As you might have heard there is an unknown number of Pac-12 athletes that have decided to boycott the upcoming season should their demands not be met by the conference and league schools. ESPN reported Saturday that the number of athletes could total in the hundreds.
Sunday, through The Players Tribune, the group announced its demands that includes revenue sharing, health insurance after their playing days come to an end plus an end to racial injustice in college sports.
"#WeAreUnited in our commitment to secure fair treatment for college athletes. Due to COVID-19 and other serious concerns, we will opt-out of Pac-12 fall camp and game participation unless the following demands are guaranteed in writing by our conference to protect and benefit both scholarship athletes and walk-ons," the statement by thy Players of the Pac-12 group said.
Arizona cornerback Malik Hausman is listed as one of the "media contacts" for the group that features 11 such athletes including three from Cal. Arizona State offensive lineman Cody Shear is also part of the group.
The player group is being aided by the National College Players Association advocacy group, which is led by former UCLA linebacker Ramogi Huma.
It is unclear how the conference will react to the list of demands released Sunday morning since the league nor schools have known what the list would entail.
"Neither the Conference nor our university athletics departments have been contacted by this group regarding these topics," a Pac-12 statement provided to ESPN said. "We support our student-athletes using their voice 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 the health, safety and well being of our student athletes, coaches and staff always the first priority. We have made it clear that any student athlete who chooses not to return to competition for health or safety reasons will have their scholarship protected."
Here are the list of demands from the Pac-12 player group:
I. Health & Safety Protections
COVID-19 Protections
1. Allow option not to play during the pandemic without losing athletics eligibility or spot on our team’s roster.
2. Prohibit/void COVID-19 agreements that waive liability.
Mandatory Safety Standards, Including COVID-19 Measures
1. Player-approved health and safety standards enforced by a third party selected by players to address COVID-19, as well as serious injury, abuse and death.
II. Protect All Sports
Preserve All Existing Sports by Eliminating Excessive Expenditures
Guaranteed Medical Expense Coverage
Sunday, through The Players Tribune, the group announced its demands that includes revenue sharing, health insurance after their playing days come to an end plus an end to racial injustice in college sports.
"#WeAreUnited in our commitment to secure fair treatment for college athletes. Due to COVID-19 and other serious concerns, we will opt-out of Pac-12 fall camp and game participation unless the following demands are guaranteed in writing by our conference to protect and benefit both scholarship athletes and walk-ons," the statement by thy Players of the Pac-12 group said.
Arizona cornerback Malik Hausman is listed as one of the "media contacts" for the group that features 11 such athletes including three from Cal. Arizona State offensive lineman Cody Shear is also part of the group.
The player group is being aided by the National College Players Association advocacy group, which is led by former UCLA linebacker Ramogi Huma.
It is unclear how the conference will react to the list of demands released Sunday morning since the league nor schools have known what the list would entail.
"Neither the Conference nor our university athletics departments have been contacted by this group regarding these topics," a Pac-12 statement provided to ESPN said. "We support our student-athletes using their voice 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 the health, safety and well being of our student athletes, coaches and staff always the first priority. We have made it clear that any student athlete who chooses not to return to competition for health or safety reasons will have their scholarship protected."
Here are the list of demands from the Pac-12 player group:
I. Health & Safety Protections
COVID-19 Protections
1. Allow option not to play during the pandemic without losing athletics eligibility or spot on our team’s roster.
2. Prohibit/void COVID-19 agreements that waive liability.
Mandatory Safety Standards, Including COVID-19 Measures
1. Player-approved health and safety standards enforced by a third party selected by players to address COVID-19, as well as serious injury, abuse and death.
II. Protect All Sports
Preserve All Existing Sports by Eliminating Excessive Expenditures
1. Larry Scott, administrators, and coaches to voluntarily and drastically reduce excessive pay.
2. End performance/academic bonuses.
3. End lavish facility expenditures and use some endowment funds to preserve all sports.*
* As an example, Stanford University should reinstate all sports discontinued by tapping into their $27.7 billion endowment.
III. End Racial Injustice in College Sports and Society2. End performance/academic bonuses.
3. End lavish facility expenditures and use some endowment funds to preserve all sports.*
* As an example, Stanford University should reinstate all sports discontinued by tapping into their $27.7 billion endowment.
1. Former a permanent civic-engagement task force made up of our leaders, experts of our choice, and university and conference administrators to address outstanding issues such as racial injustice in college sports and in society.
2. In partnership with the Pac-12, 2% of conference revenue would be directed by players to support financial aid for low-income Black students, community initiatives, and development programs for college athletes on each campus.
3. Form annual Pac-12 Black College Athlete Summit with guaranteed representation of at least three athletes of our choice from every school.
IV. Economic Freedom and Equity2. In partnership with the Pac-12, 2% of conference revenue would be directed by players to support financial aid for low-income Black students, community initiatives, and development programs for college athletes on each campus.
3. Form annual Pac-12 Black College Athlete Summit with guaranteed representation of at least three athletes of our choice from every school.
Guaranteed Medical Expense Coverage
1. Medical insurance selected by players for sports-related medical conditions, including COVID-19 illness, to cover six years after college athletics eligibility ends.
Name, Image, and Likeness Rights & Representation
1. The freedom to secure representation, receive basic necessities from any third party and earn money for use of our name, image, and likeness rights.
Fair Market Pay, Rights & Freedoms
1. Distribute 50% of each sport's total conference revenue evenly among athletes in their respective sports.
2. Six-year athletic scholarships to foster undergraduate and graduate degree completion.
3. Elimination of all policies and practices restricting or deterring our freedom of speech, our ability to fully participate in charitable work, and our freedom to participate in campus activities outside of mandatory athletics participation.
4. Ability of players of all sports to transfer one time without punishment, and additionally in cases of abuse or serious negligence.
5. Ability to complete eligibility after participating in a pro draft if player goes undrafted and foregoes professional participation within seven days of the draft.
6. Due process rights
2. Six-year athletic scholarships to foster undergraduate and graduate degree completion.
3. Elimination of all policies and practices restricting or deterring our freedom of speech, our ability to fully participate in charitable work, and our freedom to participate in campus activities outside of mandatory athletics participation.
4. Ability of players of all sports to transfer one time without punishment, and additionally in cases of abuse or serious negligence.
5. Ability to complete eligibility after participating in a pro draft if player goes undrafted and foregoes professional participation within seven days of the draft.
6. Due process rights
