U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville joined the Fox News program “America Reports” with John Roberts to talk about legislation surrounding the ongoing Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) issues in college sports.
Tuberville’s appearance came in the wake of the news that the Dartmouth University men’s basketball team had chosen to unionize.
The former Auburn head football coach warned that the precedent of unionization among college athletes could spell the end of college sports as we know them.
“They’re going to kill the goose that laid the golden egg — all these athletes are — because it pays for everything,” said Tuberville (R-Auburn). “Scholarships are paid — men and women — but there’s a lot of people that don’t bring in money to universities. But what’s going to happen here is you’re going to see groups of people that’s going to try to unionize and then it’s going to spread across the country.”
Roberts asked Tuberville about the statement that came from the players who spearheaded the effort and said that Dartmouth is “stuck in the past.”
Tuberville countered their statement by arguing that college athletes are already paid through scholarships and NIL.
“Well, they’re already getting paid,” he said. “And I’m not against student-athletes making some money because it’s a full-time job being an athlete, and a full-time job being in academics. But there’s a way forward where they can do both without unionizing. You can’t get government and unions involved.
“Unions have ruined our education system across the country…We can’t allow this to happen. Coaches are going to get out of the business.”
Legislation for NIL and unionization remains under discussion.
Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP
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