Skip to main content

- What We Do
- What we defend
- Have your rights been violated?
  If you face retaliation over protected speech, reach out to FIRE to learn more about how we can protect your rights.
  Submit a Case
- Make a difference
- Subscribe to FIRE Updates
  Stay up to date with FIRE's biggest cases and battles for free expression.
  Subscribe
- Take Action
  Across the nation, free speech rights are under attack. Join us in defending this essential quality of liberty. Make your voice heard and join a campaign.
  Protect Free Speech
- Resources
- College Free Speech Rankings
  Presented by FIRE and College Pulse, the 2026 College Free Speech Rankings is the largest survey of campus free expression ever performed.
  Explore Rankings
- National Speech Index
  The National Speech Index is a new quarterly component of America’s Political Pulse, an ongoing weekly survey that will allow researchers to track shifting free speech sentiment in America over time.
  Learn More
Colleges
News
Cases
Submit a Case
Newsletter

Table of Contents

WATCH LIVE on Tuesday: ESPN’s Jay Bilas and NCAA’s Oliver Luck Debate Paying College Athletes in First FIRE Debate

by

FIRE

October 16, 2015

The first event in our FIRE Debates series will stream here on FIRE’s website live from Texas A&M University’s Rudder Theatre starting at 7 p.m. CDT on October 20.

ESPN’s Jay Bilas will advocate for the motion “College athletes should be allowed to be paid,” while the NCAA’s Oliver Luck will argue against it. Darryl Bruffett, longtime sports director for the region’s CBS affiliate, KBTX, will moderate.

If you’re in College Station, the debate is free and open to the public. Tickets are going fast, but are still available via Eventbrite. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. CDT.

You can also join the debate on social media by following the event on Facebook and Twitter, using the hashtag #FIREdebates.

Recent Articles

Get the latest free speech news and analysis from FIRE.

Don Lemon attends Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope annual award gala at Hilton Midtown Hotel in New York, NY on December 9, 2025.

The federal charges against Don Lemon raise serious concerns for press freedom

January 30, 2026

Don Lemon faces federal charges after entering a Minnesota church with disruptive protesters to cover the event. What does this mean for press freedom and First Amendment rights?

Jan. 11, 2026 – Protester holding a sign at the Ice Out for Good protest in Rockville, MD

The American people fact-checked their government

January 29, 2026

When states lie, crowds can correct. From Paris 1961 to Minneapolis 2026, smartphones and Community Notes expose power’s lies in real time.

A summer day in front of the US Supreme Court Building in Washington, DC.

California prohibits its teachers from talking about a student's gender identity to their parents. That raises First Amendment concerns.

January 29, 2026

California barred teachers from telling parents about kids’ gender identity. A federal court balked. Now SCOTUS may weigh in.

Iranians protest in Trafalgar Square, London

Facing mass protests, Iran relies on familiar tools of state violence and internet blackouts

January 28, 2026

From Iran’s internet blackouts to Australia’s expanding hate laws, governments worldwide are tightening control over speech and dissent.

Share

Share this selection via email