CALIFORNIA STARTS CHANGING COLLEGE SPORTS FOR THE BETTER #FairPaytoPlayAct

Rebalancing the Power in College Sports and Ending an Injustice in Higher Education

A moment in time to remember — California forward thinking Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed the Fair Pay to Play Act, allowing college athletes to benefit from financial endorsements. Newsom is the Governor of California, former Lieutenant Governor of California, and former Mayor of San Francisco.

Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed the Fair Pay to Play Act, allowing college athletes to benefit from financial endorsements changing one of the pillars of the NCAA starting January 2023.

“It is going to initiate dozens of other states to introduce similar legislation,” said Gavin Newsom, Governor of California.

“Change College Sports For The Better.”

Gavin Newsom, Governor of California

Currently, student-athletes are prohibited from being compensated even though their respective college or university makes millions from their athletic performance. That participation often comes at great risk to their health, academic success, and professional prospects.

SB 206 makes California the first state in the nation to allow college athletes to receive compensation from the use of their name, image and likeness.

The impact of this new bill which has ended the controversy, at least in the state of California. According to the governor, “The interest of the athletes is now on par with the interest of the institutions.”

Colleges reap billions from student athletes but block them from earning a single dollar. That’s a bankrupt model.

I just signed the Fair Play to Pay Act with @KingJames — making CA the first state to allow student athletes to profit off their name, image, and likeness. pic.twitter.com/aWE9OL9r1v

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) September 30, 2019

NBA superstar LeBron James was with the governor when the bill was signed and tweeted, “I’m so incredibly proud to share this moment with all of you. @gavinnewsom came to The Shop to do something that will change the lives for countless athletes who deserve it!

The debate on an athlete’s entitlement or ability to receive financial compensation or any reward has existed for decades.

A longstanding, core principle in college sports has now been upended.

Will there be a measurable negative impact on higher education? How will this change the level playing field for student-athletes around the country?

This legislation is not about colleges paying student-athletes but not penalizing those who benefit financially from companies like Nike who pay for endorsements.

Of course, the bill has one major hiccup. If the athlete is attending a college or university sponsored by adidas, the student cannot sign a deal with Puma that conflicts.

This decades-long fight for college athletes has been about access, power, owning full control of your career and brand.

Important convo here w/ @KingJames, @mavcarter, @Ed_OBannon, @katelyn_ohashi, and more on changing college sports for the better: pic.twitter.com/S7RaBd6JO0

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) September 30, 2019

“This is the beginning of a national movement – one that transcends geographic and partisan lines,” said Governor Newsom. “Collegiate student athletes put everything on the line – their physical health, future career prospects and years of their lives to compete. Colleges reap billions from these student-athletes’ sacrifices and success but, in the same breath, block them from earning a single dollar. That’s a bankrupt model – one that puts institutions ahead of the students they are supposed to serve. It needs to be disrupted.”

California is the first state to provide and protect the rights of student-athletes and allow them to benefit from the commercial use of their name or likeness. In a world rapidly influenced by social media and celebrity status, this affords a meaningful marketing tool for big business and allows athletes who choose an education to still receive monies, like their peers not in college.

“This is a game changer for student-athletes and for equity in sports,” said James. “Athletes at every level deserve to be empowered and to be fairly compensated for their work, especially in a system where so many are profiting off of their talents. Part of the reason I went to the NBA was to get my mom out of the situation she was in. I couldn’t have done that in college with the current rules in place.”

“This bill will help student athletes who are in a similar situation.”

LeBron James – NBA Superstar

The bill’s signing message can be found here.

Senator Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, introduced “The Fair Pay to Play Act”
in February 2019 to help level the playing field for college athletes in California by allowing them to sign sponsorship deals and receive other compensation, much like Olympic athletes are now allowed to do.

“For too long, college athletes have been exploited by a deeply unfair system. Universities and the NCAA make huge amounts of money from TV deals and corporate sponsorships of their teams,” Skinner said.

“This is truly a historic moment for college athletes. Gov. Newsom once again shows why he is a national trailblazer,” said state Senator Skinner. “Signing SB 206 makes California the first state to restore to student-athletes a right everyone else has: the right to earn money from their name, image, and likeness. Thank you, Gov. Newsom, and your staff, for this groundbreaking achievement.”

“Athletic talent has value, and college athletes deserve to share in that value.”

Senator Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley

“The Fair Pay to Play Act allows athletes to finally be compensated for their hard work —work that generates billions of dollars for their schools, corporate sponsors and media networks,” said Skinner.

Ed O’Bannon was also present at the signing of the new legislation. Bannon’s new book Court Justice- The Inside Story of My Battle Against the NCAA shares his experiences on the issue and is a pioneer defending the rights of college athletes.