League of Fans

Founded by Ralph Nader, League of Fans is a sports reform project working to improve sports by increasing awareness of the sports industry's relationship to society, exposing irresponsible business practices, ensuring accountability to fans, and encouraging the industry to contribute to societal well-being.

Email Alerts

Alerts is League of Fans' email announcements list. Alerts provides news, information, the actions of League of Fans and/or Ralph Nader regarding sports issues, and calls-to-action for subscribers. All email updates are either selected or written by League of Fans.

Actions!

League of Fans is motivated by people, just like you, who are upset with what has become of our sports and would like to make a difference. We work with concerned citizens, sports fans, civic groups and communities to increase awareness of the sports industry's relationship to society, influence a broad range of issues in sports at all levels and encourage the cooperative capacities that make the "sports powers-that-be" capable of helping, not just dominating, our society and culture.

News / Resources

We often think of sports as outside the realm of everyday citizen concern. But the many benefits to society that sports can provide are sometimes undermined by a different set of values, often based on the quest for higher and higher profits at the expense of fans, taxpayers, communities, culture and social justice.

Your Role

Get Involved! Your involvement will improve sports for communities and fans, and encourage the sports industry to better contribute to societal well-being.

Amateur Sports

High School Sports

"Big Business of Summer Basketball" - ESPN's Outside the Lines (July 30, 2000 Transcript)
Explores the abuses of summer basketball where the interest of the NCAA, sneaker companies, college basketball coaches, and talented young players clash.

"Death, Taxes, Football" - ESPN's Outside the Lines (May 13, 2001 Transcript)
Explores the elimination of high school sports and other extracurricular activities due to a lack of funding.

"Football, Race, and the Power of One Word" - ESPN's Outside the Lines (June 4, 2000 Transcript)
Focuses on the significance of high school football, race, and a coach's use of the "N-word" in the small town of Wildwood, Florida.

"High School Athletes: Do Jocks Rule the School?" - ESPN's Outside the Lines (June, 1999)
- America's most wanted
- Good to be the king
- Newton's law at work
- Someone else's job
- Students: Tension exists
- Chat Wrap: Tirozzi: Balance needed

"High School Football and Prayer" - ESPN's Outside the Lines (September 3, 2000 Transcript)
Explains the controversy over prayer before high school football games and the decision of the United States Supreme Court.

"How young is too young?" - ESPN's Outside the Lines (July 2, 2000 Transcript)
Focuses on Bobby Convey, a 16 year old selected in the Major League Soccer draft by DC United.

"Maine Central Institute" - ESPN's Outside the Lines (April 2, 2000 Transcript)
Focuses on prep schools, AAU and sneaker companies in their controversial role as a feeder system for elite college players.

"Making The Leap" - ESPN's Outside the Lines (May 27, 2001 Transcript)
Analyzes the circumstances and raises caution to the pressures when high schoolers make the leap to the NBA.

National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)

NCAA - Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete

"Too Much, Too Soon" - ESPN's Outside the Lines (January 20, 2002 Transcript)
Focuses on whether youngsters, like golfer Ty Tryon, can handle the jump into the spotlight of the pros.

"Who's Eligible to Play High School Sports?" - ESPN's Outside the Lines (October 8, 2000 Transcript)
Examines the home-schooled athlete and their right to play high school sports.

College Sports

"Balancing Act" - ESPN's Outside the Lines (March 18th, 2001 Transcript)
Examines the balancing act between studies and sports that student-athletes must endure.

"Big Business of Summer Basketball" - ESPN's Outside the Lines (July 30, 2000 Transcript)
Explores the abuses of summer basketball where the interest of the NCAA, sneaker companies, college basketball coaches, and talented young players clash.

Black Coaches Association
by Richard E. Lapchick

Black College Football Coaches Lose Yardage
by Richard E. Lapchick

"Campus Activists" - ESPN's Outside the Lines (April 29, 2001 Transcript)
Addresses the growing movement of student-athletes to organize for benefits.

"The D-1 Dilemma" - ESPN's Outside the Lines (January 21, 2001 Transcript)
Considers whether or not big-time college athletics is a threat to American higher education.

CollegeSports.com
College sports news, stats, scores and recruiting information.

"Final Exam" - ESPN's Outside the Lines (February 25, 2001 Transcript)
Explains the preparation and pressure faced by athletes participating in the NFL scouting combine.

FindLaw - Student-Athlete Information
(1) Eligibility Requirements (2) Recruiting Information (3) Division I-A Links by School Name (4) Division I-A Links by Conference (5) Links to Other Schools and Conferences.

