Home / Sports / Coach Barnes Suggests NCAA Fund Sports Over Lawyers
Coach Barnes Suggests NCAA Fund Sports Over Lawyers
27 Oct
Summary
- Coach Rick Barnes proposes an audit of NCAA legal spending.
- Barnes suggests redirecting attorney fees to Olympic sports.
- A player's eligibility dispute impacts Tennessee's season.
Tennessee men's basketball coach Rick Barnes has voiced his opinion on the NCAA's current legal troubles regarding player eligibility. Barnes proposed that the NCAA should conduct an audit of its attorney fees. He suggested that the substantial funds spent on legal defenses could instead be allocated to support Olympic sports.
Barnes highlighted the financial implications, noting that numerous lawsuits could collectively cost hundreds of millions of dollars. He implied that the NCAA created these complex eligibility issues, which have caused significant confusion and disruption for coaches and teams.
The coach's concerns are personal, as a player, Jalen Washington, faced an eligibility challenge after transferring to Tennessee. Despite an initial injunction allowing him to play, he was later ruled ineligible, potentially impacting the team's performance as their season nears its start date of November 3rd.
