NFLPA, NBPA, MLBPA, NHLPA, MLSPA Oppose NCAA Antitrust Exemption in Joint Statement

The Players Associations of the five major sports in the United States are banning together in an effort to support college athletes.

The Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA), Major League Soccer Players Association (MLSPA), National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) and National Hockey League Players Association (NHLPA) announced Monday that they formally oppose the inclusion of an antitrust exemption or legal liability shield from legislation for the NCAA.

"Since many of today’s college athletes will become our future members, we have a vested interest in ensuring they are protected now," the announcement read while also saying "an antitrust exemption would permit [the] NCAA and its members to collude to harm athletes."

Monday's statement comes as the Energy and Commerce Committee considers the Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements (SCORE) Act.

Steve Berkowitz of USA Today reported Thursday that a bipartisan group of lawmakers from the U.S. House of Representatives introduced the bill in an effort to establish a complete set of rules for collegiate sports.

"The bill includes language that specifically would allow the NCAA, and potentially the new College Sports Commission, to make operational rules affecting schools and athletes in areas that have come into legal dispute in recent years and in areas that the NCAA wants to shield from future legal dispute," Berkowitz wrote.

Berkowitz noted the specific bill included language that would shield the NCAA, conferences and individual schools from antitrust and state-court lawsuits.

If the bill passed, schools could also prevent athletes from agreeing to name, image and likeness deals that conflict with school sponsorships. Perhaps most notably, it would also prevent athletes from being considered legal employees of schools or conferences.

Monday's announcement from the professional Players Associations noted that "whatever progress the athletes have made has been a result of their use of the antitrust laws. The SCORE Act would take that weapon away from them."

It also suggested the antitrust exemption would open the door to collusion against athletes, wage limiting and the prevention of fair revenue sharing.

"The NCAA should not have a blank check to impose their will on the financial future of over 500,000 college athletes," it read.

While the future of college sports remains up in the air with so many changes over a short amount of time, it is certainly notable that professional sports are getting involved at such a level and could have an impact on how things develop moving forward.