Another day, another instance of proof that the NCAA needs serious reform when it comes to players receiving what they would call “improper benefits.”
In a report by Kami Mattioli of The Sporting News, the Louisville Cardinals men’s basketball team self-reported two separate Level III NCAA violations for, believe it or not, giving six of its basketball players money for admission to play laser tag at a local facility. The cost of admission for each? Seven dollars.
And why is such a big deal being made out of this? Because the players received the money outside of the playing season. As a result, the university’s compliance office reported the violation, and the six players each donated $7 to charity.
But wait, there’s more! Accompanying the six players to laser tag were two prospective recruits, and the six players forgot to pay for their cost of admission out of the monies received. Those two players paid up, per a request from the compliance office, and hopefully that will be the end of this story.
Just the same, this is just another sign that the NCAA needs to loosen up on its strict regulations. To make a big deal out of players receiving $7 each for laser tag during the offseason is ridiculous and, hopefully, this story will make Mark Emmert reconsider reforms.
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*Featured Photo (above) credit to USA TODAY Sports
