Out of Bounds Podcast with Chris Ballard cover art

Out of Bounds

The Battle for the Soul of College Sports

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Out of Bounds

By: Chris Ballard, Peter McDonnell, Spencer Gordon
Narrated by: Chris Ballard
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On July 1, 2021, sports in America changed forever. After decades of protests, sanctions, and challenges, the NCAA fortress finally crumbled. The Supreme Court struck the decisive blow, ruling unanimously that restrictions on “education-related benefits” for college athletes violated antitrust law. At the same time, a host of new state laws took effect that - for the first time - gave college athletes the opportunity to earn money from sponsors. Immediately, college stars in football, basketball, soccer, volleyball, gymnastics, and many other sports began signing deals. The move minted instant millionaires, decriminalized a host of actions, and opened the floodgates for a whole new economy, creating ripple effects that will play out for decades while igniting long-smoldering controversies about equity, race, gender, and the values and power structure of “amateur” sports in America. In this first season of Out of Bounds, we take a deep dive into the hot-button issue of money in college sports by telling the compelling inside stories of those who were impacted the most. We follow six diverse athletes - three from the past and three in the present–across a range of sports. We look at all that was lost and risked in the era before the rules were changed - the sanctions and witch hunts, the vacated titles, reclaimed trophies, and the billions in income - while looking ahead to the enormous paydays and thorny questions this revolution entails. Along the way, we weave in the history of amateur sports in the US, the evolution and unchecked power of the NCAA monolith, and the long-brewing battle to provide fair pay to college athletes. It all relates to one huge overarching question: Is this finally the end of amateur sports in America?©2022 Audible Originals, LLC (P)2022 Audible Originals, LLC
Episodes
  • Out of Bounds - Trailer

    Out of Bounds - Trailer

     The Battle for the Soul of College Sports
    Mar 15 2022
    On July 1, 2021, sports in America changed forever. After decades of protests, sanctions, and challenges, the NCAA fortress finally crumbled. The Supreme Court struck the decisive blow, ruling unanimously that restrictions on “education-related benefits” for college athletes violated antitrust law. At the same time, a host of new state laws took effect that - for the first time - gave college athletes the opportunity to earn money from sponsors. Immediately, college stars in football, basketball, soccer, volleyball, gymnastics, and many other sports began signing deals. The move minted instant millionaires, decriminalized a host of actions, and opened the floodgates for a whole new economy, creating ripple effects that will play out for decades while igniting long-smoldering controversies about equity, race, gender, and the values and power structure of “amateur” sports in America. In this first season of Out of Bounds, we take a deep dive into the hot-button issue of money in college sports by telling the compelling inside stories of those who were impacted the most. We follow six diverse athletes - three from the past and three in the present–across a range of sports. We look at all that was lost and risked in the era before the rules were changed - the sanctions and witch hunts, the vacated titles, reclaimed trophies, and the billions in income - while looking ahead to the enormous paydays and thorny questions this revolution entails. Along the way, we weave in the history of amateur sports in the US, the evolution and unchecked power of the NCAA monolith, and the long-brewing battle to provide fair pay to college athletes. It all relates to one huge overarching question: Is this finally the end of amateur sports in America?
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    2 mins
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  • Episode 1 - The Mogul Man Vs. The Machine

    Episode 1 - The Mogul Man Vs. The Machine
    Mar 15 2022
    When the NCAA told Olympic skier Jeremy Bloom that he could only play college football if he dumped out of half a million in skiing sponsorship deals -- it ignited an early showdown in what would become a full-on battle between college athletes and the faceless empire of the NCAA.
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    43 mins
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  • Episode 2 - The Quarterback and The Revolution

    Episode 2 - The Quarterback and The Revolution
    Mar 22 2022
    When a Texas kid named D'Eriq King set his sights on being the best quarterback in the game, he had no idea he that his rise to the top level of Division I football would coincide with a sea change in college sports, giving him and other athletes room to run through a new field of opportunity. King, however, would face some unexpected obstacles.
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    40 mins
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