[2006alum]

Didn't realize the NLRB had that much power.

All their head legal beagle has to do is issue an opinion letter and it's a done deal? No approvals, no appeal rights, no nothing?

Interesting.

No - but it's an invitation for student athletes to sue and invoke the NLRA and cite the counsel's opinion as to why the NLRB should side with them. The General Counsel can also investigate and prosecute unfair labor practices, so in theory the General Counsel could investigate Stanford and argue that the current arrangement violates the NLRA. Whether or not the NLRB agrees (and later courts) is a separate question, but my point is that in the end, whatever is found to apply to private universities the NCAA will permit and extend to public ones because there's no way the NCAA risks losing the membership of the USC, Notre Dames, and Stanfords of the world.

[2006alum]

Didn't realize the NLRB had that much power.

All their head legal beagle has to do is issue an opinion letter and it's a done deal? No approvals, no appeal rights, no nothing?

Interesting.

No - but it's an invitation for student athletes to sue and invoke the NLRA and cite the counsel's opinion as to why the NLRB should side with them. The General Counsel can also investigate and prosecute unfair labor practices, so in theory the General Counsel could investigate Stanford and argue that the current arrangement violates the NLRA. Whether or not the NLRB agrees (and later courts) is a separate question, but my point is that in the end, whatever is found to apply to private universities the NCAA will permit and extend to public ones because there's no way the NCAA risks losing the membership of the USC, Notre Dames, and Stanfords of the world.