If you haven't heard an organized and scathing, yet comedic criticism of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, then 'Last Week Tonight' host John Oliver's 20-minute rant should do the trick.
On Sunday's episode of the new HBO series, Oliver eloquently delivered a bashing of the NCAA in honor of this year's March Madness tournament, which begins on Tuesday night when the first play-in game takes place. The annual Men's Division I Basketball Tournament generates a majority of the revenue for the non-profit association, including $769.4 million of its $1 billion in 2014.
And yet the athletes don't see a penny of that money. Check out Oliver's rant below.
The reason being is because the athletes sign a form before committing to a university, which declares them an amateur, forcing them to give up any compensation for playing, while also subjecting them to countless rules in the NCAA's 440-page manual. Athletes do get a full scholarship to receive an education, but a number of former student-athletes have noted they don't have time to take advantage of the education provided to them. Some don't even have enough money to afford a meal.
Professional stars who have talked about such struggles include Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman and defensive end Michael Bennett as well as Miami Heat guard Shabazz Napier.
"I don't think college athletes are given enough time to take advantage of the free education they're given," Sherman said during Super Bowl Media Day. "I would love for a regular student, for just one semester, to have a student-athlete schedule during the season and show me how you balance that. Show me how you would schedule your classes when you can't schedule classes for 2 to 6 o'clock on any given day."
"And people are upset that student-athletes need a little cash," Sherman added. "I tell you from experience that one time I had negative 40 bucks in my account. It was in the negative more times than positive. You have to make a decision whether you put gas in your car or get a meal."
Bennett was a bit more critical.
"I think the NCAA is one of the biggest scams in America," he said. "These kids put so much on the line. They [the NCAA] say, 'We give you a free degree.' That's like me owning a restaurant and saying, 'I'll give you a free burger.' It makes me so mad and irate. Universities need to do more for the student-[athletes].''
But perhaps one of the more resonating accounts comes from Napier, who led the Connecticut Huskies to the NCAA Basketball Championship last year.
"Sometimes, like I said, there's hungry nights when I'm not able to eat, but I still have to play up to my capabilities," he told reporters. "There are hungry nights where I go to bed and I'm starving."
And to that Oliver said:
"That's insane. Hunger Games should take place annually in a dystopian future, not every March sponsored by Coca-Cola on CBS."
Oliver's argument and criticism is nothing new, but it'll at least put forth the topic at a time when millions of Americans will be watching the NCAA's most lucrative sporting event.
