By Troy Vincent
NFL Player Engagement
The landscape of sports is changing dramatically, and it’s a good time to ask exactly where we are during this tumultuous time.
There are so many situations facing today’s student-athletes that it’s tough to know where to begin.
Among the hottest topics are conference realignment, paying athletes, litigation, misbehavior and suspensions, and of course, education itself.
In fact, we place such a high priority on this, that we have also published our interview with American Athletic Conference (AAC) Commissioner Mike Aresco for his take on these topics and more.
But for me, I keep asking if we are getting away from our core values, and if so, how do we preserve them?
Not that what is happening is necessarily wrong, it’s just different.
For instance, when colleges are changing conferences and no longer playing rivals that they have lined up with both geographically and culturally, we have to wonder what the long-term effect will be.
This leads to other questions as well, such as whether this will affect the education experience and will the current learning value still be maintained?
Especially for the power conferences, where the numbers of student-athletes affected by these changes can be colossal.
Then to take an even bigger-picture view, there is the litigation looming and the latest rage regarding the paying of student-athletes.
Additionally, there are the age-old questions regarding wrongdoing, and when discovered, what enforcement will ensue?
What this all may mean we don’t know yet, but we all know any definitive decisions could be game-changers.
Ultimately, those most affected will likely be the student-athletes, who are caught in the crossfire.
Therefore, it is important for you to become thought leaders, and ask yourselves some questions:
“What’s your position on these hot topics?”
“What is the current state of the student-athlete?”
“How do we become part of the solution?”
For by asking these and other questions, you will find the answers.