"Heather Sue Mercer suit" - ESPN's Outside the Lines (October 15, 2000 Transcript)
Focuses on a landmark discrimination case regarding women playing college football.

National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA)

National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
Organization through which the nation's colleges and universities speak and act on athletics matters at the national level.

National Consortium for Academics and Sports (NCAS)
To create a better society by focusing on educational attainment and using the power and appeal of sports to positively affect social change.
- Degree Completion Program
Colleges or Universities that join NCAS agree to bring back, tuition free, their own former student-athletes who competed in sports and were unable to complete their degree requirements. In exchange these former student-athletes agree to participate in school outreach and community service programs.

National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA)

NCAA - Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete

"NCAA - Toothless Watchdog?" - ESPN's Outside the Lines (November 25, 2001 Transcript)
Analyzes the NCAA's weakening power in enforcing rules and handing out punishments to college sports programs that break the rules.

"Off the Board" - ESPN's Outside the Lines (April 1, 2001 Transcript)
Considers the collision course of college point spreads and student-athletes, the fight to end gambling on college athletic events.

"Risky Business" - ESPN's Outside the Lines (December 2, 2001 Transcript)
(1) Examines the risks of recruiting college basketball players who will likely leave early for the NBA. (2) Addresses the chances for an orderly college football playoff system.

"Rush to Judgment" - ESPN's Outside the Lines (June 24, 2001 Transcript)
Addresses basketball's "inner circle" regarding the evaluation of young talent considering early entry into the NBA draft.

Smashing Barriers in College Football
by Richard E. Lapchick

"Tennessee - Athletics vs. Academics" - ESPN's Outside the Lines (May 7th, 2000 Transcript)
Questions whether the University of Tennessee undermines the integrity of higher studies by failing to provide a meaningful education to athletes.

"When coaches leave players behind" - ESPN's Outside the Lines (July 9, 2000 Transcript)
http://sports.espn.go.com/page2/tvlistings/show15transcript.html
Addresses whether NCAA players and recruits should be restricted by transfer rules even when their coaches walk away from contracts for better deals somewhere else.

Where Will They Be After the Cheering Stops?
by Richard E. Lapchick

"Wisconsin Football Faces Season of Turmoil" - ESPN's Outside the Lines (September 10, 2000 Transcript)
Addresses the story surrounding dozens of University of Wisconsin athletes receiving discounts on sneakers in violation of NCAA rules.

General Amateur Sports Resources

FindLaw - Amateur Sports
(1) Olympic Games Rules, Regulations, and Resources (2) Laws and General Resources (3) Organizations for Amateur Sports.

"Maine Central Institute" - ESPN's Outside the Lines (April 2, 2000 Transcript)
Focuses on prep schools, AAU and sneaker companies in their controversial role as a feeder system for elite college players.

National Student-Athlete Day
To celebrate outstanding student-athletes who have achieved excellence in academics and athletics while having made significant contributions to the community.

"Too Much, Too Soon" - ESPN's Outside the Lines (January 20, 2002 Transcript)
Focuses on whether youngsters, like golfer Ty Tryon, can handle the jump into the spotlight of the pros.

The World News Network - Athletics
International amateur sports news.

General Amateur Sports Organizations

Amateur Athletic Union (AAU)

Amateur Softball Association (ASA)
National governing body of softball.

International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF)
The world governing body for track and field athletics.

International Olympic Committee (IOC)

National Congress of State Games (NCSG)
National membership organization comprized of individual state games across the country. State Games are Olympic-style sports festivals for athletes of all ages and abilities for residents of a particular state.

North American Sports Federation (NASF)
Non-profit educational and program coordinating body for amateur sports.

Special Olympics
International organization dedicated to empowering individuals with mental retardation to become physically fit, productive and respected members of society through sports training and competition.

The United States Golf Association (USGA)
National governing body of golf.

United States Olympic Committee (USOC)

United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA)

USA Baseball
National governing body of baseball.

USA Basketball
National governing body of men's and women's basketball.

USA Gymnastics
National governing body of gymnastics

USA Hockey
National governing body of hockey.

USA Track and Field
National governing body for track & field, long-distance running, and race walking.

USA Volleyball
National governing body of volleyball.

US Field Hockey Association (USFHA)
National governing body of field hockey

US Lacrosse
National governing body of men's and women's lacrosse.

World Amateur Golf Council (WAGC)
Encourages the International development of golf.