The chances of the NCAA paying its athletes while Mark Emmert is president? Zero.
“They are student-athletes. They are not our employees, they don’t work for us,” he said at a Town Hall luncheon in Los Angeles on Wednesday. “They are our students, so we don’t pay them.”
Also, stipends are out. His reasoning’s simple, and largely unchanged from its stance from the beginning: Students receive compensation in the form of an education. That’s enough, he says.
“They get to have experiences that very few students get a chance to enjoy,” Emmert said. “If they take full advantage of it, they will have spectacular opportunities in life.”
Some athletes disagree, as indicated by the recent lawsuit brought before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that argues the NCAA is among those who owe athlete money for he use of their image in sports games and memorabilia.
But I’m guessing I know where Emmert stands on that one, too.
You also can follow me on Twitter @MikeMillerNBC.