During a congressional hearing regarding the NCAA’s rules on name, image, and likeness, Texas Gov. Ted Cruz spoke out against the idea of college athletes becoming employees of the university. But unfortunately for him, he seemed quite misinformed about the logistics of college athletics.
During the hearing, Ted Cruz brought up the thought of treating college athletes as university employees, suggesting that it would be “a very serious mistake.”
“There’s a big debate over whether student-athletes should be considered employees or not,” Cruz said during the congressional hearing this week. “I believe that would be a very serious mistake.”
Athletes who are on scholarships shouldn’t be considered employees.
That would mean if you drop a pass or miss a free-throw you could be fired and lose your scholarship.
That’s bad for college athletics. pic.twitter.com/ffXIZpqP1F— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) October 17, 2023
“It would subject scholarships to taxation,” Cruz continued. “It would subject student-athletes to all sorts of wage and hour regulations. It would mean if suddenly you have a receiver who drops a bunch of passes, you could be fired and lose your scholarship. All of that seems really bad for college athletics.”
But as the social media world was quick to point out, many of the things that Cruz is describing – like players being “fired” and losing their scholarships due to lack of performance – are already happening in college sports, especially in FBS football.
Senator,,,,I'm afraid I have some terrible news https://t.co/fzAYExJyJ0
— Matt Brown (@MattBrownEP) October 18, 2023
I mean this earnestly: Do people in Congress not know this already happens in college sports today? https://t.co/KN5sADK26n
— David Ubben (@davidubben) October 18, 2023
Folks, @tedcruz @SenTedCruz is beyond dumb https://t.co/EX6pHvN40B
— rolandsmartin (@rolandsmartin) October 19, 2023
Athletes DO lose scholarships (& playing time) for dropping passes or missing free throws.
Athletes ALSO LOSE SCHOLARSHIPS when coaches dislike them, new coach takes over, to free up scholarship money, etc.
Scholarships are only for one year and renewable at coach’s discretion. https://t.co/w0b2GhZbQP
— Maddie Salamone (@madsal15) October 19, 2023
You clearly don’t know how college athletics works https://t.co/HtGeywChdT
— Clarence Hill Jr (@clarencehilljr) October 18, 2023
Uh……..bub, they do that now…… https://t.co/8LnloFMnWZ
— Dr. Jorts, Ph.D. (@WayneLBlack1) October 18, 2023
This needs a “readers added context: collegiate athletes *can* in fact lose their scholarship if the coach isn’t happy with their performance.” https://t.co/wXKTUpZt3K
— Andrew Althouse (@ADAlthousePhD) October 19, 2023
The only difference is that currently, college athletes don’t have any of the protections that would come with employment.
[Ted Cruz]
