More sense needs to be brought to NCAA, its enforcement powers

Lawyers' Forum

By Eldon L. Ham

Eldon L. Ham is a frequently published sports and entertainment lawyer based in Chicago. He is a member of the faculty at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law, where he won the Distinguished Service Award in 2010. Ham has been a guest on numerous local and national TV and radio shows, and he is the author of five books on matters of sports culture. He maintains a website at EldonHam.com.

Posted December 11, 2019 9:46 AM

The National Collegiate Athletic Association is playing tough guy again. It suspended Ohio State football player Chase Young for taking and repaying a loan (under $800) so his girlfriend could see him play in the 2019 Rose Bowl.The NCAA calls this an “impermissible benefit.” Was it?The NCAA collects billions from its long-term television deals, yet its approach to eligibility is an unregulated labyrinth of rules and arbitrary enforcement. There are many proposals for reform, but effective change needs to …

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