Sports Solidarity

In this episode, Harry sits down with UFL player-leaders Kenneth Farrow II, Jack Kramer, and Kedrick Whitehead Jr. to discuss how players came together to build the United Football Players Association and negotiate a historic collective bargaining agreement.Before organizing, players faced inadequate health coverage and little say in the conditions affecting their careers. Instead of accepting the status quo, they built a union.What started as isolated conversations in the locker room grew into a league-wide effort — and the first CBA in UFL history. How did they do it? In this episode, the organizers share a behind-the-scenes look at the campaign and the wins that followed. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:04 Building the United Football Players Association07:18 Life Before the CBA 10:57 Bringing Players Together 13:38 Negotiating the First CBA in UFL History17:37 The Player-Centered Bargaining Philosophy20:14 Building Unity During Negotiations22:35 The Health Care Holdout That Extended Negotiations24:08 What's Next for the UFPA37:43 Advice for Working People 42:37 Closing Remarks 

In this episode of Sports Solidarity, host Harry Marino is joined by Brandon Copeland, co-founder and CEO of Athletes.org and former NFL linebacker, and Casey Floyd, co-founder of DYK Media, for a timely conversation on Washington’s continued push to reshape college athletics.The NCAA-backed SCORE Act was pulled from this week’s House agenda, but the broader effort toward federal intervention in college sports remains active. Casey and Brandon break down what’s still in motion in Congress and what it could mean for athlete rights, compensation, and the ability to organize and challenge NCAA rules.The discussion focuses on how proposed federal frameworks could shift power further toward institutions while limiting athlete leverage, legal recourse, and representation in policymaking. They also dig into ongoing debates around antitrust protections, transfer restrictions, health and safety, and labor rights.Casey and Brandon highlight the continued absence of athlete voices in key policy conversations and warn that the possibility of federal involvement raises major questions about the future structure of college sports.Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction01:29 – Big 12 commissioner’s position on SCORE Act04:02 – Guest introductions04:35 – SCORE Act deep dive with Casey Floyd08:38 – How likely is the SCORE Act to pass?13:18 – Health and safety concerns16:54 – NFL vs. NCAA safety protocols18:03 – Professional sports comparison20:09 – NCAA’s strategic approach23:56 – House settlement29:22 – Collective bargaining benefits30:39 – Athletes.org36:44 – Historical context and current reality39:42 – ConclusionResources mentioned in this episode: Athletes.org Read AO's SCORE Act Open LetterDYK Media Fort Lewis’ first student-athlete, Ray Dennison, killed playing football, echoes through NCAA history 

The first episode of Sports Solidarity with Harry Marino goes inside the historic effort to unionize Minor League Baseball.Harry Marino is joined by Joe Hudson, Jose Brizuela, and Brandon Withers, three player leaders who helped drive the campaign to organize thousands of minor leaguers.They share what life was like before the union, how organizing took shape across clubhouses, and how players turned difficult conditions into a successful nationwide movement.This is the story of how it happened, what it took to win, and what changed afterward.Resources mentioned in this episode: sportssolidarity.orgListen, rate, and subscribe! Stories of players fighting for fair pay and rights in sports. Timestamps: [00:03:42] - The Shocking Reality of Minor League Life[00:04:27] - The Fyre Festival Sandwich Moment[00:17:26] - The Housing Victory That Changed Everything[00:22:34] - The Chaotic Union Card Drive[00:25:41] - Overcoming Fear and Building Momentum[00:29:33] - The Courage of Latino Players[00:36:16] - Life After the Union: Dramatic Improvements

Sports is a trillion-dollar industry.But sports aren’t just games – they’re workplaces.Sports Solidarity with Harry Marino goes behind the scenes of one of the most visible and powerful industries in the world.The show is hosted by Harry, an attorney and former professional baseball player who led the unionization of Minor League Baseball and has since led landmark collective bargaining negotiations across the sports industry.Each episode takes you inside locker rooms, union halls, and boardrooms to hear real stories from the people who have lived them. From athletes to organizers to industry insiders, Sports Solidarity examines how labor, power, and money collide in professional sports.If you care about sports, labor, or the future of work, listen in to hear the conversations happening behind the scenes.The first episode drops on Tuesday, May 5th. Follow and subscribe so you never miss an episode.SportsSolidarity.com