First Legally Binding Contract Between A College Athlete And School Has Been Created

[Drew]

Article is from June 14 but didn't see this discussed and thought it was interesting: Inside the first legally binding contract between a college athlete and a school

What is being called the first-ever legally binding contract between a college prospect and his school will be unveiled Wednesday at the NBPA Top 100 Camp at the University of Virginia.

The College Athletic Protection Agreement would make negotiable such items as medical treatment/insurance beyond an athlete's eligibility and an automatic release from a scholarship should a player want to transfer.

The agreement states that the protections and benefits secured by such a contract would be "worth over $100,000 beyond a minimum scholarships without breaking NCAA rules."

"We think this will change things," said Ramogi Huma, executive director of the National College Players Association. "This will be a good place to start. It opens Pandora's Box."

While the contract is being rolled out at an National Basketball Players Association event, it would cover all sports.

According to the contract document obtained by CBS Sports, the CAP Agreement can be used instead of the National Letter of Intent or with the NLI. Either way, it would cover several areas the letter of intent doesn't.

- A school could be bound to an all-encompassing transfer release for a prospect before enrollment. The document asks if an institution "agrees" or "does not agree" "to comply with any request for transfer" and "to not restrict the ability" of a player to transfer to any other school.

- A school could not "cancel, reduce or fail to renew financial aid … due to injury or athletic performance."

- Players would have to be notified by March 15 before the following academic whether their scholarships are being renewed or reduced.

- A player could negotiate the cost of a remaining scholarship to complete a degree at some point in the future should he/she leave early for a professional draft.

- The contract would ask schools to make their best offer on terms of the deal by Aug. 1 before the prospect's senior high school season.

On National Signing Day, the document signed and dated by the offering school would be sent to the prospect.

 

[Storrsbred]

Opens Pandora's box is an apt discription. Can see all the attorneys rubbing their hands in anticipation of more paydays.
What happens to the kid while going through the litigation process? Can he play ping pong or must he sit completely still?
Where does the NCAA fit in? Can see it now, kids attorney, school attorney, NCAA attorney, new school attorney. This is going to be a fun watch.

 

[borninansonia]

It reads like high school kids are going to need agents to negotiate with colleges.

 

[upstater]

It's not the first legally binding contract. Any contract for grant-in-aid was already legally binding. Kids always signed papers. You don't get the scholarship or maintain your eligibility UNLESS... etc.

That was always legally binding.

The difference here is that this is the same type of document as before with additional benefits spelled out, including insurance and the length of the benefits.