Ethics of Amateurism

Nick Karl

HPE 348

Dr. Sheptak  

January 28, 2018

Ethics Of Amateurism

        The creators of the Historic Basketball League (HBL) came to Baldwin Wallace to talk about, explain, and answer questions about there new league forming. They have and will target historic black college and universities (HBCU) starting with twelve teams to begin. They are considered a club level sport at the universities that accept the HBL. The founders of the league believe college athletes should be paid and not considered amateurs, so this league in a sense is competing with the NCAA in the form of compensating a basketball athlete for there likeness and opportunity to build for the future in pursuit of the NBA. In addition to signing endorsement deals, hiring an agent, and receiving seminars for real life obstacles for the success of the individual.  

        The twelve team HBL will be conducting there season June through Labor day weekend at which a championship of the top four teams will compete. The athletes will be tiered and make between 50 to 100 thousand dollars in this league. They will also receive a four year scholarship to the university that they may use and keep if they enter into the NBA and decide to go back got there college degree. They will receive medical benefits in the case of an injury they are covered and don’t have to worry about losing a scholarship. They will be considered employees of the HBL receiving the payment and a 401k contribution. Signing an agent and even endorsement deals are aloud. Lastly they will be playing on rules of the NBA such as the tree point line, 24 second shot clock and four 12 minute quarters. All of that is not being done by the NCAA. They have pitched a good sell for a student, in setting up for the future, and could possibly be more NBA ready with playing from there rules rather than the NCAA model rules.

        Ethics is the principal of right and wrong conduct and decisions. Ethics is generally based on different point of views by different people or groups. Depending on how you view things and your morals may differentiate is something ethically right or wrong. There may not be a correct answer since ethically, people form there own views and opinions on matters they feel strongly for or against in many facets and avenues. These could be based on the way they were taught from family, friends, school, the culture or region they live, experiences and/or their own beliefs. The HBL has formed there agenda based on the NCAA being ethically wrong by not treating the student athletes the way they believe it should be. I see the HBL through teleology, deontology, and virtue ethics.  

        Teleological ethics is and outcome based ethic, one of the categories that fall under teleology is altruism. Altruism through ethics is someone who acts in the interest of others. When it comes to the HBL they definitely embody ethics from the altruism teleology ethic. Everything they stand for is for the interest of others, and in the best interest of others being student athletes depending on what side you look at. This group decided they wanted to make a difference and pursue something the multi billion dollar industry of collegiate athletics doesn’t. Which is paying them to play, having the league in the summer as a “ summer job” to keep students in the classroom for a better education, fulfilling a guaranteed full scholarship, educating them in seminars, providing health and medical benefits, allowing them to seel there likeness through endorsements, and getting them NBA ready through game play rules and regulations.  

        Deontology ethics is a duty based  outlook. The HBL doesn’t use this as an ethic as much as teleology. They seem to have the culture of providing a duty to student athletes in making sure they are taken care of and compensated, due to poor NCAA rules. Since they are employing the students as athletes in the summer, they have a duty as an employer to provide safety and the well being of the employee who is the student athlete. I don’t believe they meant to take that approach. It is just the case by default of a employer to employee relationship through federal laws and regulations.