Pay for autographs not being discussed

CHICAGO – NCAA president Mark Emmert said Monday there is no talk about allowing compensation for autographs and signed memorabilia.

Emmert made his remarks at a luncheon with business leaders while Georgia running back Todd Gurley remains suspended due to a school investigation into possible violations of NCAA rules involving autographs and memorabilia.

Florida State also is reviewing whether star quarterback Jameis Winston received improper benefits from a large number of autographs being sold online.

“There’s not anyone talking about change in that rule right now,” Emmert said. “All of those things will be debated by all of the conferences and the member presidents going forward.”

Emmert declined to say whether he would be in favor of compensation on a limited basis because of the pending O’Bannon case that the NCAA is appealing.

U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken ruled Aug. 8 that the NCAA broke the law by restricting schools from providing money beyond current scholarship limits to athletes. She said schools should be allowed to place up to $5,000 per athlete per year of competition into a fund for football players and men’s basketball players, which they could collect after leaving school.

“It’s an area that … it’s hard to imagine where you put a cap on it,” Emmert said. “Is it going to become a free, open-market bidding war between universities? … But as for some vehicle controlling that, it’s hard to see how it simply doesn’t become a wide-open bidding war.”