The Issue

Petition to grant all NCAA athletes five years of athletics eligibility + participation.

To: NCAA Leadership

Subject: Amend your eligibility rules to automatically allow for five years of athletic eligibility for all athletes.

*Pictured, St. John's University Head Men's Basketball Coach, Rick Pitino, who recently said, "we're not even looking at a high school basketball player... we're looking for three transfer guys. And I like it. When asked if a five-star (high school) recruit wanted to join the program for next season, Coach Pitino responded, "I probably wouldn't take him. Because I don't think you can win, and win big with high school kids." 

 

Four-Year Eligibility History; Fifth Year Increased Earnings + Opportunity Trend 

College athletes have historically had four years to compete in intercollegiate athletics competition; with exceptions available and made for injuries and other narrowly available waiver requests. With COVID, athletes were also granted an additional year of athletics eligibility.

With the advent of NIL-related rules changes and earnings opportunities – and, in part resulting from the extra year granted all athletes in response to COVID’s impact – the average age of college athletes, particularly those participating in revenue generating sports, has risen. And, the athletes taking advantage of additional – fifth, and in some cases, sixth – years of eligibility are the same athletes realizing and reaping the greatest earnings rewards.

 

Opportunity Loss Suffered by Four-Year Student-Athletes

The result: a material, negative impact, including against financial earnings potential, for any/all current student athletes not availed the opportunity for a fifth year of eligibility; particularly those who entered college starting in 2021; and any/all potential future college athletes.

Specifically, any/all student-athletes not granted an extra, fifth year of athletics eligibility are at a material disadvantage relative to their fifth year counterparts; and the negative earnings and playing opportunities, and their ripple effects flowing from and through Division I’s marque programs and powerhouses is significantly impacting players, including at the Div. II and Div. III levels too.  

 

#5ForAll

We are calling on the NCAA to amend its eligibility rules to automatically afford (grant) every college athlete five years of athletics eligibility, without need or requirement for a waiver to be granted to allow for an athlete’s fifth year of participation.

 

Take Action; Amend for Equitable Opportunity

Athletes: By signing this petition you are advocating for yourself, your teammates, and athletes like you who, absent the NCAA amending its eligibility rules, will remain negatively impacted, including having your earnings and playing potential unfairly capped and/or cut short.

NCAA Leadership: by amending your eligibility rules to automatically allow for five years of athletic eligibility for all athletes, you will take a simple but significant step toward participatory and earnings opportunity equality and equitability for all student-athletes.