Case Study: Amateurism and College Sports

Let's look at the thorny issue of amateurism in college athletics. (We will focus more on the NCAA in a later unit.) As you know, college athletes are deemed amateurs by the NCAA, but now these amateurs can receive money/payment for Name, Image and Likeness (NIL). Start your consideration of amateurism by reading “The Difference Between Unpaid and Paid Student Athletes? Not Much, It Turns Out” by Joe Nocera and “No need for NCAA in new world of college sports” by Tim Dahlberg.

Then, you will address the following questions in our discussion:

• Are college athletes still amateurs?
• Have college sports changed—and, if so, how—now that NIL is permitted and athletes can make money?
• The NCAA and university presidents argued for decades college sports fans would lose interest if athletes were paid and were not true “amateurs.” Are college sports less popular with NIL?

• What should be the NCAA’s role or purpose in this new era for college sport