New Bill Ensures College Athletes in California Will Get Paid

CLAIRE RODARTE Staff Writer

A bill was signed by California Governor Gavin Newsom that allows college athletes to profit from their name. This has been a topic of interest recently because of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rules.

 NCAA rules do not allow college athletes to make money off of their names. For example, they cannot sell shirts with their names on them or make money from video games that use their name and likeness. The motive is for players, who do not get paid, to play for the purpose of the game, not for benefits.

 “We’re focused on trying to make sure we deal with this in a fair-play way… as best as we can have a level playing field,”  Working Group member Gene Smith, who is working on review the law, said.

 State Senator Nancy Skinner, author of the bill, says the NCAA is restrictive on student athletes. She says that as they write many bills, groups threaten to leave but never do. She knew this would occur, as she believes California is too strong economically to lose them. 

The bill will go into effect Jan. 1 of 2023; it will set California apart from other states associated with the NCAA.  

Many did not see how California schools could  be in the NCAA with such advantages. Schools get millions of dollars because of the players who get nothing and sacrifice their lives to a sport.