College sports are changing at a dizzying pace. Athletes are getting paid, players are moving from school to school, and the possibility of college athletes collectively bargaining may be closer than many fans realize.
This week on Skin In The Game, John Cimperman and Tim O’Shei sit down with sports and labor attorney Michael Elkins, founder of MLE Law, to examine the rapidly changing relationship between athletes, teams, schools, and leagues.
Elkins, who represents college and professional athletes, makes a provocative case that despite all the criticism surrounding NIL and the transfer portal, college sports have never been better. He argues that athletes should have the same freedom to pursue better opportunities that coaches and other professionals have enjoyed for years.
The conversation also moves into professional sports, including why the NFL Players Association faces a fundamental challenge that other sports unions do not: Most NFL players have short careers, and many never reach a second contract, making a prolonged work stoppage difficult for players to withstand.
And Elkins explains why sports fans should be watching Major League Baseball, where another labor battle could threaten a sport he believes finally has momentum again.
It’s a conversation about money, leverage, and the people fighting for their share of an increasingly lucrative sports industry.
