College Athletics
Ohio rules college athletes are not employees
COLUMBUS, Ohio – An Ohio legislative panel changed a budget bill Monday to make clear that college athletes are not employees under state law, following a recent ruling from a regional director of the National Labor Relations Board that Northwestern University football players could unionize.
The ruling said full scholarship players can be considered employees and thus have the right to form a union.
The Ohio House Finance and Appropriations Committee amended a midterm budget proposal Monday to clarify that college athletes are not considered employees.
Northwestern players will vote April 25 on whether to become the first college athletes represented by a union. But it could be years, if ever, before college athletes are given a seat at the bargaining table to discuss things such as concussions, medical care and practice hours.
Only players currently on scholarship and participating in football activities will cast ballots, totaling around 70 current members of the squad.
Northwestern has until Wednesday to ask the full, five-member NLRB in Washington to review the landmark decision by the regional director. If the full board upholds the ruling, the university also could challenge that decision in federal appeals court.
Cycling
Contador still leads Basque, as Martin wins Stage 2
URDAX, Spain – Tony Martin broke away to win the second stage of the Tour of Basque Country on Tuesday, while overall leader Alberto Contador maintained his 14-second advantage.
Martin was among seven cyclists who moved away from the peloton, with the German cyclist pulling ahead of a breakaway group that included Maxim Montfort and Jan Bakelandts just more than 6.2 miles from the finish.
Contador allowed the breakaways to ride out of sight as he stayed close to closest challenger Alejandro Valverde, who attempted to escape late in the 99-mile stage to no avail.
Contador, a former Tour de France champion, leads Valverde with an overall time of 7:51:54 for Tinkoff-Saxo. Michal Kwiatkowski of Poland is third – 34 seconds off the pace.
Soccer
Falcons’ owner is close to adding an MLS franchise
ATLANTA – Major League Soccer is closing in on a deal with Falcons owner Arthur Blank to bring an expansion franchise to Atlanta’s new downtown stadium.
The team likely would begin play in 2017, when the $1-billion retractable roof stadium is set to open next to the Georgia Dome to provide a new home for the NFL Falcons.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that a new team will be announced April 16.
The MLS long has coveted the Atlanta market, the largest in the U.S. without a team, as it moves toward its goal of expanding to 24 franchises.
The 19-team league already has announced expansion franchises in New York City and Orlando that are scheduled to begin play next season, in addition to a provisional franchise in Miami owned by a group that includes David Beckham. That team is contingent on a deal for a new soccer-specific stadium in south Florida.
Tennis
USA will host Slovakia in Davis Cup World Group
LONDON – The United States will host Slovakia in the Davis Cup World Group playoffs Sept. 12-14.
The International Tennis Federation held the draw Tuesday.
In other matchups to be played right after the U.S. Open, India will host Serbia, Brazil will host Spain, Israel will host Argentina, Canada will host Colombia, Australia will host Uzbekistan, Netherlands will host Croatia, and Ukraine will host Belgium.
The eight winning countries in the playoffs will qualify for the World Group in 2015. The losing teams will compete in zone groups next year.
Associated Press
