NCAA Basketball Fans Calling Out ‘Zion Cam’ When Duke Star Can’t Get Paid

Overkill on the Zion-monitoring front.

Mar 22, 2019
Zion Williamson
Getty

Image via Getty/Lance King

Zion Williamson
Getty

Image via Getty/Lance King

In what would appear to be a textbook example of media coverage overkill, CBS will be utilizing a designated "Zion Cam," which is tasked with the sole purpose of following 18-year-old phenom Zion Williamson around when Duke plays during the NCAA Tournament.

"We hired a cameraman, a camera, a digital tape machine to record everything he does," CBS producer Marc Wolff said to Raleigh's News & Observer. "We were recording his workout here today in the event something were to happen. We are monitoring Zion 24-7."

In addition to being just a tad excessive and invasive, a number of people pointed out that perhaps it's not that cool that networks and the NCAA get to eat off this (in addition to the entire tournament) while Williamson can't get paid:

Lol but he doesn’t get paid for it though😂🤣😭 y’all be robbing student athletes man. https://t.co/U55pBjHWVK

— Bobby BP Portis (@BPortistime) March 22, 2019

So the “Zion Cam” is another way for @CBS to make money off of Zion without him seeing a wooden nickel. Weird. #TheresNotEnoughMoney

— BEAN 🏁🏁🏁 (@MGRADS) March 22, 2019

Soooo they can have a “Zion cam” but can’t pay ZION MONEY 🤔 https://t.co/fzuhjty09s

— JonJon👑 (@Mollerboy34) March 22, 2019

So CBS can make a cam dedicated to a player to make more money but Zion can’t sell his own autograph https://t.co/PgIitJoxSR

— Ciao-Su (@BlackBuddhism) March 22, 2019

Maybe the @NCAA can dedicate some of the $8.8 Billion💰it gets from @CBS to Zion & the student athletes fueling March Madness? 🤔 #ZionCam #Zion #NCAA #MarchMadness https://t.co/R4z523BeX4

— Ahmad Daher (@PopHealthGuy) March 22, 2019

How much will Zion be making from the Zion cam? 🤔 https://t.co/lKeS0cOsfN

— Heather Williams (@SportsHeather) March 22, 2019

#ZionCam — where the athlete is the center of attention but doesn’t get compensated!

(Yes I know he’ll get paid very soon for it all. But why should he have to wait?!) https://t.co/PBU36RqQoo

— Dave Kittle (@DaveKittleNow) March 22, 2019

Y'all need to pay Zion some money man. Look at the effect he's having on national television.⚡️ “CBS will debut the 'Zion Cam'”https://t.co/3PxZpTg9IY

— Suelo (@Suelo) March 22, 2019

Zion Cam? How much y’all going to pay him for this?

— Ms.Carter (@AshleyLaShon) March 22, 2019

Oh wow CBS got something called a Zion Cam for tonight’s game & people say college athletes shouldn’t get paid

— Lottinski (@LottoLoweski) March 22, 2019

CBS is debuting an exclusive “Zion cam” for tonight’s game, yet NCAA players don’t receive a dime. Something needs to change

— Mike. (@m_samuelson12) March 22, 2019

I used to not think they should be paid but it gets worse and worse every year. Calling it the “Zion cam” and him not making profit of any kind is actually the definition of exploitation

— Caleb Kearney (@calebkearney98) March 22, 2019

Guess how much money Zion gets for CBS using "Zion Cam"?

Don't worry, I'll wait. https://t.co/JiY3oW9Kje

— #MFFL (Mavs: 25-23) (@primetime2832) March 22, 2019

CBS is having a Zion Cam for Duke's game...are you serious!? You can't tell me dude isn't getting paid.

— RealNinjasDontDie (@henney1976) March 22, 2019

CBS dedicating an ISO CAM to Zion and he’s not getting paid.

— TicalEX (@AFricke) March 22, 2019

And so on...

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