Bloom Gets Unfavorable Ruling In Effort For Endorsements

Money He Got From Ads Like This Could Keep Bloom Off The Gridiron

The Colorado Court of Appeals ruled unanimously Thursday against Univ. of Colorado WR and Olympic moguls skier Jeremy Bloom, as Judge John Dailey ruled that Bloom "cannot play football at CU and accept the endorsements he says he needs to be a competitive skier," according to Pankratz & Dempsey of THE DENVER POST. Bloom can seek an immediate review of the ruling by the Colorado Supreme Court. But James Smittkamp, one of his attorneys, said that the Supreme Court "frequently rejects such requests." Smittkamp: "I think the decision puts into serious jeopardy his ability to play football this fall. There isn't very much time. And he has signed endorsement contracts." Bloom, who has deals with Under Armour and Bolle, wants to continue playing college football," saying in statement, "It is my hope that the NCAA will realize that it is unfair to exclude all of us from collegiate competition. ... Ultimately, the NCAA will determine my fate" (DENVER POST, 5/7). Dailey added in his decision, "The NCAA bylaws express a clear and unambiguous intent to prohibit student-athletes from engaging in endorsements and paid media appearances." Dailey also wrote that it does not matter "when the opportunity arose or if [it] came through the student-athlete's other sport" (ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, 5/7).

DEBATE: A DENVER POST editorial states the NCAA "should be magnanimous in victory and grant Bloom a waiver so that he can pursue his quest as a [football player] who could compete for Olympic gold" (DENVER POST, 5/7). But NCAA Managing Dir of Public & Media Relations Jeff Howard said if an exception was made for Bloom, "We would have to make that change for all 360,000 student athletes and that is not a policy the membership is ready to make" (L.A. TIMES, 5/7).