Bright Canadian business minds already flock to the U.S. in search of bigger paycheques, and the country’s top hockey players could be next.
Driving the news: Last week, a 19-year-old hockey player from Ontario filed a lawsuit challenging a long-standing rule by the NCAA, the U.S. regulatory body for student athletics, that bans Canadian Hockey League (CHL) players from playing at U.S. schools.
- CHL players receive at most a $600 monthly stipend while playing for the country’s lower leagues, which makes them professional athletes in the eyes of the NCAA.
- That technicality makes these players, many of whom are only 16 when they enter the CHL, ineligible for U.S. schools come college application time.
Big picture: In 2021, the NCAA started allowing athletes to earn money for the first time, opening up lucrative opportunities through brand partnerships and sponsorships. It’s a win for players who can go to school, get paid for their sport, and still get drafted to pro leagues.
Why it matters: The lawsuit suggests that opening up eligibility for the NCAA could lead to better compensation for players in the CHL, but given the amount of money on the table (even with scholarships alone), it would likely lead to more players heading down south.—LA