Why UNLV Quarterback Matthew Sluka Walking Away is Good For Workers

On Tuesday, University of Las Vegas quarterback Matthew Sluka quit the school’s football team — in the middle of an undefeated season — because he said they weren’t living up to promises they made to bring him to the school.

• In a social media post Tuesday, the up-and-coming QB said certain promises weren’t being lived up to and he doubted those promises would be kept, without citing specifically what the school had promised him.

For context: The NCAA refuses to allow student athletes to be paid directly, despite the fact that student athletes generate over $18 billion annually for schools.

• The NCAA was forced to adopt new rules in 2021 to allow student athletes to be compensated for their name, image, and likeness, in deals that can be facilitated by the schools though not paid for by them.

ESPN reports that Sluka was promised $100,000 in deals before the transfer, but after transferring was only paid $12,000. That’s $88,000 less than what Sluka was promised. So he walked.

The big picture: Worker advocates say Sluka’s decision highlights the importance of workers demanding their fair share, especially when they feel they are not being properly compensated.

• Of the billions of dollars generated by student athletes for schools, only 18% of the revenue was returned to the athletes — who are workers, and who generated the revenue — while 35% went to coaches and administrators.
• By walking away, advocates say that Sluka asserted control over his labor, just as workers in any field should withdraw their labor when employers fail to meet agreed-upon terms or expectations.

Go deeper: The case for paying college athletes.

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