Matt Wuerker Political Cartoon

In our view, the same underlying power sources that own the media and fund them as advertisers, that serve as primary definers of the news, and that produce flak and proper-thinking experts, also play a key role in fixing basic principles and the dominant ideologies.

-Noam Chomsky, taken from the book, “Manufacturing Consent”

Recently a bill was approved by California lawmakers to make it legal for college athletes to profit off their likeness. They’ll be able to sign endorsement deals, make money from jersey sales, etc. The bill has bipartisan support in California passing by a vote of 31–5 in the state legislature. A similar bill was introduced to take away the NCAA’s tax exempt (yeah, that’s right, TAX EXEMPT STATUS) status if college athletes can’t seek a monetary reward from their likeness. NCAA athletics is a billion dollar a year business, and the likeness of the young athletes makes a chunk of that up in merchandising and licensing sales.

Now on it’s face it seems like a good bill. I mean, it’s getting bipartisan approval. Both sides agree that these kids are making boatloads of money for these universities and they’re seeing NOTHING from it. There is an argument, and argument that comes from the NCAA, that the education is payment enough. These kids have the privilege of playing sports at a high level, and also get a top notch education. The NCAA presents this argument as a simple “win win situation”. They…