The term amateur student-athlete was created over fifty years ago, by Walter Byers and the NCAA to be able to hide the actual relationship that is existing between coaches and owners with the players (Finkel., Martin., Paley, 2013., McCormick., McCormick, 2006). It was created in the 1950’s for the NCAA to not be legally responsible for their players and not having to provide compensation to the football players (Finkel., Martin., Paley, 2013., McCormick., McCormick, 2006). While employees, are defined as a worker hired by another to perform specified serves for another, and offering their labour for compensation (McCormick., McCormick, 2006). This term ‘student-athlete’ allows owners to ensure not only the courts, but the players and public as well, that the athletes were students and because of this they could not be employees (Finkel., Martin., Paley, 2013., McCormick., McCormick, …show more content…
Overall McCormick and McCormick said it best as, “the NCAA purposely created the term “student-athlete” as propaganda, solely to obscure the reality of the university-athlete employment relationship and to avoid universities’ legal responsibilities as employers. In the ensuring fifty years, the NCAA, colleges, and universities have profited immensely from the vigorous defence and preservation of this myth” (McCormick., McCormick,