College athletes could soon get paid in California, but not from the NCAA

[TexasTowelie]

College athletes could soon be getting a check in the mail, but it won’t be from the NCAA.

A proposal introduced by state Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, would allow players to get compensated for sponsorship opportunities.

Under Senate Bill 206, dubbed the “Fair Pay to Play Act,” college athletes from California’s 24 public colleges and universities would be able to make money “as a result of the student’s name, image, or likeness.” The universities would be prohibited from taking away scholarships from students who choose to pursue those opportunities.

“College athletes have been exploited by a deeply unfair system,” Skinner said. “The NCAA, the universities, the media, they’ve made billions of dollars on the talent of athletes, while the athletes have not received anything.”

Read more here: https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article225561675.html

[JayhawkSD]

1. That will create a massive problem with the NCAA

The NCAA prohibits such payments to college athletes, and bans them from competition for receiving them. California cannot dictate to the NCAA, so the NCAA and the State of California will be in direct conflict.

My guess is the NCAA would win, and that it would take at least one California university being denied a championship for this state to wake up and realize that it cannot dictate to the rest of the nation. UCLA, for instance might win the Pac 12 title and be disqualified and the title will then to a school which did not use athletes ruled illegal by the NCAA.

Note that it gives unfair advantage to private colleges in terms of winning NCAA championships, since they can remain within NCAA sanction, and it gives unfair advantage to public schools in that they can use players who are making money from advertisements.

California has passed some stupid laws. My guess is this law will not pass, but if it does this might be the most idiotic one yet.