Matthew Forbes, a young tennis phenom from Raleigh, North Carolina, has achieved a remarkable feat: winning the USTA 18-under singles boys national title and earning a coveted wildcard entry into the US Open. However, Forbes’s triumph comes with a significant obstacle. As a freshman at Michigan State University, he’s prohibited by NCAA rules from accepting the minimum $100,000 prize money offered at the prestigious Grand Slam tournament.
The NCAA’s stringent regulations only allow athletes to receive actual and necessary expenses, including meals, lodging, coaching, and equipment, for participation in professional tournaments. While Forbes can’t collect the US Open winnings, he is eligible to earn income through name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals, a new development in college sports. The NCAA lifted its ban on athletes profiting from endorsements and sponsorships in 2021, ushering in a new era of compensation for collegiate athletes.
Further reforms are on the horizon. Starting next year, the NCAA and its conferences will implement a landmark compensation system, enabling schools to share up to $21 million in athletic revenues with their athletes.
Forbes’s predicament highlights the ongoing debate regarding athlete compensation in college sports. He is the first active tennis player in Michigan State history to qualify for the US Open, adding another layer of complexity to the NCAA’s rules. His case raises questions about the fairness of regulations that restrict athletes from capitalizing on their talent and potential earnings while competing at the highest levels. As college sports grapple with evolving paradigms, Forbes’s story offers a compelling case study of the challenges and opportunities facing student-athletes in the modern era.
