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The UAB football team announced that its entire roster has signed up for Athletes.org, becoming the first Division I football team to publicly join the players’ association on Monday.
And while that is big news in its own right, how they got there as well.
Former NFL quarterback Trent Dilfer now coaches the Blazers and played an integral role in players joining the union.
UAB's Trent Dilfer says he wanted to "pour gasoline" on the sparks of a movement to organize college athletes for future potential bargaining. Last week, his team became the first full roster to sign up for @AthletesOrg, a budding players' association. https://t.co/EkeVtj3ymC
— Dan Murphy (@DanMurphyESPN) April 29, 2024
“They’re going to have a seat at the table,” Dilfer told ESPN. “I wanted to make sure I helped pour gasoline on something that is going to happen no matter what. I might as well use my influence to help it happen faster on behalf of our players.”
The rapidly changing world of college football appears headed for a revenue-share model sooner or later. Jim Harbaugh and several other college coaches have already endorsed the idea.
Dilfer, meanwhile, says he wants to prepare his players for when that time comes.
Dilfer introduced the team to Athletes.org, one of several companies attempting to organize athletes for potential revenue sharing discussions. UAB players told ESPN every member of the team signed up to join the organization after hearing its pitch. – via ESPN
UAB quarterback Jacob Zeno says that the move is about giving players a seat at the table.
“In a way, we’ve been cheated out of money, and decisions are being made behind our back,” Zeno told ESPN. “It’s not really fair because we do so much for the sport, for the school and the conference. We should at least deserve to know what’s going on and what decisions are being made.”
ESPN’s Dan Murphy reached out to UAB for comment, but the university did not immediately respond.
Dilfer took over as the head coach of the Blazers ahead of the 2023 season. He led UAB to a 4-8 record in his first year.