NCAA president says stipend less threatening to members

Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS

NCAA President Mark Emmert said Monday that providing a stipend to student-athletes seems less threatening to the schools that earlier knocked down a proposal to increase the value of a scholarship to cover the full cost of attendance.

“It seems to be a much less controversial notion today than it was 18 months ago,” Emmert said of the stipend proposal. “As we’ve talked about it more and the membership has had a chance to digest it, it’s being seen as less threatening.”

Emmert spoke at the American Football Coaches Association luncheon just ahead of the NCAA convention, which begins this week in San Diego. Members plan to discuss changes in the way legislation is passed, including giving the five most powerful conferences the ability to create their own rules. At the top of the list for the wealthiest conferences is freedom to provide a stipend to all athletes.