Power, Money And Corruption: The Story Of The NCAA
This week on Only A Game, we dedicate an entire hour to the NCAA, race and amateurism.
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Is 'The System' Broken? Amateurism In The NCAA
The college sports industry brings in about $10 billion in annual revenue, but how much of that do the athletes themselves see? Only A Game's Karen Given and WBUR's Shira Springer take an initial look at how the NCAA's amateurism model can lead to scandal.
Tracing The Origins Of College Sports Amateurism
Today, sports are seen as a way for kids to get a college education. But that's not how college sports started out. Only A Game's Karen Given looks at amateurism's role in reinforcing class divisions.
Power And The NCAA: One Athlete's Fall From The Big 12 To The Oil Fields
Kyle Hardrick was once a top basketball prospect. Now he pulls 12 hour shifts in the oil fields near Odessa, Texas.
How Two Wisconsin Basketball Players Decided To Take On The NCAA
Zach Bohannon used to agree with the average American that college athletes should not be paid. But while playing basketball at Wisconsin, Zach started noticing more and more problems with the NCAA system. And then he found an unexpected ally.
Walter Byers: The Man Who Built The NCAA, Then Tried To Tear It Down
Walter Byers established the NCAA's enforcement division and turned the league into a moneymaking operation. But after more than 30 years of defending amateurism, he started speaking out against it.
HBCUs And Their Role In Disrupting The College Sports 'Cartel'
Historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) once boasted some of the best sports programs in the country. But they've been all but shut off from the big-time NCAA economy.
No Pay, No Problem: Former College Hoopster Says NCAA Doesn't Exploit
For former Oklahoma State men's basketball player Doug Gottlieb, college was a time when "you didn't have to worry about anything." He doesn't believe he was exploited. In fact, he says he was the one doing the exploiting.
Littlefield: The NCAA Needs To Do More To 'Do Right' By Athletes
NCAA President Mark Emmert called for "substantive changes" in support of "student-athletes." Bill Littlefield believes that for the NCAA to truly change, it must abandon amateurism.
An award-winning weekly sports magazine hosted by veteran NPR commentator Bill Littlefield, Only A Game puts sports in perspective with intelligent analysis, insightful interviews and a keen sense of humor.
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