The debate has finally started.

Okay, well it has been going for a while, but for the first time it seems like it’s actually going somewhere.

The newest step in the inevitable evolution of college sports happened at Northwestern University, where the football team has begun a campaign to be represented by a labor union, therefore being identified as employees of the university. The National College Players Association (NACPA) recently submitted a petition on behalf of the players to the the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), to gain recognition as a group able to unionize and seek collective bargaining rights.
What does that all mean?

In short, it means that the College Athletes Players Association (CAPA) will have the right to bargain with the NCAA and finally be given their own voice in ensuring their rights. This is a good idea. Anybody with eyes can see that the NCAA has its fair share of problems, and this is the first step in solving them.

While I’m excited about the proposal, I have my concerns. The main reason I’m on board is because CAPA will not necessarily press for player compensation, beyond that of scholarships, in the initial agreements. While it will certainly open the door to that debate in the future, I believe that the immediate discussions are necessary.

DU has a very special relationship with this topic, despite the current lack of a football team. In 1953, the Colorado Supreme Court upheld a ruling that stated that a DU football player was an employee of the school and was therefore owed the right to workers compensation. It was in direct response to this ruling that the NCAA instituted the term “student-athlete,” introduced athletic scholarships and started doing everything they could to ensure athletes wouldn’t be considered employees anymore.

As things stand right now, the athletes playing in the NCAA have essentially no say in negotiations, which means that in regards to their financial, medical and academic futures they don’t have anybody speaking up for them .

CAPA will serve to fight for better medical coverage, especially dealing with concussions, as well as guaranteed scholarships for players who can no longer play due to injury.

These are things that need to be worked out between the NCAA and a newly empowered college players association.

However, the union is by no means perfect.

For starters, the union is somewhat exclusive, as only NCAA Division I football and basketball athletes will be included. Because of their inclusion in a massive commercial enterprise, and the amount of revenue they bring in, they have the best chance of being recognized as employees.

Unfortunately for a large percentage of schools in the NCAA, CAPA will only include private schools, as the NLRB can only govern private enterprises, meaning athletes at state schools will have to fend for themselves for the time being. Regardless, student-athletes need a voice in their own futures. This union might not be perfect, far from it in my opinion, but it is a necessary first step in ensuring the safety and education of athletes.

The current situation has stood since the 50’s, but there’s a good chance that student-athletes will indeed become employees once again sometime very soon. The Northwestern football union will open the door for other schools to join in and unionize themselves. The growth of CAPA will provide a platform to work out the kinks in the NCAA, giving students better protection. There likely won’t be dramatic change in the near future, but it will open up a much needed dialogue and allow for productive compromise, satiating the players desire for change.