A report by Yahoo revealed that an FBI probe into NCAA corruption identifies possible violations by basketball powerhouse schools including Kentucky, UNC, Kansas, Duke, Texas, and more than 15 others. Sports Attorney Jason Belzer, President at Game, broke down the implications of the allegations.
Several top NBA prospects and recently drafted players were linked to impermissible benefits, such as cash advances and entertainment and travel expenses. Names listed include Duke's Wendell Carter Jr., Michigan State's Miles Bridges, and Alabama's Collin Sexton. Belzer isn't surprised by the allegations. He believes that until players get a share of the revenue that the schools get, these transactions will continue to be a part of recruitment.
The average compensation for a college basketball or football player is around $250,000-$300,000, including items such as tuition and room and board, according to Belzer. The top players generate an estimated $3 million to $5 million for their schools, he added. Belzer said a compensation structure that could fix the problem would be one that allows players to accept certain amounts of compensation. The easiest way, he said, would be to put money into a trust fund for the athletes.
In a time when TV ratings are dropping for a number of different sports, eSports is on the rise. Millions of people tune in to watch gamers compete online to the tune of millions of dollars. That economic potential is grabbing the attention of VC firms like Accel.
Big changes are coming to ESPN. The sports network just named James Pitaro as president, all while former host Adrienne Lawrence is accusing several network employees of harassment and discrimination. FHM's Nick Dimengo discusses whether or not Pitaro's digital background will be enough to save the struggling network.
With March Madness around the corner and the FBI investigating NCAA for benefit violations, the issue of whether college athletes should be paid is back in the spotlight. Swofford, though, says the whole system needs to be revamped.
ACC Commissioner John Swofford discusses what the last two years have been like having the ACC Tournament at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The first round of the tournament starts Tuesday afternoon.
ESPN has a new president, following the abrupt resignation of its former president in December. The Nordstrom board rejected an offer from the Nordstrom family to take the company private.
The founder behind luggage company Wool & Oak wanted a trendy, back-packing alternative to the traditional tourist bag. Now Wool & Oak is now out with their third Kickstarter campaign that was fully funded in less than 24 hours!
The D10 is a Wall Street decathlon that has raised more than $10 million for pediatric cancer research over the years. This June, the event will celebrate it's 10th anniversary!
The Weinstein Company reaches a deal, REI stops ordering from Vista Outdoor over its response to Parkland shooting. Fox will finally air its "If I Did It" interview with OJ Simpson, more than a decade after taping it.
Snap is planning to roll out new Spectacles after its first version failed spectacularly. An investor group strikes a last-minute deal to buy the Weinstein Co. Global markets are tanking on fears of a trade war following President Trump's tariff announcement. And we're talking eSports with Mike LaBelle, the New York Red Bulls' first official eSports athlete.
The U.S. Men's Curling Team shocked the world by winning gold at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games last weekend. The team made history by becoming the first American curling team to win gold. Team members Joe Polo, Matt Hamilton, Tyler George, John Shuster, and John Landsteiner join us to talk about their victory.
