UAB became the first Division I football team to join the fledgling organization, which hopes to represent its athletes as college sports moves toward a more professional model.
After a meeting arranged by coach Trent Dilfer, Athlete.org said Monday that its co-founders recently met with UAB players and staff to discuss college sports' plans, including athletes collectively bargaining with the school. He announced a vision for the not-too-distant future. Consult with conferences and, in some cases, the NCAA to determine revenue distribution methods and other policies.
Athletes.org is not yet a union and is one of several organizations trying to organize athletes. Over the past eight months, the group has signed more than 2,900 college athletes across all sports, mostly one at a time, said one of its founders, Jim Cavall.
“It's a lot easier if you have a chance to get in front of the team and at least earn their trust and see if they sign up. Give them a choice as a team,” Cavale said in a phone interview. told the Associated Press.
He said the meeting with UAB took place about two weeks ago in Birmingham, Alabama.
Signing up is free, and Athlete.org already provides free legal, financial, and mental health services to its members, as well as background checks on agents and companies with which athletes wish to do business.
With even more dramatic changes on the horizon for college sports, including multiple antitrust lawsuits that could shift millions of dollars in revenue to players, the organization is an association that coordinates athletes by sport. It is poised to evolve into
“The revenue is just around the corner,” Cavale said.
Last month, Dartmouth's men's basketball team voted to unionize after a decision by the National Labor Relations Board's regional director deemed the players to be employees. The school is contesting the ruling, and while it is contesting, it has no obligation to negotiate with the players.
A separate NLRB complaint is being heard in California, asking that USC players be considered employees of the school and its conference. Another complaint was recently filed asking that Notre Dame athletes be treated as employees.
These lawsuits can take years to reach a conclusion.
Looming over college sports are several antitrust lawsuits that threaten to force the NCAA, conferences and schools to change the way they pay college athletes. Most notably, the House of Representatives v. NCAA case could result in billions of dollars in damages for the association and major university conferences. Another Pennsylvania lawsuit specifically asks that college athletes be considered employees.
College sports leaders are asking Congress to help pass a federal law that would prevent college athletes (at least most) from obtaining official status. NCAA President Charlie Baker has repeatedly said that most athletes he talks to do not want to become employees of their schools.
Excerpts from the meeting with UAB athletes and Athlete.org officials were posted on social media. Dilfer, a former NFL quarterback in his second year as UAB coach, explained to his team that in the NFL, players are represented and supported by the union.
“Right now, you have no help,” Dilfer told his team. “Just you and your parents.”
Cavale, the former CEO of INFLCR, a company that provides name, image and likeness compensation opportunities and brand-building support to schools and athletes, along with former NFL player Brandon Copeland. I talked to the team.
Cavale said he has talked to many soccer coaches at power conferences who want their teams to hear about Athlete.org and how school administrators want their players to benefit from being organized. He said that he hopes that they will understand.
“Schools that are supporting us to at least give players the choice of whether or not to register should not be concerned,” Cavale said. “Athletes don't have to sign up, but they do need to recognize that we're in this moment and have that option.”
