issues Archives - The Drake Group Education Fund

Education Fund Releases Major Research Report: Improving Academic Outcomes in NCAA Division I Revenue Sports and HBCU Limited Resource Athletic Programs

A new report by The Drake Group Education Fund (TDGEF) highlights the low graduation rates of Division I football and basketball players, especially Black athletes at Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs). It urges universities to improve academic support for these athletes, who face pressure to succeed in both academics and sports. Julie Sommer, Executive Director of … Read more

Consolidated Antitrust NIL Complaint (House, Prince, Oliver) Could Cost NCAA $1 Billion

Athletes are accusing the NCAA of illegally withholding earnings from athletes related to the use of their name, image and likeness (NIL). On Nov. 3, 2023, U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken certified three classes of college athletes consisting of at least 184,000 individuals regarding damages in the case, meaning, the NCAA faces monetary loss in … Read more

Carter, Harrison, and Prince Class Action Antitrust Lawsuit Seeks Athlete “Pay for Play”

On December 7, 2023, Winston & Strawn LLP and Hagens Berman today filed an antitrust class action lawsuit in the Northern District of California against the NCAA and the five power conferences (Big Ten, SEC, Pac-12, ACC, and Big 12). The firms also won the Alston v. NCAA in the Supreme Court and are currently … Read more

Food Insecurity Among College Student-Athletes

Most people don’t know that the majority of college athletes do NOT receive athletic scholarships. Most athletes who receive athletic scholarships are receiving partial awards rather than the amounts covering the full cost of education. While 42 percent of college students report being “food insecure,” that percent among athletes is 60 percent with 51 percent … Read more

Face Time: The Exploitation of the Black Athlete and Academic Integrity of College Sports

Jon Ericson, founding member and former Director of The Drake Group, draws on 35 years of higher education experience to describe how the system is fixed, who fixes it, and how the ‘race card’ is played to intimidate those who seek to expose exploitation of Black athletes. Ericson also explains how faculty and administrator conduct … Read more