Report: Pac-12 Players To Meet With Conference Officials On Thursday

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Pac-12 student-athletes will reportedly meet with conference officials on Thursday night on a call.

The student-athletes who are a part of the “We Are United” movement will be meeting with the Pac-12 are the ones who are threatening to boycott the season.

According to college football insider Ross Dellenger of Sports Illustrated, the call is scheduled for 9 p.m. MT on Thursday. They will discuss the list of demands that were revealed via The Players’ Tribune earlier this week. The call will include Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott, Arizona State athletic director Ray Anderson, Utah athletic director Mark Harlan and Pac-12 assistant commissioner Chris Merino, who is the league’s liaison to student-athlete groups.

NEWS: Pac-12 has proposed a call with the #WeAreUnited group, per an email obtained by @SINow.

The call, Thursday night, would involve commissioner Larry Scott, #ASU AD Ray Anderson & #Utah AD Mark Harlan.

A significant event in college football historyhttps://t.co/qSM1iObTAG

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) August 6, 2020

According to Nicole Auerbach of The Athletic, the email from Larry Scott that was sent to the We Are United leaders to set up a call also included a link to today’s NCAA Board of Governors’ document detailing health and safety requirements, including guaranteeing scholarships for those who opt out.

Pac-12 commish Larry Scott sent a letter to the #WeAreUnited leaders to set up a call for Thursday night. Letter includes a link to today's NCAA Board of Governors' document detailing health and safety requirements, including guaranteeing scholarships for those who opt out.

— Nicole Auerbach 😷 (@NicoleAuerbach) August 6, 2020

List Of Demands

On Sunday, the Pac-12 student-athletes revealed their demands for the conference in an article by The Players’ Tribune. The following is the list of demands made by the players.

The Players of the Pac-12 will opt-out of fall camp and game participation due to COVID-19 and other serious concerns unless the conference guarantees in writing to protect and benefit both scholarship athletes and walk-ons. #WeAreUnited https://t.co/KQ3oqdB5BL

— The Players' Tribune (@PlayersTribune) August 2, 2020

I. Health & Safety Protections

COVID-19 Protections

1. Allow option not to play during the pandemic without losing athletics eligibility or spot on our team’s roster.
2. Prohibit/void COVID-19 agreements that waive liability.

Mandatory Safety Standards, Including COVID-19 Measures

1. Player-approved health and safety standards enforced by a third party selected by players to address COVID-19, as well as serious injury, abuse and death.

II. Protect All Sports

Preserve All Existing Sports by Eliminating Excessive Expenditures

1. Larry Scott, administrators, and coaches to voluntarily and drastically reduce excessive pay.
2. End performance/academic bonuses.
3. End lavish facility expenditures and use some endowment funds to preserve all sports.*

*As an example, Stanford University should reinstate all sports discontinued by tapping into their $27.7 billion endowment.

III. End Racial Injustice In College Sports And Society

1. Form a permanent civic-engagement task force made up of our leaders, experts of our choice, and university and conference administrators to address outstanding issues such as racial injustice in college sports and in society.
2. In partnership with the Pac-12, 2% of conference revenue would be directed by players to support financial aid for low-income Black students, community inititives, and development programs for college athletes on each campus.
3. Form annual Pac-12 Black College Athlete Summit with guaranteed representation of at least three athletes of our choice from every school.

IV. Economic Freedom And Equity

Guaranteed Medical Expense Coverage

1. Medical insurance selected by players for sports-related medical conditions, including COVID-19 illness, to cover six years after college athletics eligibility ends.

Name, Image, and Likeness Rights & Representation

1. The freedom to secure representation, receive basic necessities from any third party, and earn money for use of our name, image, and likeness rights.

Fair Market Pay, Rights, & Freedoms

1. Distribute 50% of each sport’s total conference revenue evenly among athletes in their respective sports.
2. Six-year athletic scholarships to foster undergraduate and graduate degree completion.
3. Elimination of all policies and practices restricting or deterring our freedom of speech, our ability to fully participate in campus activities outside of mandatory athletics participation.
4. Ability of players of all sports to transfer one time without punishment, and additionally in cases of abuse or serious negligence.
5. Ability to complete eligibility after participating in a pro draft if player goes undrafted and foregoes professional participation within seven days of the draft.
6. Due process rights

Trevor Allen is a Utah Utes Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Crimson Corner podcast. Follow him on Twitter: @TrevorASports. You can download and listen to the podcast, here.