Syracuse Basketball: NCAA must allow name, image and likeness options

The NCAA absolutely has to let student-athletes at Syracuse and other schools around the country profit off their name, image, and likeness.

Take note, Syracuse basketball student-athletes and others: the NCAA, an organization criticized often by many folks including yours truly, have formed a group that will “examine issues highlighted in recently proposed federal and state legislation related to student-athlete name, image, and likeness,” according to a press release from the NCAA.

While I imagine that we’re still nowhere close to student-athletes at Syracuse and academic institutions elsewhere in the United States actually having the ability to receive compensation from their name, image, and likeness, I guess that this NCAA “working group” is a small step in the right direction.

I should act in an upfront manner as it pertains to this topic. Number one, I believe that the NCAA is a joke of an organization. Secondly, it’s absolutely ridiculous, in my humble opinion, that student-athletes can’t presently make money off their name, image, and likeness.

I readily acknowledge that student-athletes are fortunate to possess scholarships that include tuition, room and board, and possibly other stipends. Those are valuable items with which many of us who went to college didn’t necessarily land.

Okay, that’s a fair point, but it’s also true that these student-athletes work their tails off each and every day – on their respective fields of competition, and in the classroom.

Arguing that the NCAA or its members should directly pay student-athletes is, in my opinion, a trickier proposition, however, if former SU stars Tyus Battle or Eric Dungey, while suiting up for the Orange basketball and football teams, had the opportunity to make a few thousand bucks by signing autographs or appearing in advertisements, good for them. No one, including the NCAA, should deny them the chance to do so.

Last month, ‘Cuse hoops head coach Jim Boeheim told Syracuse.com that he has “no problem” if student-athletes are able to earn income from their name, image, and likeness, although he did add that some issues could exist.

The working group, to encompass representatives from all three NCAA divisions, will have two chairs: Big East Conference Commissioner Val Ackerman and Ohio State Athletics Director Gene Smith. Among the group’s other members are Georgetown President John DeGioia, Virginia Athletics Director Carla Williams, Colorado Athletics Director Rick George, and Big 12 Conference Commissioner Bob Bowlsby.

Honestly, I feel that the NCAA develops committees, groups, and panels all the time, but rarely does any meaningful and significant change occur. Just my two cents, though. The NCAA release says that the group will “study modifications of current rules, policies and practices,” and craft “a set of overarching principles to guide each division as it devises consistent legislation.” The NCAA’s Board of Governors expects to have the group’s final report in October.

"One subject not on the docket for this group, however, is the notion of players drawing direct compensation from the NCAA. “While the formation of this group is an important step to confirming what we believe as an association, the group’s work will not result in paying students as employees,” Smith said in the statement."

I’m cool with that, at least for now. Simply enable student-athletes to collect some cash from their own name, image, and likeness, and that provides me with hope a bit of progress is getting made.