Sonny Vaccaro, Ed O'Bannon, and the NCAA's Attempt to Deflect
Last week, the New York Times released an article on Sonny Vaccaro's role as an adviser to the plaintiff's in the Ed O'Bannon case. Vaccaro's knowledge and experience could play a major factor into this case. The man that signed Michael Jordan to his first shoe contract and worked for all three major companies (Nike, Adidas, and Reebok) has jumped ship and is looking to take down the NCAA.
All of this comes during the NCAA's most popular time. March Madness is in full effect and the NCAA is reeling from the continuous buzz about the profits the schools are making off of the players. With more and more former student athletes telling their stories about why they took money while they were in school and questioning why they are not compensated for the profits the schools are making from their performances; the buzz has grown loud enough to force action by the NCAA.
As the plaintiff's in the Ed O'Bannon case ramp up for their unprecedented case against the NCAA, the NCAA has gone ahead and released a commercial that has been airing during the NCAA National Championship Tournament. The ad is based on the slogan "We Put Our Money Where Our Mission Is". It is clearly a public attempt to explain exactly where the money goes that is being generated by these sports teams. Is it enough to calm the buzz surrounding the recent questions being asked about the profits? Or is it a sign that the NCAA is getting nervous about the growing criticism and questioning it is being faced with? Only time will tell. One thing is for sure, this case has gained enough momentum to severely impact the future for all student athletes.
My name is Christopher Fusco. I am the managing partner of Callahan & Fusco, LLC with offices in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.