The NCAA further muddied the waters about what constitutes improper benefits this week when it announced that it would help the parents of players attend the national championship game between Oregon and Ohio State.
According to Deadspin, the NCAA previously stated it was unethical for anyone to pay any money to a student-athlete or a member of their family for any reason. That is, until a new announcement by the NCAA that parents receive $3,000 if their child's team makes the college football playoff or NCAA Final Four. In the case of the Final Four, the families receive an extra $1,000 if their child's team reaches the finals.
Apparently, the NCAA is only concerned about the students and their families here. "Championship experiences like the Final Four create memories of a lifetime for student-athletes, and we want to make sure their families are there to support and celebrate with them," said NCAA President Mark Emmert.
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The announcement comes just days after Ohio State AD Gene Smith spoke out against the NCAA precisely for not allowing this sort of thing. Of course, the NCAA countered that these plans have been in the works for some time.
"Providing travel expenses has long been a part of this discussion, and I'm thrilled we were able to move forward with this support," said Mark Lewis, NCAA executive vice president of championships and alliances.
All in all, it seems like a move designed to delay the movement toward paying players. It would seem that the same environmental factors that would have made giving money to players' parents illegal last week would still be there this week. Therefore, if it is okay to overturn that ban, then it must not have been very important in the first place as it regards "amateurism."
There are other similar rules in the NCAA rulebooks, and it remains to be seen if any of those rules will be overturned in the name of allowing families to support players. Expect the NCAA's appeasement efforts to continue, however, because the smart money says that they will take any measures necessary to avoid paying players.
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