Supreme Court Rules In Favor Of Student-Athlete Payments

The Supreme Court is usually bitterly divided, but it unanimously ruled that the NCAA. cannot prohibit payments to student-athletes, so long as they are modest in their amount.

Payments to student-athletes for items such as academic equipment, scholarship opportunities, international studies and other critical aspects foundational to both theoretical and pragmatic learning were deemed acceptable by the court. The NCAA attempted to counter this push for minor payments by arguing, unsuccessfully, that sports fans would feel unsettled by supposedly amateur athletes being paid for some of their activities.

Much of the debate regarding amateurism for collegiate student-athletes stems from an antitrust case heard by the Supreme Court in 1984. In their ruling, the court penned that “The N.C.A.A. plays a critical role in the maintenance of a revered tradition of amateurism in college sports.” Since then, the NCAA has held a vice grip over the ability of student-athletes to be compensated for their playing abilities.

The Biden Administration also became involved in this most recent case, pledging their support for the group and stating that these payments were beneficial to the wellbeing of student-athletes across the country.

However, the future of student-athlete compensation still remains at large.