College Athletes: What Rights do They Have?

This past wednesday it was deemed legal for the Northwestern University football team to become unionized. The National Labor Relations Board ruled that the athletes were employees of the school and in turn should have the opportunity to unionize. On the basis that athletes spend upwards of fifty hours  week working solely on their athletics and that many players are being compensated through

scholarships is enough to make them considered employees. In the decision it is said "It can not be said that the employer's scholarship players are 'Primarily Students.'" This would go to imply that for these particular students athletics come first, not their education.

For a long time it would never have even been dreamt of for a college athlete to be considered an employee, that is just way too close being paid, and as we all know it is illegal for a college athlete to be paid. Now that student athletes are allowed to unionize do you think it will change the face of college athletics? Do you think less athletes will leave college early for the pros now that unionization is an option?