in 2003 and was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History.
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Reggie Miller (1987-2005)
Reggie Miller's Pacers fell to the Lakers in their one appearance in the Finals. Sad? Yes, but not as heartbreaking as the five conference finals the team lost, which includes three Game 7s. Ouch.
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Chris Webber (1993-2008)
Maybe if it wasn't for those missed free throws in the Kings' Game 7 OT loss to the Lakers in 2002 or the missed three-pointer at the buzzer in Game 7 against Minnesota in 2004, we could say that Webber would have a championship ring. Then again, who has time for should have-could have-would haves?
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Elgin Baylor (1958-1972)
Baylor played in eight NBA Finals ... and lost them all. To say that was frustrating is quite the understatement. He called it quits during the 1971-72 season, becoming one of the first greats to retire without a championship ring.
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Pete Maravich (1970-1980)
Long before Magic Johnson, 'Pistol Pete' was the showman on the court, pefecting behind-the-back and between-the-legs passes. However, his playoff record was a bit sketchy and he retired ringless.
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Tim Hardaway (1989-2003)
Hardaway's Heat balled their way to the '97 conference finals ... until running into Michael Jordan and the Bulls, who destroyed them. Tough, but losing in the first-round to the eighth-seeded Knicks in '99 packs a bigger bite.
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College sport is far from being extracurricular: it is an exhaustively time-consuming set of activities in which athletes are consistently required to miss class, wake up early in the morning and engage in as much stress as a professional to represent the university's financial interests. This is not the typical experience of a college student, and it impedes the ability to learn.
Finally, the lack of revenue sharing with the families of college athletes is not coincidental. There is a complex nexus of carefully designed rules and regulations that keeps athletes and their families from getting any share of the money.
These rules are supported by anti-trust exemptions granted by Congress and allow the NCAA to use education as its excuse for not paying the players and keeping their families in poverty; that's why they run those ridiculous commercials bragging about how many athletes go pro in "something other than sports." The truth is that the organization is working to manipulate your mind.
The current NCAA system exploits the black community more than any other (outside the prison system), since most of the top college football and basketball players in the United States are African American. This exploitation is worsened by the recent commitment to use athlete's images for video games that gross millions for the organization each year.
Finally, someone is standing up against it. Former UCLA star Ed O'Bannon filed a class-action lawsuit against the NCAA over the use of player images. This case is exciting for at least a few reasons:
1) It opens the door to millions in damages and a restructuring of athlete compensation.
2) It raises public awareness of the deformed nature of the NCAA money machine.
3) It puts the NCAA's tax-exempt status into question, along with its anti-trust exemption.
4) The lawyers on this case are high-powered and might actually get the job done.
In the interview below, I speak with Dr. Deborah Stroman of the College Sport Research Institute. She is an expert in sports and business and has some interesting things to say. Enjoy!
Dr. Boyce Watkins is a finance professor at Syracuse University. He makes regular appearances in national media, including on CNN, BET, MSNBC and more. To have Dr. Boyce's commentary delivered directly to your e-mail, please click here.
Comments: (28)
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By: walterlowich on 7/25/2009 12:38PM
How much money to universities waste on sports ? If the NFL and NBA want a minor league system, let them pay for it.
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By: Michael on 7/26/2009 12:24AM
This sounds like a fishing expedition for derogatory comments. But I will accepts that. First of all I agree with the exploitation of athletes at the college level. It goes like this, play a game and be the best. This will create a crowd and notoriety (money), in return will pay for your education (or the equivalent if you were actually focused on education). College is also a place where an athelete can expoit their talent and get a degree. It's a good trade for an ambitious athlete. As far as being black, well you filled out that form and placed that check mark next to "Black" or "African American" when you applied for that college. Why would you do that? Does it matter? If you can score points and get a "free" education would you want them to know whether your Black or White so they can make additional decisions based on your race?
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By: Charles on 7/26/2009 1:25PM
I understand your beef. yes the statement should have been broadened to include everyone, but once the basketball players get paid so will the volleyball players . so are you happy now ?
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By: Charles on 7/26/2009 2:04PM
This was bound to happen for so many years the NCAA has raked in the money . Exploiting the youth of this country. Now they have went to the well one to many times .How ironic to be bought down by a video game.I hope I live long enough to witness the outcome.
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By: monique on 7/26/2009 2:22PM
The NCAA is horrible. They really need to be put in check.
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By: Lyn on 7/27/2009 9:03AM
First of all this is BLACK VOICES!!!
Secondly, nowhere in this article does Dr. Boyce say that only the blacks should be compensated. He makes the (true) statement that they are disproportionately effected. You didn't offer any information to show that his assessment was incorrect or inaccurate.
