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NCAA’s Ruling On Mo’ne Davis’ Commercial Is The Correct Call

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By @mattytheole

Mo'ne Davis

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There isn’t enough space in this column to list all the missteps and outright bungles made by the NCAA over the years. It’s simply enough to state that as a governing body, President Mark Emmert’s organization has ranged from incredibly over-reaching to embarrassingly lax in its approach to rules enforcement.

Yet every once in a while, the NCAA can still make a decision that should be applauded. And in the case of Mo’ne Davis, they did just that.

Questions regarding Davis’ college eligibility were raised after the 13-year-old appeared in a 30-second spot for Chevrolet ahead of Game 1 of the World Series between the San Francisco Giants and Kansas City Royals. The commercial ends with the words, “Chevrolet celebrates Mo’ne Davis and those who remind us that anything is possible.”

Davis, who became a national star after her performances at this year’s Little League World Series, was paid by Chevrolet for her appearance. If the NCAA went by strict letter of the law, the payment would have forfeited Davis’ opportunity to compete in collegiate sports down the line.

That was when NCAA spokesperson Emily James stepped in Wednesday, declaring that Davis’ eligibility would not be compromised. “Mo’ne Davis may be paid for appearing in the Chevy commercial without impacting her NCAA eligibility,” James said in a statement.

“The NCAA staff’s decision was made within this process and based on a combination of considerations,” James said in the statement. “This waiver narrowly extends the rules – which allow Davis to accept the payment and still be eligible in any other sport – to include baseball. The NCAA staff also considered the historically limited opportunities for women to participate in professional baseball. In addition, Davis is much younger than when the vast majority of the prospect rules apply. While this situation is unusual, the flexible approach utilized in this decision is not.”

Forgetting the fact that Davis is only 13 years old, the NCAA noting a lack of opportunities presented to women in professional baseball is significant. While women continue to make great strides in collegiate athletics across the country, the disparity within professional athletics between men and women remains glaring. For Davis and other young women, this fact is an ever present reminder of the work that remains to be done.

The NCAA also realizes it and therefore made the sensible decision to let Davis skate on this one. Whether Davis ultimately continues her athletics pursuits in baseball isn’t really the point. Davis should be afforded the chance to control her own athletic career, whichever direction it may go. Taking away the dreams of a 13-year-old girl over something as petty as a 30-second commercial would have further strained public sentiments toward an organization already weighed down by pervasive negativity.

Davis has stated that her dream is to play basketball for coach Geno Auriemma’s vaunted Connecticut Huskies. Thankfully, that dream remains alive and well. As for the NCAA, perhaps their decision in this case can help rebuild some of the organization’s tarnished reputation. While one could argue the NCAA simply engaged in a bit of PR damage control in their ruling regarding Davis, the ultimate takeaway is they finally stood up and presented the public with something to applaud.

Whether the NCAA can continue to do so in the future remains to be seen. Thankfully, Mo’ne Davis still has the chance to help in that regard.

Matt Johnson is a sports writer for www.rantsports.com. Follow him on Twitter at mattytheole or “like” him on Facebook.

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