Dartmouth labor ruling: Will college football players be paid in the future?

A potentially historic ruling came down from the National Labor Relations Board this week, announcing that the members of the Dartmouth University men's basketball team are employees of the school and have the right to form a labor union.

If that should happen, it would mark the first time that student-athletes, regarded as amateurs since the inception of college sports, would be able to form a union and start demanding regular wages and other demands as students.

So, what does that mean for college football and other NCAA sports going forward? Is this the end of amateurism? Here's what we know so far.

History is made

This ruling is the most ground gained by the movement to regard student-athletes as employees that have a right to a wage for playing sports.

Back in 2014, Northwestern football players received a similar ruling at the regional level of the NLRB, but it was overturned at the national level because the board said it could not assert jurisdiction.

The NLRB applies to the private sector, not state-run organizations, like a public university, and said that because Northwestern, a private institution, was in a conference with state schools, a national ruling would not promote stability in labor relations because of differences in state labor laws.

Being a private school, there is an increased chance that Dartmouth could make this ruling stick on the national level.

Union could come soon

After the decision, it's expected the 15 members of the Dartmouth basketball team will vote to form a union. Players are interested in doing so, and a majority of eight is needed for a 'yes' vote.

That means players would be paid regular wages from the athletic director budget and they would likely begin collective bargaining with the school over other working conditions.

Is amateurism dead?

Unless some major obstacle prevents it, this ruling could be the first demonstrative step in completely changing the system as it currently exists and may result in universities being considered employers and players being paid to play sports in college.

The new NIL system in college football and other sports has created a kind of compensation system for players across the country, but one that remains mired in confusion and repeated calls for change from coaches and other personnel.

Analysts have also raised concern since the Dartmouth ruling that a system where players are employees could have a negative financial impact on many smaller athletic programs and sports that produce limited revenue.

If they suddenly face increased expenses in the form of wages and other payment, those programs could possibly close down.

Notably, this NLRB ruling said that the profitability of a sport should not be a determining factor when considering if players are employees.

What's next?

For now, it's expected Dartmouth will appeal the NLRB ruling, starting a long legal process that could last a few years and finally land in front of the Supreme Court.

Should the ruling hold, athletes at other schools could argue that they are also employees under the National Labor Relations Act.

As it stands now, the ruling could end up being the first step in a long journey towards introducing pay-for-play for college football and other sports.

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