Pac-12 players list demands for 2020 football season, threaten to opt out

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The “Players of the Pac-12” released a statement on The Players’ Tribune on Sunday that said they will opt out of the 2020 football season unless they form a written agreement with the Pac-12/NCAA that satisfies their list of demands.

It’s unclear how many players signed off on the statement, and which ones specifically, but their goal is to “secure fair treatment for college athletes.”

Here is how they believe that can be accomplished:

• Allow option not to play during the pandemic without losing athletics eligibility or spot on our team’s roster.
• Prohibit/void COVID-19 agreements that waive liability.
• Player-approved health and safety standards enforced by a third party selected by players to address COVID-19, as well as serious injury, abuse and death.
• Larry Scott, administrators, and coaches to voluntarily and drastically reduce excessive pay.
• End performance/academic bonuses.
• End lavish facility expenditures and use some endowment funds to preserve all sports.*

*As an example, Stanford University should reinstate all sports discontinued by tapping into their $27.7 billion endowment.

• Form a permanent civic-engagement task force made up of our leaders, experts of our choice, and university and conference administrators to address outstanding issues such as racial injustice in college sports and in society.
• In partnership with the Pac-12, 2% of conference revenue would be directed by players to support financial aid for low-income Black students, community initiatives, and development programs for college athletes on each campus.
• Form annual Pac-12 Black College Athlete Summit with guaranteed representation of at least three athletes of our choice from every school.
• Medical insurance selected by players for sports-related medical conditions, including COVID- 19 illness, to cover six years after college athletics eligibility ends.
• The freedom to secure representation, receive basic necessities from any third party, and earn money for use of our name, image, and likeness rights.
• Distribute 50% of each sport’s total conference revenue evenly among athletes in their respective sports.
• Six-year athletic scholarships to foster undergraduate and graduate degree completion.
• Elimination of all policies and practices restricting or deterring our freedom of speech, our ability to fully participate in charitable work, and our freedom to participate in campus activities outside of mandatory athletics participation.
• Ability of players of all sports to transfer one time without punishment, and additionally in cases of abuse or serious negligence.
• Ability to complete eligibility after participating in a pro draft if player goes undrafted and foregoes professional participation within seven days of the draft.
• Due process rights

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