A discussion of the historical roots of "amateurism," its adoption by American college sports, the legal and policy criticisms leveled against it nowadays, why it should not be abandoned, and how it can be modernized to accommodate modern economic and social conditions.

Brian L. Porto is Professor of Law at Vermont Law School. He holds a J.D. from Indiana University-Bloomington and a Ph.D. in Political Science from Miami University (Ohio). He has worked as an attorney in both state government and private practice, and continues to practice law by writing appellate briefs for Vermont attorneys. He teaches courses in legal writing, appellate advocacy, election law, and sports law. He has published several articles about appellate brief writing in the Vermont Bar Journal and has​​ written two books and numerous articles about legal issues in college sports. His latest book is titled The Supreme Court and the NCAA: The Case for Less Commercialism and More Due Process in College Sports (University of Michigan Press 2012).