'Slave Days' of College Sports May Be Over: College Athletes Can Unionize, Rules Federal Labor Board — Can Athletes Get Salaries?

If college athletes can fill a stadium like this and bring universities millions in TV contracts - perhaps they
deserve a "piece of the action." (Photo by Adam Glanzman)

In a test case brought by Northwestern University football players, a NLRB ruled that Big Ten college football players with scholarships qualify as employees and therefore can unionize

By Michael Tarm
In a stunning ruling that could revolutionize college sports, a federal agency said Wednesday that football players at Northwestern University can create the nation's first union of college athletes.

The decision by a regional director of the National Labor Relations Board means it agrees football players at the Big Ten school qualify as employees under federal law and therefore can legally unionize.

"Based on the entire record in this case, I find that the Employer's football players who receive scholarships fall squarely within (federal labor law's) broad definition of 'employee," Peter Sung Ohr, the NLRB regional director, said in his 24-page decision.

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