The scandal surrounding Penn State's football program and alleged abuse of power by its leaders – and long-time accusations of player exploitation throughout the NCAA – served to highlight the huge sums reaped by universities, coaches, TV networks; seemingly everyone except the athletes that make the programs possible.
Couple that with high-profile media coverage of former NFL players suffering crippling injuries during their careers and into retirement. Those and other factors led the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to intervene on behalf of former Northwestern quarterback Kain Colter when he tried to form a union so that he and his teammates could get adequate medical coverage.
In an age when unions across industries struggle to survive, let alone thrive, the landmark ruling could dramatically alter the NCAA landscape.
Read the full article from the Washington Post.