Is California Willing to Pay The Price?

SBNATION 

Gavin Newson, current California governor, recently made history when he signed the SB 206, dubbed Fair Pay to Play Act, at the end of September. This law will allow college athletes in California to be able to profit off their name and likeness, unlike the NCAA. 

When the bill goes into effect in 2013, athletes out of California’s NCAA member institutions will be able to be paid if the player agrees to participate in an advertisement of any kind. 

But just because the bill is already scheduled to go into a effect in a few years, does not mean that it’s smooth sailing from this moment on. The NCAA has publicly stated that they are against the bill and are willing to go as far as banning California schools from postseason competition and the NCAA tournament.

I personally believe that a player should be able to make money from their name and likeness. The least that could be done, is if the NCAA makes merchandise to sell to fans, and on it is the players name and number, then that player does deserve some profit since the player earned the likeness, and it has the players name attached to it. 

I don’t think that athletes should be able to receive all of the money in its entirety, since they are using the NCAA platform, but there should be a share involved, and some sort of profit. 

It also needs to be taken into consideration that most athletes do not have to meet certain criteria to be enrolled at a university, unlike everyone else. Tuition may be fully, or partially paid for, even if the grade doesn’t meet the requirements, while others can have the same grades, and not be accepted, or receive the amount of leisure as these athletes. 

The process overall needs to be thought out in a better manner, instead of taking an idea and running with it. Trial and error will definitely be seen here, but there is a long way to go until 2023.