College football players association in talks with Big Ten. Is a labor union next?

It's a new era in college football, especially surrounding issues of player freedom.

The radical reform of the transfer portal has created what's in effect a free agency system, and the new NIL rules allow players to make money legally for the first time.

Now, some players in the Big Ten are going one step further, joining up with a players association that's now getting attention from power brokers in the conference.

Led by Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford, the College Football Players Association is in talks with the Big Ten on some major issues, according to More Perfect Union, a labor advocacy group.

Among the issues discussed will be the potential sharing of media money and getting better medical care for current and former players.

EXCLUSIVE: College football players are unionizing, and the first chapter will be at Penn State.

The College Football Players Association is already in negotiations with the Big Ten.

Led by quarterback Sean Clifford, players want revenue sharing and better medical care. pic.twitter.com/pwg3JGRZbc
— More Perfect Union (@MorePerfectUS) July 22, 2022

ESPN confirmed the report of conversation between the group and the Big Ten.

Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren met with leaders of an independent players association this week. The group has asked to begin a conversation with the conference about demands including revenue sharing, and says Warren agreed to start that conversation.
— Dan Murphy (@DanMurphyESPN) July 22, 2022

Last July, the College Football Players Association (CFBPA) formally launched with the goal of promoting labor organization among NCAA football players.

While this is an interesting development, it's important to note that the College Football Players Association is not, strictly speaking, a labor union.

This group is an association that aims to represent players' interests, but reportedly is not ruling out unionization in the future.

Something which became at least a theoretical possibility after a memo emerged last year from the top lawyer at the National Labor Relations Board.

That memo noted that college football players should be legally considered as employees of their universities.

Whether or not college football players will be able to form a union in the future, it does appear the sport is moving in the direction of players having a much larger say.

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