A Viable Solution for the Proliferation of Collegiate Athletics

Collegiate athletes have long been deemed amateurs and have not been entitled to payment. However, recent law changes as well as social movements have made this a topic of discussion in the current sports climate. This thesis serves to educate the reader on the history of the NCAA, why athletes are currently not compensated, current actions being taken to compensate athletes, along with possible solutions. The historical section seeks to inform readers how we got to the current status of the NCAA, notably the NCAA’s assignment of amateur status to current collegiate athletes. This ties in to the analysis section which draws down the NCAA’s current rules and regulations regarding athlete compensation. The current changes section seeks to get the reader up to speed with the current climate of the NCAA. Lastly, the recommendations serve to offer the reader a source of consideration for how these issues can be approached moving forward given what we currently know.
These statements are backed by both primary and secondary data collections which were garnered at various NCAA member institutions. This thesis further explores opinions and views of other researchers and offers counterarguments to opinions regarding future actions deemed necessary by the NCAA. The thesis lays out the Issues, Analysis of the issues, draws conclusions and gives final recommendations. Strong consideration is given to the recent advancements in the areas of Name, Image and Likeness laws. It is further explored the avenues that NIL can create the greatest impact moving forward in the NCAA.