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John,
Unless you’re living under a rock, you’ve been keeping up with March Madness. (Hopefully, your bracket is still looking strong!)
College sports bring us so much joy and community—I know that firsthand as the proud mother of two Division I athletes. I’ve witnessed up close the long hours, the early mornings, and the relentless drive it takes for these young people to succeed both on the field and in the classroom. But I’ve also seen how the business behind college athletics hasn’t always served them well.
For a long time, the NCAA took advantage of their athletes, particularly Black athletes who make up 16% of the student-athlete population. In men’s basketball 44% of participants are Black, with a total of 8,393 student-athletes. In football, 40% of participants are Black, totaling 32,184 student-athletes — the highest number across all sports.
Up until 2021, the NCAA didn’t allow collegiate athletes to profit from their name, image, and likeness. (NIL) That means for decades, the biggest players couldn’t make a dime off sponsorships, brand deals, or anything.
Mind you, the NCAA’s revenue regularly reaches the BILLIONS in a single year.
Thankfully, a Supreme Court ruling forced the NCAA to change its rules around letting student-athletes profit from their NIL. But we’re still pushing for stronger student-athlete protections, because one Supreme Court ruling won’t cut it.
That’s why we invite you to advocate with us for:
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Federal Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) Legislation – Together, we can pressure Congress to pass fair and standardized NIL laws that protect young athletes from exploitation and ensure transparency in deals.
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Financial Literacy Programs – We will advocate for mandated financial education programs for student-athletes to help them manage NIL earnings and long-term wealth.
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Standardized NIL Contract Regulations – We demand clear policies requiring contract disclosures, legal protections, and oversight to prevent predatory agreements.
These are our athletes. Our community. Our future. And they deserve more than applause—they deserve protection, equity, and the chance to thrive. We simply can’t allow institutions like the NCAA to profit from the talents of its young athletes while holding them back from pursuing financial freedom.
If you agree, sign our petition to show your support for student-athletes’ rights:
Thank you for taking action with us.
In solidarity,
Cicley
Black Lives Matter
P.S. Here’s a great example of an NCAA star using their platform for good: LSU basketball player Flau’Jae Johnson partnered up with Experian to eliminate $5 million in consumer debt for 5,000 families during March Madness!
An additional $100,000 in debt will be wiped out each time LSU wins — so even though they're not my top pick, I'll be cheering them on for the good of the community.
Our grassroots movement is pushing for Black liberation every single day. We are striving to create a world where Black people do so much more than just survive. It’s time we thrive.
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Black Lives Matter imagines a world where Black people across the diaspora thrive, experience joy, and are not defined by their struggles.
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