Morgantown, West Virginia – On the eve of the NCAA Tournament, a growing trend has started among college basketball athletes called “Not NCAA Property.”
Geo Baker, a senior guard for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, started the movement by posting the following message on social media: “The NCAA OWNS my name image and likeness. Someone on a music scholarship can profit from an album. Someone on an academic scholarship can have a tutor service.
For people who say, ‘an athletic scholarship is enough’, anything less than equal rights is never enough.”
Baker ended the message with the hashtag “NotNCAAProperty”
The NCAA OWNS my name image and likeness. Someone on music scholarship can profit from an album. Someone on academic scholarship can have a tutor service. For ppl who say “an athletic scholarship is enough.” Anything less than equal rights is never enough. I am #NotNCAAProperty
— Geo Baker (@Geo_Baker_1) March 17, 2021
Several West Virginia basketball players, including Taz Sherman and Jalen Bridges, retweeted the message and Bridges added, “OUR VOICES WILL BE HEARD” and “Not NCAA Property..simple as that.”
#NotNCAAProperty simple as that…
— jalen (@jalenbridgess) March 17, 2021
This does bring up an interesting debate in collegiate athletics. While the NCAA continues to make millions and millions of dollars every year, college athletes have very modest living conditions and a very challenging schedule as a student and an athlete.
The opposition believes that a college scholarship is enough and that athletes should be grateful for what they are given. College basketball analyst Jon Rothstein said the following after it was revealed that several college basketball were complaining about the conditions inside the NCAA Tournament Bubble:
“Are people really complaining about things in the bubble? Would you prefer to go back to the situation we endured last year? We’re having an NCAA Tournament and that’s all that matters. Be grateful for what you do have in life. Not what you don’t.”
Are people really complaining about things in the bubble?
Would you prefer to go back to the situation we endured last year?
We're having an NCAA Tournament and that's all that matters.
Be grateful for what you DO have in life.
Not what you don't.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) March 16, 2021
