US Senator Proposes Highly Questionable Scholarship Tax as Response to NCAA Player Pay
By Scott Rogust
NCAA student athletes were handed a huge victory on Tuesday, as the Board of Governors voted unanimously in favor of them receiving profits off their names and likenesses.
Even with the NCAA making the right decision, student athletes may face another obstacle: the U.S. government.
Following the announcement, Senator Richard Burr of North Carolina suggested that student athletes' scholarships be treated like regular income. What does that mean? The scholarships would be subjected to taxes, if those athletes are to, in his words, "cash-in."
If college athletes are going to make money off their likenesses while in school, their scholarships should be treated like income. I’ll be introducing legislation that subjects scholarships given to athletes who choose to “cash in” to income taxes. https://t.co/H7jXC0dNls
— Richard Burr (@SenatorBurr) October 29, 2019
Burr has yet to elaborate of his proposition, but it appears to be attack on student athletes. The senator suggests that their scholarships be taxed, which leaves one question: are academic scholarships subjected to the same tax?
And academic scholarships as well? No? This is purely to attack athletes who want equal rights? Okay, got it. https://t.co/vlskoZNvMO
— /r/CollegeBasketball (@redditCBB) October 29, 2019
Perhaps the most interesting thing that Burr has yet to say during his social media outburst was that he himself was a college athlete, where he played defensive back for Wake Forest. In fact, he lettered in 1974-75.
Considering the amount of backlash he's received from both sides of the political landscape, don't expect Burr's legislation to have much success. The ratio should've made that crystal clear.