NCAA Stars Concerned About Ban

NCAA athletes are facing what could be a significant financial hit this weekend as the ban of Tik-Tok looms. The social media platform has been essential for college athletes in growing fanbases, promoting brands, and gaining sponsorships. But world politics and worries over national security have put the fate of the platform up in the air. While the ban is supposed to go into effect on Sunday, a lot could happen between now and then. There have been rumors that some people are attempting to buy the platform in an attempt to combat what many see as an attack on free speech by a controlling and censoring government.

While that could potentially be the case, there also seems to be a glaring lack of evidence that the parent company of Tik-Tok Bytedance has committed any crimes or is sanctioning a surveillance operation on American users. The main threat is the idea that the platform could be forced or coerced into handing over sensitive data and centered around the potential possibility that could happen. The China-based company was warned by both of the last two presidential administrations that a ban could be upheld if they did not sell their stakes in the company.

Tik-Tok CEO Shou Zi Chew spoke out against the ban last year, saying that even if the company sold their stakes, the security issues that are in question wouldn’t be solved.

NCAA Athletes Could Have A Case

The issue of whether the ban would be infringing upon our First Amendment rights has been a huge topic of debate for years. Apart from freedom of speech concerns and issues with censorship, another issue is becoming a topic of discussion for college athletes. With the ban of a social median platform that is responsible for helping with growing a fanbase, sponsorships and endorsements plus overall mass exposure, players in the NCAA possibly have grounds for a lawsuit.

Many athletes consider themselves entrepreneurs due to the advent and popularity of social media.  They have achieved far reaching success due to their online presence which has resulted in brand deals, recruitment opportunities, and creating a brand of their own. Last year when the ban started gathering steam, Florida Gators gymnast Leah Clapper said that she could possibly lose “half of her audience”, and consequently, “half of her NIL money” due to the ban. That makes the possibility of many NCAA athletes having legal grounds to sue more probable, as it would directly relate to their cash flow and inhibit their ability to promote their brand or the brands of those sponsoring them.

How Much It Will Affect NCAA Athletes

Other athletes like Haley and Hanna Cavinder of the University of Miami say that another app will pop up and take its place should the ban go into effect. Social media apps are far too important to society in the modern age to simply go away, especially ones that are as embedded as Tik-Tok. The removal or ban of the app would leave millions of dollars up in the air regarding NIL money, as close to 80% of their revenue is generated through the app.

Some athletes rely heavily on the app since they aren’t able to have the same success as some of the top NCAA athletes in the NIL department and use Tik-Tok for supplemental income. Athletes have only really been able to benefit off of their own name, image, and likeness since 2021, so it will be very interesting to see where the situation leads as the season progresses.

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