ACC ADs leery of player unionization Posted Mar 27, 2014 On Wednesday, the Chicago district of the National Labor Relations Board ruled that Northwestern football players qualify as employees of the university and can unionize. For now, the ruling is confined to private schools -- five of which reside in the ACC. While the immediate impact is of a narrow scope, the long-term effects of the ruling could give players the right to collectively bargain with schools in the same way professional athletes bargain for benefits. (ESPN.com)