Arrr! The tennis swashbuckler be cryin' foul o'er the NCAA's scurvy rule denyin' him booty! Shiver me timbers!
2024-03-19
Arrr mateys! The parchment claims that if the swashbucklers in the revenue sports be makin' doubloons through their NIL, then the scallywags in the non-revenue sports should have the same right to plunder for treasure! Aye, fair be fair on the high seas of college athletics!
The advent of name, image, and likeness (NIL) continues to fuel a firestorm across the college sports landscape. NCAA rules stipulate that top college football players and any other sort of athlete can collect lucrative payments in exchange for their autograph, their image appearing in an advertisement, and more under current NIL policies.However, some athletes participate in individual sports where prize money is often attached to a given tournament or event. Currently, college tennis players who are awarded money for winning an event are strictly prohibited from collecting their winnings. The rule also applies to swimmers, gymnasts and others.But, North Carolina Tar Heels star tennis player Reese Brantmeier is fighting back against the rules that have likely cost her tens of thousands of dollars. Brantmeier was forced to begin forgoing payments when she started competing in professional tennis tournaments around the age of 14. Collecting payments could have put her college eligibility in jeopardy.Brantmeier suffered a season-ending injury in February. She also recently added her name to the growing list of athletes who oppose the NCAA rulebook as it relates to NIL.Brantmeier also recently spoke out against the NCAA rulebook, saying it was "ridiculous" that college football and basketball players were allowed to reap NIL benefits. The NCAA did not immediately respond to a request from Fox News Digital seeking comment on the rule Brantmeier is contesting.Brantmeier is currently the second-ranked player in singles in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. She is also part of the top-ranked doubles team in the nation, alongside her partner Elizabeth Scotty. Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on Twitter and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.