-double-alligators behind this campaign like former northwestern quarterback kain colter refuse to back down. >> student athletes don't have a voice. they don't have a seat at the table. the current model resembles a dictatorship. >> stephen: dictatorship? that's outrageous. how is gathering in a stadium to chant in unison as uniformed men move in formation like a dictatorship? (applause) (laughter) and you won't believe what these cleat-booted thugs are demanding. >> colter says athletes are missing out on fully-funded athletic scholarships, due process for alleged ncaa violations, and guaranteed coverage for medical expenses for current and former players. >> you know, these are our lives and we want to make sure that we're protected. >> stephen: you are protected... that's what the cup is for. (laughter) and medical coverage is a burden these schools can't afford. yes, college athletes help generate more than $16 billion in television contracts. but have you been to a college cafeteria? there's unlimited serial! you can kiss that goodbye now. now i hear that northwestern graduates so

right now >> the football wildcats stunned the sports world in january when senior quarterback kain colter announced the team would vote on union representation, claiming they were employees who made millions for the school, but were treated unfairly if they were injured while playing a regional director of the national labor relations board said the team could organize >> since then colter's been lobbying lawmakers on capitol hill on behalf of all college athletes >> its time for players to have a seat at the table and you can't run from it and you can't meet us with closed doors any more its time for players to be part of the discussion and i think that's huge >> opponents, including the former president of northwestern says organizing could jeopardize division one sports there in a statement the university said: "we strongly believe that unionization and collective bargaining are not the appropriate methods to address these concerns the head coach pat fitzgerald has been discouraging the team from organizing >> now it's our time to educate them we have to educate them to help them under

has kain colter's effort put pressure on the ncaa to improve their treatment of college players.i'm joined by a sports reporter. swin is a member of the university of connecticut national championship team and a gold medal winner. darnell is a former football player. and we have a college football analyst and author. he joins us from charlotte. it's a good title. as the alum at this table, you were on the last rose bowl team almost 20 years ago. so you're still plugged into the northwestern community. i wonder obviously what you make of the question of unionization what being in the northwestern community has been like. what have you been hearing from alum alumni. what is going on in the northwestern community as all this has been taking place. i think the initial response for the community is good for us. we're proud of our guys, we want to make sure we create an environment that's in the interest of our student athletes. and then i think the fear kind of set in and the fear of what does this all mean, what's going to be the ramifications and i think the fear then started swayin

former northwestern quarterback kain colter led the effort to classify athletes as employees... so they receive medical coverage for sports related injuries beyond college... scholarships to finish degrees despite injuries... prevention of concussions and excessive work hours... and more funds for college expenses. but a university spokesman says students are not employees. "is the university in general a commercial enterprise? no, we're a 501-c3, not-for-profit." the university lost ground when an nlrb regional director ruled that the wildcat football players had a right to unionize.... clearing the way for a vote of those who receive sholarships.but the votes won't be counted unless the nlrb upholds the regional director's ruling... which could take months as both sides present briefs. "if the timeline ends today, it's been an enourmously successful effort, even with a no vote. it has stirred a national debate and controversy, and that's a big win for the union." so who are the losers? "ncaa is in trouble. member schools are in trouble. and non-revenue sports are at risk, beca

the team's former quarterback kain colter led the push. he told the aspen institute last week that most college athletes, who don't go pro, need protection. >> i mean, what this all boils down to is, you know, setting up these, you know, talented young men and women up for success down the road and the public should want that. >> reporter: the n.c.a.a., which governs college athletics, strongly disagrees. on sunday, it's president, mark emmert, called the concept of a players union grossly inappropriate. >> to convert to a unionized employee model is essentially to throw away the entire collegiate model for athletics. you can't split that one in two. you're either a student at a university playing your sports or you're an employee of that university. >> brown: the n.c.a.a. also faces a class action lawsuit, started by former u.c.l.a. basketball player ed o'bannon. he's asking a federal court to strike down the prohibition on student athletes gaining financially when their names and likenesses are used commercially. and kentucky's basketbal