All eyes on vote by Northwestern football players

Athletes, coaches, administrators, agents and fans are watching Northwestern University with fear and trepidation today, even though the results of the secret-ballot vote by Northwestern's football players to join a union won't be known for some time.

The process was put in motion March 26 after a regional director of the National labor Relations Board determined that football players should be considered employees under federal law. The college naturally disagrees and appealed the decision to the full board in Washington, which announced Thursday that it would review the issue.

The issue should ring a bell in Nebraska, where State Sen. Ernie Chambers has advocated pay for one of the state's biggest sources of pride, prestige -- and consternation -- football players at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

It's hard to make the argument that top-flight football programs aren't a big business.

An ESPN chart shows Nebraska pulling in $75.5 million in 2008, through income such as tickets, away games, donations, media rights and branding.

University officials would point to expenses of nearly $75 million on the same chart, for items such as tuition, visitors, coach pay ($9.4 million) recruiting, team travel, games and marketing.

But that's for a leading Division I football team. What about athletes in other, less popular sports, with partial scholarships? What about students on fine arts or general academic scholarships?

The big money that college football attracts has completely overshadowed the idea that top athletes are in college for an education.

No wonder many of them are torn between cashing in on their talents early by entering the draft, or risking career-ending injury in their final years of college.

Given the life-changing decisions and big money involved, it's no wonder top athletes, and second-tier potential pros are looking for ways to see that their interests are better represented.