The term “student-athlete” has repeatedly come under legal fire in recent years. Thousands of current and former college athletes contend that it unlawfully constrains their legal rights.
Should college athletes, who in some cases “work” more than 50 hours per week, be classified as employees? Should they be able to sign licensing agreements with third parties, including video game publishers and trading card companies, so that various products sought by consumers can feature those athletes’ names, images and likenesses? Should they be able to retain agents for negotiations with third parties? Alternatively, should athletic scholarships account for players’ capacity to generate sizable revenues for their schools?