The latest on athlete unions: Former QB disappointed by NLRB

CHICAGO (AP) ' The latest on the National Labor Relations Board's decision preventing Northwestern University football players from unionizing (all times are local):12:50 p.m.Former Northwestern University quarterback Kain Colter says he's disappointed in a ruling preventing the team from unionizing.But Colter says he doesn't consider the ruling a "complete loss." Rather, he says, the National Labor Relations Board simply "punted the ball down the field," leaving open the possibility that the effort could be revived in the future.He says he thinks the push to unionize has already proven to make conditions better for student athletes/Colter says he hopes any relationships with the school that may have been hampered by the effort will be mended in the future.___12:40 p.m.The NCAA says it remains committed to providing its athletes with "the best support possible" after a ruling by the National Labor Relations Board blocking Northwestern University football players from forming a union.In a statement Monday, chief legal officer Donald Remy pointed out numerous ways the NCAA has helped athletes ' including scholarships, free education for former players and meals.Remy says the ruling prevents "instability" that could happen if college athletes were allowed to unionize.___12:20 p.m.The executive director of the National College Players Association says the "door's not closed" on an effort to allow college athletes to unionize, despite a ruling that blocks Northwestern football players from doing so.Ramogi Huma says the ruling Monday by the National Labor Relations Board doesn't prevent another attempt for athletes to try to unionize. He declined to say whether such plans are in place now.Huma also said the move by the football team helps move forward potential reforms when it comes to the treatment of college athletes. He predicts that changes will come shortly to the way an athlete's scholarship is defined.___12:05 p.m.The vice president for university relations at Northwestern says school officials are pleased by a National Labor Relations Board ruling preventing college football players from forming a union.In a statement released Monday after the decision, Alan K. Cubbage thanked the players for "bringing national attention to these important issues" but said "collective bargaining are not the appropriate methods to address the concerns."Cubbage says the school maintains that participation in athletics isn't a separate entity from being a student athlete. He says the university will work with the athletes to address their concerns about the long-term health impact of playing intercollegiate sports, including by providing additional academic aid and other opportunities.Join the conversation about this story
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