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2nd Down: NFLPA Comes Out in Support of Northwestern Football Union



This is a big week leading up to the vote on Friday, April 25, by the Northwestern University football team on whether or not to form a union.  There will be a special series this week focusing on the events and issues surrounding this case.


Earlier this month, the head of the National Football League Players Association, DeMaurice Smith came out in support of the efforts by some Northwestern University football players to form a union.  In the statement made to the Huffington Post, Smith emphasized that college athletes have not been given a seat at the table and not had a chance to push for better medical coverage, limitations on practice times, scholarship shortfalls, etc. 

It is interesting that in recent weeks, it seems like a lot of the focus has been away from "pay the college athletes" and has instead progressed to more of a human rights cry by way of saying that unions will allow college athletes to obtain better medical coverage and have better practice hours.  Whether this strategy works is anyone's guess...but it is an interesting way that many on the pro union side are shaping the argument. 


More information can be found in the Deadspin article:  http://deadspin.com/nflpa-comes-out-in-support-of-college-players-union-1561248740

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