College Football Players Demand Seat at the Table: Unchecked

With the college football season on the verge of being canceled, players are coming together to have their voices heard.

If there’s one good thing happening in regards to college football right now, it’s that the players are starting to ask for something they should have had a long time ago, a seat at the table.

You’ve heard some of us say constantly how badly the players want to play.
College football coaches and support staff all over the nation have told me that almost daily.
It ultimately may not be up to the players — but they’re speaking up.
Check out #WeWantToPlay.
It’s a chorus.

— Marty Smith (@MartySmithESPN) August 10, 2020

As the current circumstances only highlight how screwed up the system is. Of course that is hardly a breaking story.

lotta you guys are picking a helluva time to give a damn about what college athletes want.

— bomani (@bomani_jones) August 10, 2020

College sports returning was always harder to justify than the pros because with revenue being the reason, and the participants seeing none, it only further focuses on the farce that is the concept of “student athletes” when really we’re talking about de facto, unpaid, employees. 

And now with the college football season on the verge of being canceled, the players are the ones being short changed yet again, as despite the flaws in structure, it seems apparent most of them want to play, with Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence and others asking to do just that complete with a list of protocols they want met to make it happen.

#WeWantToPlay pic.twitter.com/jvQhE7noGB

— Trevor Lawrence (@Trevorlawrencee) August 10, 2020

Which again brings up another thing missing in NCAA athletics, uniformity. Hence essentially what looks like the formation of a union, or at least a unified voice. Hopefully that means regardless of what happens with the upcoming college football season, whenever it returns, it won’t look the same. 

no version of CFB that is worth a damn going forward can exist without the players having formal representation in every decision making process. not 2 players on some BS NCAA council with no teeth. no matter what your opinion is now, it sounds like we’re all finally in agreement

— Mike Golic Jr (@mikegolicjr) August 10, 2020

Because it is well past time the most important people are involved in every aspect of the process.

#WeWantToPlay has very quickly risen to the No. 1 trending topic in America.

Their voices will certainly be heard. But will they have an impact?

This should be fascinating. pic.twitter.com/dyZE3LsY81

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) August 10, 2020

The players say #WeWantToPlay. Well, I want them to at least have a say, not just now, but more importantly, going forward.