It’s Been a Week of Big Sports-Related Stories in the News

The FBI investigation “speaks to a larger issue in terms of amateurism and what it means for college athletics.”

Gus Navarro/WDET

It’s been a busy week in the world of sports. Rick Pitino, Louisville men’s basketball coach, was fired amidst the fallout of an FBI investigation. The FBI has been looking into a scandal involving Adidas and multiple college basketball programs that have been allegedly paying recruits.

As the investigation continues, this story will develop further. 

Detroit News sports columnist John Niyo joins Detroit Today with Stephen Henderson to help break down a loaded week in sports. 

The FBI’s college basketball investigation “speaks to a larger issue in terms of amateurism and what it means for college athletics,” says Niyo.

“The NCAA, some would say, is exploiting these athletes and now we’re maybe going to have…an honest discussion about that.” 

The investigation has also shed some light on the issue of how much money the NCAA, individual universities, and sports apparel companies such as Adidas stand to make off of college athletics and those programs’ lucrative television contracts. 

“The NCAA, which is just a collection of university presidents essentially…have an eight billion dollar contract to put on March Madness every year,” Niyo says. 

Click on the audio player above for the full conversation. 

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  • Detroit Today
    Dynamic and diverse voices. News, politics, community and the issues that define our region. Hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Stephen Henderson, Detroit Today brings you fresh and perceptive views weekdays at 9 am and 7 pm.