The Price of Play: Analyzing the Decline of Amateurism in College Athletics after 2010
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Ronald Smith concluded his historical account of the rise of amateurism in college athletics in 2010. However, the changes that have occurred in college athletics after 2010 have posed the greatest threat to amateurism. This study provides a historical account of major NCAA and legal changes after 2010, as well as identifies new and preexisting trends that lead to the decline of amateurism. The historical analysis shows that consistent themes such as commercialization, revenue maximization, institutional inconsistency, and reactive governance have contributed to the decline of amateurism for many years. However, new themes hindering amateurism since 2010 include the expansion of athlete compensation, market-based athlete empowerment, Title IX challenges, labor rights framing, the employment status debate, and legal and external political pressure.
Source: UNC Libraries
DOI: 10.17615/yjcf-pe92
Author: Wooten, Ashton Lyn
Institution: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7203882385
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