NCAA store to stop selling jerseys

NCAA president Mark Emmert has responded to public backlash for making money off college athletes.

The association has already begun an investigation on Johnny Manziel for a potential money-for-autographs scandal.

A Twitter rant from college basketball analyst Jay Bilas furthered the argument, pointing out that Manziel is not allowed to sell his own merchandise, it would be hypocritical for the NCAA to make money off him.

The NCAA has long insisted that jerseys for sale are not tied to particular players. Bilas tweeted screenshots of searches on the NCAA shop for Manziel and other players, including A.J. McCarron, Teddy Bridgewater and Tajh Boyd.

Go to http://t.co/qpH4tNnIpH and type in "A.J. McCarron" in upper right search box, hit enter. This comes up. pic.twitter.com/LgTLKd7JkI

— Jay Bilas (@JayBilas) August 6, 2013

Go to http://t.co/qpH4tNnIpH and type "Mark Emmert" in upper right search box, then hit enter. This comes up. pic.twitter.com/OqBmXHkg0e

— Jay Bilas (@JayBilas) August 6, 2013

In the middle of the string of tweets, the NCAA store disabled its search feature. Now, Emmert has announced that the store will stop selling the jerseys.

Emmert: "I can't speak to why we entered into that enterprise but it’s not appropriate for us and we’re going to exit it."

— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) August 8, 2013

Emmert: "I certainly understand how people can see that as hypocritical."

— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) August 8, 2013

Bilas's tweets may have been the final straw for Emmert. Emmert and the NCAA have come under criticism from SEC commissioner Mike Slive, and other conference commissioners have talked about leaving the governing body behind.

The decision does not prevent specific schools from selling players' jerseys, however.

To be clear, Emmert is talking specifically about the online store on NCAA's site. Doesn't mean schools won't keep selling jerseys.

— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) August 8, 2013