Old North News

In a joint subcommittee hearing titled "Safeguarding Student-Athletes from NLRB Misclassification," Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee Chairman Bob Good from Virginia expressed his views on the classification of student-athletes.

Chairman Good, a former Liberty University staff member with a background in wrestling, shared his passion for college athletics, stating, "Like most Americans, I love college athletics." He highlighted the potential negative impacts of the National Labor Relations Board's efforts to classify student-athletes as employees of their universities, emphasizing that such a move could lead to increased regulations and costs.

Pointing out specific cases where the NLRB's decisions have raised concerns, Chairman Good mentioned the classification of Dartmouth College's men's basketball team as 'employees' and the theory that the NCAA and the Pac-12 Conference could be considered joint employers of student-athletes. He argued that such classifications could have detrimental effects on both student-athletes and institutions, leading to reduced freedoms, lower educational standards, and potential financial implications for scholarships.

Drawing from his personal experience as a former NCAA student-athlete who transitioned into a successful career outside of sports, Chairman Good emphasized the importance of maintaining the current structure of college athletics. He expressed his belief that there are alternative ways to protect the interests of student-athletes and universities without fundamentally altering the nature of collegiate sports.

As the discussion on the classification of student-athletes continues, Chairman Good remains optimistic about finding solutions that benefit all parties involved while preserving the essence of college athletics.