Story from ESPN:
A group of Pac-12 football players from multiple schools penned a letter in The Players' Tribune threatening to opt out of fall camp and game participation unless their demands for fair treatment, safety regulations and concerns over racial justice for college athletes are met by the conference.
The letter is signed by Players of the Pac-12 and uses the hashtag #WeAreUnited to explain the group's concerns, saying, "Because NCAA sports exploit college athletes physically, economically and academically, and also disproportionately harm Black college athletes, #WeAreUnited."
A number of players also sent tweets of the letter and hashtag on Sunday.
Here is the letter:
Click on images for larger view:
From the ESPN article, there are some things I agree with:
The athletes leading this charge say they are being asked to play college sports in a pandemic without transparency and guarantees for their safety and without the ability to secure representation while being asked to sign documents that could serve as liability waivers.
The group is also asking conference commissioner Larry Scott, administrators and coaches to "drastically reduce excessive pay" and end performance bonuses in order to help preserve existing sports.
"There's not enough transparency about health risks, no uniformity to ensure we're all safe when we play each other, and no adequate enforcement infrastructure," the statement said. "NCAA sports has truly failed us, it doesn't enforce any health and safety standards. We believe a football season under these conditions would be reckless and put us at needless risk...."
"I love football," UCLA defensive back Elisha Guidry said in a statement. "I love football so much that I am willing to give it up if things are not done right and we are not in a safe environment. Every player that puts on these pads to play this game is a person with their own family, own friends, own passions, and own purpose that is greater than football. We want to play the game we love and have given so much of ourselves to, but we want to do it in a safe way."
Some things I disagree with include:
In addition to those financial requests, the student-athletes are demanding guaranteed medical expense coverage for six years after their college eligibility ends.
The group is asking the Pac-12 to distribute 50% of each sport's conference revenue evenly among athletes in their respective sports, to give six-year athletic scholarships and for the ability to transfer one time with impunity.
"This is important to me because I want to see the young men that are being exploited by the Pac-12 [and] NCAA have the right to earn money for their families," said Oregon safety Jevon Holland, an All-American and potential first-round pick in next year's NFL draft. "I want the safety of my peers' lives to be placed higher than the sport they play. If we are treated like employees then we should be compensated as such."
The FULL story: https://www.espn.com/college-footba...ers-show-unity-list-demands-letter-conference
Related Story, from the Associated Press:
Reports: Text to Pac-12 players encourages possible opt-out
By The Associated Press
AUGUST 1, 2020 — 11:06PM
A text message circulating among Pac-12 football players is encouraging them to opt-out of practices and games until they can negotiate protections and benefits related to health and safety, economic rights and the fight against racial injustice.
ESPN first reported the possible movement among players at multiple Pac-12 schools and The Athletic published the text invitation. The text says a public announcement, along with a list of demands, will be published Monday through The Players Tribune and social media platforms.
“Our goals is obtain a written contract with the Pac-12 that legally ensures we are offered the following protections and benefits." I
Listed are:
— Ensure safe play during COVID-19
— Fight racial injustice
— Secure economic rights and fair compensation
— Protect all sports
— Obtain long-term health insurance
The Pac-12 on Friday announced its plan to delay the start of the season to Sept. 26 and play only 10 conference games in an attempt manage potential disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic. The states of California and Arizona, home to half the Pac-12 teams, have experienced some some of the worst surges in coronvirus cases over the last month.
The Pac-12 approved a plan that will allow teams in the conference to start 20 hours per week of team activities, including weight training, meetings and noncontact practices known as walk-throughs. Preseason practice in the Pac-12 is scheduled to start Aug. 17, but currently Southern California, UCLA and California are operating under local restrictions that would prevent their football teams from practicing.
“Neither the Conference nor our university athletics departments have been contacted by this group regarding these topics,” the Pac-12 said in a statement. “We support our student-athletes using their voices, and have regular communications with our student-athletes at many different levels on a range of topics. As we have clearly stated with respect to our fall competition plans, we are, and always will be, directed by medical experts with health, safety and well being of our student athletes, coaches and staff always the first priority. We have made it clear that any student who chooses not to return to competition for health and safety reasons will have their scholarship protected.”
Also on Saturday, The Washington Post reported on a meeting between player representatives from Southeastern Conference teams and the league's commissioner, Greg Sankey, and medial advisers. The Post obtained an audio recording of the meeting.
"For so much unknown in the air right now, is it worth having a football season without certainty?” an unidentified player asked.
Sankey responded: “Part of our work is to bring as much certainty in the midst of this really strange time as we can so you can play football in the most healthy way possible, with the understanding there aren’t any guarantees in life.”
