FALL '21 Episode 14: Will Nittany Lions Become Penn State Employees?

The Obligatory PSU Podcast

Even as the Nittany Lions chase another Big Ten title, fighting to defend a Top 10 ranking while battling the injury bug, it wouldn't be a season of the podcast without a couple of #Obligatory digressions, and what better time for one than coming off Penn State's bye week? (Boiler Up.) It has become increasingly difficult over the last 12 months for even the most casual college football fans to evade news stories and commentary about the social and legal battles roiling the future of the NCAA and college sports. From the halls of the United States Supreme Court to the memoranda of the National Labor Relations Board, public opinion and political willpower are shifting in ways that could drastically transform the future of college sports at Penn State and beyond. In order to start unpacking a dense and complicated topic, Chris and Kevin enlist the help of Sam C. Ehrlich, J.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Legal Studies in the Department of Management at Boise State University. Are student athletes destined to become university employees? Where and how did this process start, and what does the future hold? We spend a solid hour with an expert, exploring the answers to these questions and others driving the most volatile era for college athletics in at least 50 years.

HOSTED BY: Kevin Horne, Chris Buchignani

GUEST: Dr. Sam Ehrlich