Later today, President Donald Trump and star-studded cast of sports celebrities, NCAA executives and athletic directors from around the country will take part in a “Saving College Sports” roundtable that, somehow, won’t feature any current student athletes.
We’re in the heart of basketball season, that’s understandable and I can also understand the argument of not politicizing any particular athlete(s) or jeopardizing their public image – whatever, fine. But there’s almost certainly a handful of them that would entertain the opportunity, if not bring a first-hand account of the present-day challenges facing interscholastic sports as we know it.
Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark, Kansas Chancellor Douglas Girod, Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard and others will be representing the league in discussions over how to sustain the current model of NIL and the transfer portal among other legitimate concerns in today’s college sports climate.
The panel went as far as tabbing media stars Nick Saban, Tiger Woods and former Heisman winner Tim Tebow, but don’t we owe at least a seat to the generation in question here?
Who’s Missing?
If you want folks paying attention to your event, maybe go after the 20-somethings that’re navigating the same choppy waters as the folks in the building today? It screams “The adults are talking,” to close the door on them.
It’s a fundamental issue with college sports in general. In every way, we treat student athletes like adults in regards to their education, housing, student loans, and grocery bills, but we’re drawing the line at the big-boy topic of “Saving College Sports?”
Sure enough, college athletes voiced their concern with the lack of representation at the event through an open letter on behalf of Athletes.org, a leading players association for student athletes. The letter includes comments from football and track athletes alike:
Khalil Poteat, Temple Football: “We deserve a seat at the table. We as athletes are the reason the stands are filled, logos are worn and the game thrives the way it does. Ever since I was a little kid I dreamed about making it to the Division I level to play the sport I love. It is unfair and unfaithful to hold a discussion without the main attraction in mind. We deserve a say, just like the executives and leaders, in sports and in our futures. I believe that we, as athletes at every level, deserve to be at the table and fight for our best interest. We want college sports to thrive just like everyone else in the room. So let’s bond together to generate the best outcome for all.”
Jaden Mangham, Purdue Football: “Honestly, how can they make decisions like this without including any athletes or asking for our input? These choices directly impact our careers, education, and health, so our voices should be part of the conversation.”
Angelina Vasquez, UNLV Track & Field: “You cannot plan for our future without our input. If a decision affects our bodies, our scholarships, our eligibility, or our livelihoods, athletes should have a voice in the room from the start, not after the fact.”
If they wanted even one student athlete there, they’d be there. Somebody could’ve made it happen, and it looks especially bad on every athletic director that shows up there later today without a handful of their own student-athlete representatives by their side.
Yes, those athletic directors are wise to how their respective departments worth and, yes, they know college sports inside and out. But there’s no amount of FAQ sheets and bullet points they can replace an in-person testimonial from those most affected by the discussions happening in the Capitol today.
