NCAA Approves Student Payments, Garcia Tests Positive, the FA Cup Final, and Kobe's New Sneakers.
Student athletes are about to get paid, Ryan Garcia fights Drug Results, The FA Cup Manchester Derby, and Kobe Bryant's line of sneakers drops a new colourway.
NCAA votes to approve student athlete payments
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has made a landmark decision that could see college athletes receiving financial compensation. This agreement was reached on Thursday following a vote by the NCAA and five major conferences.
Under the new deal, schools will be permitted to distribute a portion of the revenue generated by sports to the athletes. Additionally, the agreement includes $2.8 billion in damages for both current and former student-athletes. This settlement resolves three separate antitrust lawsuits filed against the NCAA.
However, the settlement must still be approved by the plaintiffs in these cases and a federal judge, a process that might extend over several months. The NCAA and the conferences emphasized the significance of this agreement in a joint statement, highlighting its role in the ongoing reform of college sports to benefit student-athletes. They expressed enthusiasm about collaborating with student-athlete leadership to shape the future of college sports.
Historically, college athletes have not received any form of direct compensation from the NCAA. This changed in 2021 when the US Supreme Court invalidated restrictions on athlete compensation, allowing them to earn money through endorsements and other avenues related to their name, image, or likeness.
The implementation of the new revenue-sharing rules is projected to start in the 2025-26 academic year at the earliest. The five major conferences plan to share around $20 million annually with athletes, equating to 22% of their yearly athletic revenue. However, many specifics regarding the distribution still need to be finalized.
This groundbreaking agreement was the result of negotiations between the plaintiffs' lawyers, the NCAA, and the Power Five conferences. One of the plaintiffs' lawyers, Steve Berman, expressed immense satisfaction with the outcome, describing it as a revolutionary moment in college sports. Another lawyer for the plaintiffs, Jeffrey Kessler, noted that the time for a fair compensation system for college athletes has finally come.
The economic impact of university sports in the US is substantial. In 2022, the 65 universities in the top five athletic conferences collectively generated over $3.3 billion in revenue from their Football programs alone.
Garcia Blames 'contamination' after B-Samples Return Positive
Ryan Garcia has firmly denied the intentional use of performance-enhancing drugs following the positive result of his B-sample for a prohibited substance. The 25-year-old boxer plans to argue that the positive result was due to contamination from a tainted supplement.
Garcia tested positive for ostarine, a substance on the World Anti-Doping Agency's banned list since 2008, in two separate tests conducted before his bout with Devin Haney on April 20.
Upon confirmation of the positive B-sample results, Garcia released a statement through his legal team. They suggested that "hair samples" might demonstrate Garcia was a "victim" of supplement contamination.
"Ryan Garcia is committed to clean and fair competition and has never intentionally used any banned substance,"
They emphasized Garcia's history of voluntarily undergoing tests throughout his career, all of which had returned negative results until now.
Ostarine, a selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) used to promote muscle growth, has previously led to significant penalties for other athletes. British boxer Amir Khan received a two-year ban in 2022 after testing positive for the substance, highlighting the strict liability rules applied regardless of intent.
The New York State Athletic Commission, which sanctioned the fight, will continue its investigation. They will decide whether to change the bout's result to a no-contest or impose a suspension on Garcia.
The FA Cup: Economic Snapshot of Soccer’s Oldest Final
One of the biggest and most historic matches in world soccer takes place this weekend between the bitter Manchester Rivals. An estimated 500 million viewers worldwide will be tuning in.
I put together a snapshot of the economics of the world's oldest national cup final.
Nike Kobe 8 Protro "Champagne Gold" Edition
Nike’s line of sneakers dedicated to Kobe Bryant has a new edition dropping soon.
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