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18 DePaul J. Sports L. [1] (2022)

handle is hein.journals/jspocpd18 and id is 1 raw text is: 




The  Employment   Status of the Twenty-First Century NCAA  Collegiate Athlete: An Evaluation
             of the Fair Labor Standards Act and the National Labor Relations Act

                                             By:

                             Danielle L. Kennebrew, J.D., LL.M.*



Introduction

    Throughout  the course  of the twenty-first century there have  been  many  monumental,
historical, trending topics, and events that have sparked dialogue and intellectual debate. One
topic that has arguably cemented its place within the century is the highly debated issue regarding
the employment   status of the National College Athletic Association (NCAA) collegiate athlete.
Many   commentators  and  scholars alike have expressed differing views on  the topic.  Some
individuals hold the belief that collegiate athletes should not be granted employee status under
federal laws, due  to the underlying  traditions of amateurism; while  others believe that an
employment   relationship has formed between  the collegiate athlete and his or her respective
educational institution and the NCAA.
    This article will explore both viewpoints by examining the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
and the National Labor  Relations Act (NLRA)   in an attempt to determine whether the NCAA
collegiate athlete falls within the classification of an employee within the meaning of both federal
laws. Part I will provide  a historical overview of the NCAA's, FLSA's, and the NLRA's
prohibitions against classifying collegiate athletes as employees. Part II will address the precedent
set by Berger v. NCAA1.   Part III takes a deeper dive into the economic realities test and its
applicability to collegiate sports. Part IV provides an in-depth analysis of the relationship between
the NLRA  and the NCAA   scholarship athlete. Lastly, this composition will offer recommendations
for the future.

I.     Historical Overview:  The  NCAA's,  FLSA's,  and  the NLRA's   Prohibitions Against
       Classifying Collegiate Athletes as Employees

A. National  Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA )

    Throughout  history, it can be said that intercollegiate athletics has held a very distinct and
unique  place within  our  society, nationally and internationally. The extensive  history of
intercollegiate athletics dates back to the nineteenth century with competitions between Cambridge
University and Oxford University.2 At its inception, college athletics began as student organized
extracurricular contests with the purpose of providing students with an outlet from the monotony

*Master of Laws (LL.M.) specializing in Labor and Employment Law 2020, Wayne State University Law School. I
would like to thank God for giving me the wisdom to successfully complete this composition. Many thanks to my
advisor, Dr. Delores Mayer, for your insightful feedback, comments, and support with this project. I would also like
to thank my family members for their continued encouragement. More specifically, I am grateful for the prayers,
words of encouragement, and thoughtful feedback from my father (Frank Kennebrew, Esq.), mother (Dr. Angela H.
Kennebrew), and sister (Gabrielle Kennebrew, MBA). To my friends, thank you all for your support.
1 843 F.3d 285 (2016).
2 Ronald A. Smith, Sports and Freedom: The Rise of Big-Time College Athletics 4-7 (1936).

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