The recent NLRB regional director's ruling that Dartmouth men's basketball players are employees has ignited a debate on college sports and athlete unionization. Dartmouth, which does not offer athletic scholarships like other Ivy League institutions, plans to appeal the decision. This case recalls the 2014 Northwestern football players' case, which was dismissed at the national level, but the current climate around 'amateurism' may influence the appeal differently, as the Ivy League comprises all private schools. Dartmouth men's basketball players Cade Haskins and Romeo Myrthil are initiating the Ivy League Players Association for basketball players, amidst Dartmouth's current record of 5-14, 1-5 in the Ivy League. This ruling, along with the USC case, challenges the amateur model in college sports. The NLRB's jurisdiction only extends to private sector schools, while a California case is attempting to classify conferences and the NCAA as employers. Recognizing athletes as employees could lead to negotiated terms and contracts, affecting transfer rules and team continuity.
Hey college athletes, interested in filing for a union withy the NLRB? General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo explains *exactly* how. https://t.co/XNQAan2j9l
You may find this surprising, but MLBPA (along with NHLPA, NFLPA, and NBPA have already endorsed college athlete unions) https://t.co/kAXlIEJFrn
Dartmouth’s statement on today’s ruling from the NLRB regional director, confirming that the school will appeal the decision: https://t.co/sKVMuy8yFb
Big preliminary news out of Dartmouth, with a couple more hurdles to clear. But: if the players are employees, can they be fired for poor performance? Dartmouth men's hoops is 5-14, 1-5 in the Ivy League. https://t.co/mzHCntNHEc
Dartmouth men's basketball players Cade Haskins and Romeo Myrthil announce they plan to form the Ivy League Players Association for basketball players. https://t.co/vrAcA47AeO
After looking into this a bit more, I really like this idea (even if my own score is not stellar) A lot of these metrics end up embodying bad incentives, but this one seems pretty good on that front https://t.co/FZCrOlkqoX
This should be good news for Dartmouth and any school whose athletes are deemed employees, as it could negotiate terms and contracts, and players won’t be able to leverage the portal every year for more NIL, transfer rules could be enforced, teams would have continuity, etc. https://t.co/q5OGuDJuMV
Did a quick scan of the NLRB Dartmouth ruling. Found a few key passages that stuck out and highlighted them below. Obviously more to come with this, though it will be fascinating what happens here combined with the ongoing USC case. https://t.co/1d024odL8I
Dartmouth will appeal, of course (there will be lawyers), as Northwestern did when football players allowed to unionize. Northwestern won appeal years ago, but likely different result here due to (1) Ivy League is all private schools; (2) "amateurism" climate is much different. https://t.co/B7D8vS00vF
As others have noted, the Northwestern football union case was won at the regional level, but dismissed on appeal. Different facts, climate, etc. but a ways to go with this. Below is from the 2015 ruling against the Northwestern players. The highlighted sentence is relevant: https://t.co/fbrWpWGqZx
As others noted, the Northwestern football union case was won at regional level, but dismissed on appeal. Different facts, climate, etc. but a long way to go with this. Below is from that 2015 ruling that went against the players. The highlighted sentence feels relevant: https://t.co/fzgY8Yduo7
Worth noting this will be appealed. Northwestern football players in 2015 got this ruling overturned at the national level. But the national climate is different this time around. NLRB also only applies to private sector. California case trying to rule confs and NCAA employers. https://t.co/yGS0CalJdk
This ruling (and the ongoing USC case) is another haymaker to any kind of amateur model that existed in college sports. Now, what an actual college athlete union would look like/how strong it would be remains a complicated matter. There, too, will almost certainly be an appeal. https://t.co/6wFaSZ6gTf
No Ivy League institutions offer athletic scholarships. Will be interesting to see if any fellow athletic programs at Ivy schools file petitions in the wake of today’s decision on Dartmouth MBB. https://t.co/wRgh52m0to
Shades of 2014, when Northwestern football players won a ruling like this at the regional level. Was later dismissed at national level. But it's a much different climate now. https://t.co/JtU8POqPjz
I believe more sports-focused Universities will go down this road and I think it's actually good, because it's a more honest assessment of what their focus is (and thus should better service athletes going there with hopes of making a career in sports). https://t.co/Cl5BTpSvpJ