Robinson's rationale for joining NCAA lawsuit |
According to SI.com's Andy Staples, Clemson DB
Darius Robinson
Robinson talks about the reason that he decided to be a part of the lawsuit after struggles starting up a business involving mobile phones. Someone in Clemson's compliance department noticed an uptick in business-related posts on Robinson's Facebook and Instagram accounts, and Robinson was called in to meet with compliance officials. "According to the NCAA, the rule is that a student-athlete can have his own business," Robinson said. "But they were saying that I couldn't have it because I couldn't detach my name from it. They were saying I couldn't promote it. ... I didn't see a reason for me having a business if I couldn't promote it." 
Darius Robinson
Cornerback
#21 5-10, 175
College Park, GA
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is plantiff #19 in a landmark lawsuit against the NCAA.
Robinson's inspiration to join the suit came a few months ago when he learned the same lesson former Minnesota wrestler Joel Bauman learned earlier this year. When you're an athlete at an NCAA institution, your name and your face do not belong to you. Robinson wanted to get a job to earn extra money, but he couldn't work regular hours because of his commitment to the football team. So he sought work with more flexible hours. He hit upon 5LINX, a multilevel marketing company with a business model similar to Amway. While such companies certainly have their drawbacks, 5LINX does offer direct sales. In Robinson's case, he intended to sell mobile phones and phone plans.
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