How NCAA allowing players to profit off themselves impacts Arizona

The NCAA has finally done it, they’re allowing players to profit off of themselves, so with the change, here’s how that likely impacts Arizona Athletics.

Changes are coming in the NCAA and in a big way! And as we all know, players getting paid or earning fair compensation based on the profitability they bring to amateur sports, has been talked about for awhile now. Well with the recent NCAA rule change, we look at how it’ll impact Arizona Athletics as well.

On Wednesday, the NCAA supported a proposal that would allow student athletes to essentially get paid and sign endorsement deals for their name, likeness, etc. so long as the schools are not making those payments.

Arizona Wildcats

As you may recall, it was just a few years ago when a couple Arizona players were a big part in having the then, wildly popular EA Sports NCAA College Football game discontinued, after issues over player likeness. 

Athletes were complaining that the players in the game were too similar to them, hence profiting off the NCAA Athlete, without those players being compensated for their likeness/ image(s) being used.

Well, naturally the NCAA intervened and halted the games, since the reasonable solution for them was to shut it down without having to pay the student athlete.

Well times are changing as the recent proposal will go a long ways in ensuring players can at least profit off themselves without punishment. 

I know there are some that may not agree, because student athletes “get scholarships and housing worth thousands, etc.” Look, I get the talking point, but generally speaking most likely reading this article right now are student athletes currently or previously. We don’t know the daily struggles they may face.

Besides, not all student athletes get full scholarships (bet you didn’t know that). But as I digress, I would assume (generalization here), that the vast majority of student athletes can’t work at any point during the year (they have school, tutoring, practice, training, games, traveling, etc.)

Must be tough being a college student with virtually no money or not having the means to earn any money, especially while the NCAA brings in

millions

billions on the backs of the performance of student athletes.

Look, I’m not saying athletes should suddenly be paid at a base salary across the board or anything like that, just saying if there’s a marketing opportunity in the local community for a specific school… ahem, Arizona, and a student athlete is used in that opportunity, they should at least earn something from that.

And I’m not just saying this because I want to see EA Sport bring back NCAA Football, although that would be great if they did if I’m just being honest.

At the end of it all, I feel this would greatly benefit Arizona Athletics, whose community and local economics are impacted by Arizona Athletics in a significant way!

So let’s say for instance that if the Tucson community were to partner with the school and provide opportunities for athletes, that could be a valuable recruiting tactic!

Anyways, that’s just my thoughts on the matter. Do you feel differently? Let us know! As always, Bear Down, Arizona!