Football players for private universities at the highest level — including Syracuse — are employees, the National Labor Relations Board reportedly stated this week. Inside Higher Education first reported the news.
The decision doesn’t force any of the 17 private universities in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision to pay its players, according to a memo obtained by Inside Higher Ed and sent by NLRB’s general counsel, Richard Griffin. But it does protect those players’ rights to campaign as employees under the National Labor Relations Act, including the ability to ask for pay without fear of retaliation.
“Representation for the players is a great thing,” said Sean Hickey, a former Orange offensive lineman now with the Minnesota Vikings.