UCF’s Donald De La Haye ruled ineligible because of YouTube channel

The NCAA absolutely got it wrong by ruling UCF Knights kicker Donald De La Haye ineligible because he refused to demonetize his popular YouTube channel.

There is nothing worse than an outdated entity that hinders one’s ability to be entrepreneurial. It’s the American dream to think outside of the box, but the NCAA is having none of that when it comes to the money-making opportunities for student-athletes. The latest pawn in their scheme is former UCF Knights kicker Donald De La Haye.

De La Haye was a rising junior for the AAC football team, but he has been reported ineligible by the NCAA because he refused to demonetize his popular YouTube channel, Deestroying. It’s a creative way that De La Haye spends his free time, just having fun kicking footballs and stuff.

To be told he can’t reap the benefits of the traffic he garners on YouTube is an embarrassing double standard by the NCAA. This is the same governing body that exploits thousands of student-athletes every year to make billions off them with not a dime going the other way.

It brings up the same question of whether student-athletes should be paid? There’s merit to both arguments for sure, but being told a 20-year-old kid has to demonetize his popular YouTube account can’t set will with any one.

Now De La Haye will have to wait until this spring to enter the NFL Draft a year early. Who knows if he has the leg or the staying power to play at the next level?

Next: 25 biggest villains in college football history

College kids come up with great business ideas all the time. I don’t know. Some 20-year-old kid at Harvard in the mid-2000s came up with something called Facebook. One day, we’ll see an end to this nonsense. For now, this is the harsh reality that comes with the governing body of the NCAA.