LINK: https://www.startribune.com/reports-text-to-pac-12-players-encourages-possible-opt-out/571982982/
A group of Pac-12 football players from multiple schools penned a letter in The Players' Tribune threatening to opt out of fall camp and game participation unless their demands for fair treatment, safety regulations and concerns over racial justice for college athletes are met by the conference.
The letter is signed by Players of the Pac-12 and uses the hashtag #WeAreUnited to explain the group's concerns, saying, "Because NCAA sports exploit college athletes physically, economically and academically, and also disproportionately harm Black college athletes, #WeAreUnited."
A number of players also sent tweets of the letter and hashtag on Sunday.
Here is the letter:
Click on images for larger view:
From the ESPN article, there are some things I agree with:
The athletes leading this charge say they are being asked to play college sports in a pandemic without transparency and guarantees for their safety and without the ability to secure representation while being asked to sign documents that could serve as liability waivers.
The group is also asking conference commissioner Larry Scott, administrators and coaches to "drastically reduce excessive pay" and end performance bonuses in order to help preserve existing sports.
"There's not enough transparency about health risks, no uniformity to ensure we're all safe when we play each other, and no adequate enforcement infrastructure," the statement said. "NCAA sports has truly failed us, it doesn't enforce any health and safety standards. We believe a football season under these conditions would be reckless and put us at needless risk...."
"I love football," UCLA defensive back Elisha Guidry said in a statement. "I love football so much that I am willing to give it up if things are not done right and we are not in a safe environment. Every player that puts on these pads to play this game is a person with their own family, own friends, own passions, and own purpose that is greater than football. We want to play the game we love and have given so much of ourselves to, but we want to do it in a safe way."
Some things I disagree with include:
In addition to those financial requests, the student-athletes are demanding guaranteed medical expense coverage for six years after their college eligibility ends.
The group is asking the Pac-12 to distribute 50% of each sport's conference revenue evenly among athletes in their respective sports, to give six-year athletic scholarships and for the ability to transfer one time with impunity.
"This is important to me because I want to see the young men that are being exploited by the Pac-12 [and] NCAA have the right to earn money for their families," said Oregon safety Jevon Holland, an All-American and potential first-round pick in next year's NFL draft. "I want the safety of my peers' lives to be placed higher than the sport they play. If we are treated like employees then we should be compensated as such."
The FULL story: https://www.espn.com/college-footba...ers-show-unity-list-demands-letter-conference
Related Story, from the Associated Press:
Reports: Text to Pac-12 players encourages possible opt-out
By The Associated Press
AUGUST 1, 2020 — 11:06PM
A text message circulating among Pac-12 football players is encouraging them to opt-out of practices and games until they can negotiate protections and benefits related to health and safety, economic rights and the fight against racial injustice.
ESPN first reported the possible movement among players at multiple Pac-12 schools and The Athletic published the text invitation. The text says a public announcement, along with a list of demands, will be published Monday through The Players Tribune and social media platforms.
“Our goals is obtain a written contract with the Pac-12 that legally ensures we are offered the following protections and benefits." I
Listed are:
— Ensure safe play during COVID-19
— Fight racial injustice
— Secure economic rights and fair compensation
— Protect all sports
— Obtain long-term health insurance
The Pac-12 on Friday announced its plan to delay the start of the season to Sept. 26 and play only 10 conference games in an attempt manage potential disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic. The states of California and Arizona, home to half the Pac-12 teams, have experienced some some of the worst surges in coronvirus cases over the last month.
The Pac-12 approved a plan that will allow teams in the conference to start 20 hours per week of team activities, including weight training, meetings and noncontact practices known as walk-throughs. Preseason practice in the Pac-12 is scheduled to start Aug. 17, but currently Southern California, UCLA and California are operating under local restrictions that would prevent their football teams from practicing.
“Neither the Conference nor our university athletics departments have been contacted by this group regarding these topics,” the Pac-12 said in a statement. “We support our student-athletes using their voices, and have regular communications with our student-athletes at many different levels on a range of topics. As we have clearly stated with respect to our fall competition plans, we are, and always will be, directed by medical experts with health, safety and well being of our student athletes, coaches and staff always the first priority. We have made it clear that any student who chooses not to return to competition for health and safety reasons will have their scholarship protected.”
Also on Saturday, The Washington Post reported on a meeting between player representatives from Southeastern Conference teams and the league's commissioner, Greg Sankey, and medial advisers. The Post obtained an audio recording of the meeting.
"For so much unknown in the air right now, is it worth having a football season without certainty?” an unidentified player asked.
Sankey responded: “Part of our work is to bring as much certainty in the midst of this really strange time as we can so you can play football in the most healthy way possible, with the understanding there aren’t any guarantees in life.”
LINK: https://www.startribune.com/reports-text-to-pac-12-players-encourages-possible-opt-out/571982982/
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