Analysis by Reuben Alarico in SRM 435 (section 2)
For our project, we focused our attention on two articles: “Northwestern Players Granted Right to Unionize” by Eric Macramalla and “Northwestern University Players Can Unionize” by Sara Ganim. Overall, they both detailed the situation similarly but they also detailed and went in-depth on different aspects. The first article by Macramalla focuses a lot on the criteria and regulations of being considered a “student-athlete” such as asking for permission to get an off campus job and how you have to accept a coach’s friend on any social media that the player may be using. The second article by Ganim focuses on what the players seek by unionizing such as medical benefits and how Northwestern University may actually eliminate their football program entirely if the players succeed in unionizing so that way they can preserve their academic integrity.
From a marketing and sales standpoint, I believe this situation can help and hurt both parties. I believe that if they succeed in unionizing, then current football players and the football program may be able to target potential recruits and state that their player get treated fairly and so will you. They would also be able to “pitch” them the fact that they will be able to receive medical benefits and possibly see increased stipends. Another marketing strategy that Northwestern University could employ would be to present their top high-profile athletes in a professional way to the NFL. For example, they would be able to show that they take on responsibility and that they handle themselves in a professional manner. I feel that this would take some pressure off any team that is interested in the player. Looking at it from the other side, Northwestern University can use this issue and their stance on it to help pave the way for other schools in preventing the unionization of their “student-athletes.” According to Henry Bienen, Northwestern University’s President Emeritus, is ok with completely eliminating their football program to maintain academics as being their priority. The article goes on to say that this situation could lead to what the Ivy League schools did back in the 1950’s when they dropped athletic scholarships.
As for how this issue relates to our sports marketing class, I believe that it will be a lingering issue for years to come and that it will be something that will cause controversy within private universities. With that being said, I think that later down the road we might see private institutions employ marketing strategies about being a part of a union that might appeal to potential recruits. There have even been talks that these ”athletes” might even receive a salary within the next couple of years. The last reason why I feel that this topic is relevant to class is because it may or may not hinder the schools chance to promote their football or other athletic team if they decide to eliminate the sport all together.
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Analysis by Matthew Flint in SRM 435 (section 2)
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruled that the Northwestern college football players are employees of the university and have the right to form a union. The union is led by Kain Colter who played for Northwestern as their quarterback. The players on the football team can now bargain with their coaching staff and school, or employers, for more rights and benefits in regards to the basic rights that employees are granted through labor laws. With the players able to unionize, if enough teams pick up on the ability to unionize through private schools, then the situation could very well change the way the NCAA is handled with student athletes. The billions that the NCAA pulls in through college athletics could be split up a lot more if more and more players are considered employees and demand a higher salary and benefits. Northwestern stated that they would consider getting rid of their football program if the union actually came to fruition.
The situation about Northwestern is gaining a snowball effect with the media and how much coverage the topic is getting. A union could be a brand new selling point to colleges if they want to try to adapt the feature of athletes having more benefits and pay raises. Recruits from high school would probably much rather focus more on the sport they are interested in as well as look at the benefits of getting paid for what they love playing. The union could be a great selling standpoint because instead of a recruit going on to another school just with a scholarship, the union could offer the recruit much more.
I believe that the Northwestern unionization is relevant to this course because it has a chance to completely change the way that the NCAA is ran. If Northwestern decides to keep their football program due to the union, they could have an unfair advantage when looking for new recruits. Unions catching on to private schools could easily influence player’s decisions on whether they want to focus more on their academics or their college career. Marketing with the union would be very easy to appeal to younger athletes because they would look at the bigger picture with what is readily available to them to help them achieve their goals and help them in case they get injured.
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