APU Protest Planned for NCAA Convention

They say absolute power corrupts absolutely and college athletes can tell you that this holds true in NCAA sports. Players are letting the NCAA big wigs know that athletes deserve a real seat at the table...

January 14, 2014

Riverside, CA

For the second time in less than two weeks, the National College Players Association (NCPA) will launch a protest at a major NCAA-related event to draw attention to the NCAA’s unjust treatment of college athletes.  An airplane will circle the site of the NCAA’s annual convention tomorrow with the following message for NCAA power brokers:

“#All Players United For An Equal Voice. Wake Up NCAA!”

The NCPA’s All Players United (APU) campaign was launched this fall when players from multiple football teams wore “APU” on their gear.  Players from Arizona, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kansas, Michigan State, North Carolina, and Northwestern have worn APU during televised games in solidarity for concussion reform and other goals.  

NCPA President Ramogi Huma stated, “The NCAA has refused to implement concussion reform to minimize brain trauma, federal graduation rates continue to hover around 50% for football and basketball players, players are too often stuck with sports-related medical expenses and can lose their scholarship if they’re injured.  When it comes to these issues, college athletes deserve an equal voice.”

The NCPA represents over 17,000 current and former Division I athletes from all sports, but NCAA President Mark Emmert and all of the FBS conference commissioners declined to discuss NCAA reform with the NCPA.

“The NCAA recently declared that it has no duty to protect college athletes, which explains why it has failed to address critical gaps in protections for players.  They say absolute power corrupts absolutely and college athletes can tell you that this holds true in NCAA sports.  Players need a real seat at the table,” stated Huma.

The APU aerial protest will circle the San Diego Convention Center, which is where NCAA athletic administrators will be discussing options for an NCAA governance structure redesign.  The aerial protest will take place between 1:30pm-4:30pm PST.