What a Players Union/Association Means for Penn State Football

Penn State Football could be visionaries in the new age of college football. It’s time for players to have a seat at the table.

Penn State Football could be a leader in the new era of college football. Quarterback Sean Clifford leading the charge. Not only is he running a successful agency that helps athletes navigate the NIL landscape, but now it seems he is leading a movement to give the players more power.

Every couple of years we hear about a group that is trying to “unionize” in college sports. Most of the time it is met with harsh criticism from fans and the universities.

This appears different. The College Football Players Association is stating that its goals are in the realm of having a unified voice when negotiating with the Big Ten.

Players getting more negotiating power would be a monumental shift in college football. NIL was a great step in the right direction, but lacks uniformity and doesn’t always have the players’ best interest in mind.

What could this negotiating power actually provide to the players?

Players can negotiate for their fair share. Revenue sharing would be a ginormous amount of money. All professional sports currently have a revenue-sharing plan in place that eventually trickles down to the players. Amateurism is over.

I know that people love the notion of amateurism, but that concept is in the past now. If players are going to contribute to the making of billions of dollars for the sport, they are worth more than a “free” education.

Another sticking point for players will center around increased medical care benefits. The goal here would be to have a plan in place to help with medical issues that players will experience from playing.

College football is finally starting to evolve and the players are finally going to be able to have a seat at the table.