NCAA Athletes Should Profit Independent from University

Story and video by Zach Staton, photo by 247sports.com

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Recently, UCF kicker Donald De La Haye was ruled ineligible by the NCAA for making money off a YouTube account he had managed for years.  Now what's so wrong with making money off a YouTube account?  There are hundreds of high schoolers, not affiliated with athletics, that have done that for years.

The NCAA is in charge when it comes to athletes.

Article: UCF kicker Donald De La Haye ruled ineligible for taking YouTube revenue

Athletes have had this culture of fear created by the NCAA that they can't make money even if it's unaffiliated with the university if it is made based off of their likeness. The truth of the matter is they are well within their rights to make money off their likeness when it's not in connection with the university.

Article: Should NCAA Athletes Be Allowed to Profit from Their Own Fame?

I was able to get a job during my undergraduate career at a radio station, part-time, while also work at my campus' radio station.  There was no broadcasters association that said I was ineligible to for the radio station on my campus because I made money at another radio station professionally.

Because that's dumb.

I was able to make money while practicing what I wanted to do in my future career. Which is exactly what these athletes want to do.  Some of them will be celebrities and have to sign autographs.  It's okay for them to make money off their likeness when it is not affiliated with the university.