Lastly, I fully agree with your suggestion that because a white man invented the game white people should benefit. Let's expand that belief so that black people benefit from every idea that was made public by, inspired by or STOLEN FROM them.
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By: Robert on 7/27/2009 4:21PM
Although the NCAA is a non-profit organization, it is still a business and should conduct itself as such. By providing scholorships to these students, the schools (and by extenstion, the NCAA) are giving these students the opportunity of a lifetime. Are we to believe that the school should get nothing in return for this? This starts a slippery slope in my opinion. So is it wrong for schools to sell jerseys with the athlete's numbers on them? Is it wrong for the school charge admission to the games to watch these students perform? Nothing is free. For the athlete that is extremely talented, they may go on to play professional sports. The NCAA is the platform that takes athlete to that next level. Many athletes leaving school, will not only get a contract in the sport they enter but a endorsement contract as well? Since the school and the NCAA was their promotional vehicle to get to that point, should the school and NCAA receive a portion of the proceeds from that deal? The answer is NO! Each party gains something from the exchange.
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By: Augustus on 7/27/2009 6:13PM
DR. BOYCE YOU ARE 100 PERCENT RIGHT! WHEN MY NEPHEW DWIGHT HOWARD WAS GETTING READY TO GO PRO FROM HIGH SCHOOL, THE BASKETBALL PUNDITS STARTED SAYING HOW WRONG HE WAS. OF COURSE THE GUY DOING THE LOUDEST HOLLERING WAS DICK DUKE VITALE WHO WAS UPSET BECAUSE DWIGHT WAS RUMORED TO BE GOING TO AN ACC SCHOOL, NORTH CAROLINA, AND WOULD HAVE MADE THEM LOTS OF MONEY. HE NEVER APOLOGISED FOR THE NEGATIVE THINGS HE SAID AND WRONGLY PREDICTED FOR DWIGHT FUTURE BECAUSE HE DID NOT GO TO COLLEGE, AN ACC COLLEGE. IT WAS ONLY AFTER HERSCHEL WALKER WENT TO GEORGIA COULD THEY BUILD A NEW STADIUM. THESES BLACKS MAKE ALL OF THAT MONEY FOR THE SCHOOLS AND CAN ONLY GET A STIPEND FOR WORK STUDY, HOW HIPPOCRITICAL CAN THEY GET! A COACH CAN GO FROM PLACE TO PLACE BUT AN ATHLETE WHO SIGNS TO GO TO THE FORMER SCHOOL OF THAT COACH IS STUCK, UNLESS GETTING A LAWYER TO FREE HIM. THEY ARE ALL ABOUT MONEY AND NOT ABOUT SHARING IT WITH THOSE WHO PROVIDE THE REASONS FOR THE PEOPLE COMING TO WATCH THOSE TEAMS. THE COACH HAS A CONTRACT WITH NIKE BUT THE GUYS WHO WEAR THE SNEAKERS GET NOTHING. A FORM OF SLAVERY AND I AM GLAD MY NEPHEW DID NOT GET ON THE SLAVE SHIP!
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By: anon on 7/27/2009 11:41PM
Nobody is saying that money should only be given to black communities. The main point is all college athletes should be compensated!!! It just so happens this is an internet news site catering to the Black voice, so the article is going to discuss the issue pertaining to the black athletes. I know white athletes who agree with the main topic of the article, which is about college athlete compensation!!!. P.S. Don't get mad because black athletes dominate a sport created by a white guy!!!
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By: BranDon Melchor on 7/28/2009 10:18AM
Firts off let me just state that what was said by randysrt10 was ingnorant, and before you come out your mouth like that you need to understand that Black people in general have it harder in this world than the white people do. However to an extent I probably would agree that it should be half and half but, you got to face it Black people are Basketball and Football. Not saying that White people can't play those sports or something but, nine times out of ten we get more publicity than you guuys because of our struggle, the fight, our whole upbringing throughout life. I guess sometimes its better to see us make it at something we are good. Now the whole thing when you said about why don't tv shows show Black people helping White people get off their feet. Well its like this at one point in our life if you didn't know we were slaves. If you didn't know what a slave was/is it is a person who is owned by someone; being someones property. Now if you don't know what property means it means that it is yours meaning you can do WHATEVER YOU PLEASE to it. Now that is what Black people were to White peole SLAVES. Those descriptions/definitions I just gave you don't sound appealing. So with that being said why the FUCK would we try to get yall back on yall feet when we can help ourselves get back on our feet. I mean we don't owe yall shit (this is not to all white people I repeat NOT ALL WHITE PEOPLE) if anything yall owe us we were in the field doing the dirty work as yall watched us and beat us. Therefore the next time something like this occurs make sure you actually come correct on everything you saying.
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