INDIANAPOLIS—In response to mounting pressure to pay student-athletes, the NCAA announced plans Thursday to allow players to earn money from the name, image, and likeness of veteran basketball commentator Dick Vitale. “While we have long held it would be antithetical to the spirit of college sports to permit these young people to profit off the popularity of a beloved 82-year-old sportscaster, we will now permit them to sell as many Diaper Dandy or Dickie V–branded T-shirts as they wish,” said president Mark Allen Emmert, who confirmed the decision shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled the NCAA had violated antitrust law with the limits it placed on player compensation. “Effective immediately, our student-athletes will be able to license Mr. Vitale’s name and treasured catchphrases for use in any form of media. Whether they wish to sell the rights to a Dick Vitale video game franchise, launch a line of ‘Dipsy-doo dunk-a-roo’ snack cakes, or collect fees through Cameo by forcing Dick to tell his fans they’re ‘awesome, baby,’ it’s all fair game now.” At press time, Emmert expressed relief that the controversial issue of player compensation could now be put to rest once and for all.
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