Dear John,

End the NCAA exploitation of Black athletes!

[ [link removed] ][IMG]

Tell the California Legislature to pass the Fair Pay to Play Act before
July 11th

[ [link removed] ]Take Action

"Amateur status" rules allow the National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA) to generate billions of dollars in revenue off the labor of Black
athletes, while many of these athletes struggle to pay rent or even put
food on the table.

Under the NCAA’s rules, college players can’t profit from their own image
or likeness. Because of their rigorous practice and game schedules,
student-athletes cannot work while under scholarship. A former University
of Connecticut basketball player stated, “There are hungry nights” and “I
go to bed and I’m starving.” And because of the rigorous demands the NCAA
puts on Black athletes to generate revenue, many find it impossible to
earn a degree while they play. In fact, Black student-athletes are
significantly less likely to graduate than white student-athletes^1. Not
only are the NCAA's rules denying Black athletes fair compensation,
they're robbing players of a chance to get a degree.

The NCAA is serving as a modern-day overseer — profiting from the free
labor of Black people.

But we now have a chance to ensure Black athletes get paid for their work.
The California Legislature is pushing for legislation that would allow
college athletes to profit from their own names, images, and likenesses.
The Fair Pay to Play Act is a step in the right direction for fairness in
collegiate sports. The bill has already cleared some serious hurdles but
still has a few more key votes ahead. Let’s make sure that every
California legislator knows that Black athletes deserve fair pay!

[ [link removed] ]Tell the California Legislature to stop allowing the exploitation of
college athletes and pass the Fair Pay to Play Act before the July 11
deadline!

The NCAA is doing everything in its power to keep the bill from being
passed. NCAA President Mark Emmert threatened to ban California schools
from NCAA championships if the Fair Pay to Play Act is passed. He is even
trying to justify his threat, saying that allowing pay for some college
athletes in California would make national championships unfair. This is a
manipulative attempt to scare legislators into not passing the bill.

Passing this bill in California would pave the way for similar legislation
throughout the country, advancing ethical treatment of our
student-athletes. But the NCAA is concerned only about its profits and
continuing to make billions of dollars off of the backs of Black
student-athletes. They are expected to survive on no income while the
NCAA, coaches, universities, and sports companies make billions of dollars
off their labor. The football and basketball players — mostly Black
students — bring in the most money for universities, brands, and TV
networks^2. This year, the NCAA’s March Madness was declared the most
profitable postseason TV deal in sports, including professional sports^3.

In 2018 alone:

* NCAA President Mark Emmert was paid a $2.4 million salary.
* Duke University’s head basketball coach was paid an $8.9 million
salary.
* NCAA March Madness collected $900 million in profits and $1.32 billion
in national TV ad revenue.

It is unacceptable for Black student-athletes to struggle when they bring
in billions of dollars. It's time to stop the exploitation of Black
student-athletes.

[ [link removed] ]Tell the California Legislature to pass the Fair Pay to Play Act before
the July 11 deadline!

Until justice is real,

Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Johnny, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade
and the rest of the Color of Change team

References:

 1. “College Athletes Don’t Have Time to Be Students,” Houston Chronicle,
October 15, 2018,
[link removed]
 2. “NCAA’s Amateurism Rule Exploits Black Athletes as Slave Labor,” The
Undefeated, March 27, 2018,
[link removed]
 3. “March Madness Is Most Profitable Postseason TV Deal in Sports,”
Forbes, March 19, 2019,
[link removed]


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[ [link removed] ]Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black
folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. [ [link removed] ]Help
keep our movement strong.

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