Skip College! Big East Commr. Says High School Players Should Go Straight to NBA
An FBI probe reignited the debate over whether collegiate basketball players should be compensated. But Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman has one suggestion that could fix the issue: let top athletes go to the NBA straight out of high school.
“I think that if these top players can start earning those big dollars more quickly, that would be an instant correction,” she said Wednesday. “And that would help, as well, in the kinds of issues that were surfaced in this criminal investigation.”
Her argument echoes the sentiment of ACC Commissioner John Swofford, who on Tuesday told Cheddar there should not be a pay-for-play system in college sports.
The statements come as the federal government investigates recruiting agents and more than 20 Division I schools for giving players under-the-table bonuses or other perks, violating NCAA rules.
Some say that the NCAA, which generated more than $1 billion in revenue in the year ending in [August 31, 2017](http://www.ncaa.org/sites/default/files/2016-17NCAAFin_FinancialStatement_20180129.pdf), should pay student athletes. But Ackerman told Cheddar that players get other kinds of compensation.
“I was a student athlete at the University of Virginia. I got my education paid for, we didn’t make any money,” she said. “There’s a quid pro quo that I don’t think gets talked about enough.”
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/the-big-east-tournament-returns-to-madison-square-garden).
Jill Gregory, EVP & General Manager of Sonoma Raceway, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell, where she discusses how next weekend's NASCAR slate will be ramped up, with fans attending at full capacity, and how the venue's road course will give both drivers and fans a unique experience.
Pepsi’s 10-year contract with the NFL to sponsor the Super Bowl Half Time Show has come to an end and the rights are now up for grabs, leaving football fans to wonder what competitor or a wild card will jump in to take the food and beverage giant's place. However, PepsiCo will still have pour rights at all of the NFL major events.
Brian Stewart, the U.S. brand ambassador for Belvedere Vodka, joined Cheddar News to show off the cocktail called the Belvedere Raspberry Circuit to pair with the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix, a race getting underway for the very first time on May 8. “I wanted this drink to be very approachable, but I also wanted to drink to be as luxurious and exciting as the race itself," he said.
It’s NFL draft night! A former defensive end for the Dolphins, Bears, and Texans Wale Ogunleye joined Cheddar News to talk about which rookies-to-be the NFL teams will be picking and also discuss the impact of the pandemic on the incoming players. "I do think having the ability to stay at school maybe a year or two longer, and it may be getting your adulthood going, it might help out a lot, but again, it's a different animal in that locker room," he said. Ogunleye, who also heads sports and entertainment at the financial firm UBS, also talked about providing financial literacy education and advice for young athletes.
Chelsa Messinger, host of 'The Daily Tip', joins Cheddar Bets to compete with Alex Glaze and draft the best card possible from tonight's slate.
Sponsored by BetMGM
Ryan Glasspiegel, sports and entertainment reporter for the New York Post, explains why we're seeing teams and leagues gravitate towards Las Vegas, and sheds light on the recent report that Amazon is pushing for a Black Friday NFL game.
Emmanuel Macron staves off the far right challenger Marine Le Pen in France, conservative lawmakers find themselves embroiled in varying controversies, and pickleball is hotter than ever in the U.S.
Between Bells EP Conor White recaps some of the biggest stories of the week, and teaches Baker Machado and Azia Celestino a thing or two at the same time. It's This Week in Trivia!
The Golden State Warriors a new affiliate company called Golden State Entertainment to create sports-related original content, documentaries, and musical collaborations. David Kelly, chief business officer, joined Cheddar News to discuss “We think it's a great time to step off into this area. I think the better question maybe is why this hasn’t been formed previously?” he said. "There's a lot of synergies between sports, music, and film, and so we think that the timing is right to bring those worlds together into this venture." He noted that projects aren't limited to Warriors-only content, pointing to the documentary "38 at the Garden," about former New York Knicks player Jeremy Lin.
