Just When You Think The NCAA Is Taking Advantage Of It's Players They Offer Them Free WiFi, And TOTALLY REDEEM Themselves

The NCAA provides free wi-fi to student-athletes at all of the team hotels during the DI men's basketball championship.

— Inside the NCAA (@InsidetheNCAA) March 17, 2016

Baby steps people, baby steps. You gotta start somewhere, right? You don't go from the mail room to the top floor with one promotion. Sure, WiFi is something that nearly every hotel gives out for free, but the NCAA is paying for those hotel rooms so technically they are providing everything that comes with them. They may not compensate their players, but they make sure they stay connected by only booking hotels that have the most basic of amenities. That's got to count for something. I am not going to hate on the NCAA for taking pride in something that seems so trivial. What else are they supposed tweet about? Pretty sure a self promotional social media account is supposed to focus only on the positives, and when it comes to how well they treat their athletes a convenient internet connection might as well be a spa day. Laugh all you want, but I bet those kids are relieved they don't have to deal with data overages. I'm sure they wouldn't mind having a couple hundred dollars in their pocket either, but I think they can settle for the ability to text, tweet, and surf the internet without a worry in the world. When you've gotten used to being given nothing, anything feels like a bonus. The NCAA deserves credit for setting the bar so low that offering the same luxuries as your standard coffee shop feels like a huge step in the right direction. The best way to overachieve is to create an expectation free environment, and the fact that they are proud of themselves for not putting up their players in a motel with hourly rates means they have done just that.