California Passes Bill Allowing Students Athletes To Profit From Name

Source: Hannah Foslien / Getty

California Passes Bill 72-0 Allowing Students Athletes To Profit From Their Name

If you follow Lebron James even remotely, you’ve heard his vocalness about student-athletes not being paid for risking their bodies in the name of sports entertainment. If a student gets caught taking any cash, they will lose their scholarships, be kicked from the team, and sometimes even have legal action taken.

Lebron’s platform Undisputed has been one of the biggest voices for California’s proposed SB 206, “the Fair Pay To Play Act”.

The bill was designed to let college athletes profit for their name & likeness and take endorsement deals. According to Deadspin, the bill passed on Monday night 72-0 , with ZERO opposition and is now headed to the desk of Governor Gavin Newsom, who has already expressed his support.

It seems like a no-brainer, but the NCAA has already expressed they will not go down without a fight. NCAA President Mark Emmert (whose salary is $4 Million dollars) had urged California lawmakers to postpone consideration of the bill back in June, stating the following:

“We recognize all of the efforts that have been undertaken to develop this bill in the context of complex issues related to the current collegiate model that have been the subject of litigation and much national debate. Nonetheless, when contrasted with current NCAA rules, as drafted the bill threatens to alter materially the principles of intercollegiate athletics and create local differences that would make it impossible to host fair national championships. As a result, it would likely have a negative impact on the exact student-athletes it indents to assist.”

While the bill passed is seemingly easier, the fight is just getting started to actually get these athletes some fair treatment…and some money. If this bill becomes law, it will go into effect on January 1, 2023.