Ed O'Bannon
Blake Lawrence, co-founder and CEO of athlete marketing platform Opendorse, smiles in this Aug. 15, 2018, photo provided by Opendorse. Lawrence expects opportunities for high level NCAA college student-athletes to earn a significant sum of money from activating their social and digital media presence on behalf of sponsors in the local community. That scenario could become reality as soon as 2021 as the NCAA figures out the details of how college athletes can be compensated for the use of their name, image or likeness. (Opendorse via AP)
Tech companies, like college athletes, eager to cash in

By Eric Olson Apr. 27, 2020 10:37 AM EDT

FILE - In this March 14, 2012, file photo, a player runs across the NCAA logo during practice at the NCAA tournament college basketball in Pittsburgh. The NCAA is on its heels again, playing defense of its archaic amateurism rules after missing an opportunity to get out in front of an issue. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic, File)
Analysis: Lacking foresight, NCAA playing defense again

By Ralph D. Russo Oct. 07, 2019 02:29 PM EDT

FILE - In this April 4, 2019, file photo, NCAA President Mark Emmert answers questions at a news conference at the Final Four college basketball tournament in Minneapolis. College athletes are continuing to function at high levels in the classroom but their Academic Progress Rate scores appear to be hitting a peak. The most recent statistics, released Wednesday, May 8, 2019, show this year’s overall four-year score matched last year’s record-high of 983 and that the four-year scores in football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball also matched last year’s marks. Baseball improved by one point to 976 while single-year scores at Historically Black Colleges declined slightly. “We are seeing some flattening of rates, which is not unusual given the large amount of data over a long period of time,” Emmert said in a statement. (AP Photo/Matt York, File)
NCAA to consider allowing athletes to profit from names

By Ralph D. Russo May. 14, 2019 05:33 PM EDT