Athletes.org co-Founders Jim Cavale and Brandon Copeland sit down with ADU’s Jason Belzer for an exclusive conversation in Atlanta during the College Football Playoff championship weekend. Cavale and Copeland share highlights of the progress made thus far by the organization in its 18-month existence, praising the athletes who have bought in to the concept of self-governance and having a voice in the future of the collegiate sports experience. The trio discuss the value of collective bargaining and the power of a players association, pointing out the synergies that exist between the NFL and NFLPA and the NBA and NBAPA. Copeland: “The game is a multi-billion dollar game… [the game] has evolved. The NCAA earns more money than the NBA and the MLB. The incentives for everyone around are no longer aligned with ‘Let me see this college athlete go here, graduate; if a college athlete gets hurt, let me see him protect his livelihood, protect his health and safety. It’s really hard to do that if I get a million dollars if we win this game.’ In this day and age, it makes no sense for the college athlete not to have an organization that represents themselves. All that the administrators have shown to this point is that they are going to give you what they’re forced to give you.”
Below: Watch highlights of the first-ever meeting of college football players to discuss issues such as player’s rights and collective bargaining. The student-athletes take questions from reporters and share their perspective on the current landscape and future of the industry.
The conversation is indexed below for efficient viewing (click the time stamp to jump to a specific question/topic).
