California "Fair Pay To Play" Proposal...

[billyjack]

From ESPN (was below the article where Zion was paid by Duke)... sounds like a sensible proposal. And Mark Emmert is his typical douche self. Too bad the Big East couldn't run with this idea alone.

"A bill that would let college athletes in California profit from endorsements has a high-profile backer: NBA superstar LeBron James. The bill, SB 206, called the Fair Pay to Play Act, would prohibit schools in California from taking away scholarships or eligibility from college athletes who use their celebrity to make money. Senate Bill 206 has cleared the state Senate and is awaiting a vote by the full California State Assembly.

The Fair Pay to Play Act, which was introduced in February by state Senators Nancy Skinner and Steven Bradford, also allows for athletes to hire an agent or attorney to represent them in business deals without losing their eligibility. Skinner said it would not require schools to pay their players, but instead guarantee players the same rights given to Olympic athletes. The law, if it is passed, would go into effect in January 2023.

NCAA president Mark Emmert wrote a letter to California legislators in May asking that they consider delaying their vote while his organization considered the impact of the law. Emmert suggested that California institutions, both public and private, would be barred from participating in NCAA championships if the law passed."

[DudeAnon]

Seems like a reasonable compromise to the situation we have now. Unfortunately, this is America so compromise will never happen.

[LMS]

So some Stanford grad at google could just pay recruits a million bucks each “to use their likeness” and it’s all good?

[Irishdawg]

So some Stanford grad at google could just pay recruits a million bucks each “to use their likeness” and it’s all good?

If they want to, be my guest. With the one and done rule gone, most high level kids will opt for the pros anyway. If you're willing to pay a marginal level professional that kind of money, that seems like a poor investment strategy.

College basketball is popular because of the brand of the schools and coaches. This won't change that, given the temporary nature players have at this level.

[billyjack]

California officially passed the "Fair Pay To Play" proposal today.

Couple of things...

1. How will the NCAA react?
2. Should the Big East follow California's lead and spearhead an effort to compensate our players as well?

[gtmoBlue]

California officially passed the "Fair Pay To Play" proposal today.

Couple of things...

1. How will the NCAA react?
2. Should the Big East follow California's lead and spearhead an effort to compensate our players as well?

1. NCAA has already said they will go to court over this issue. It should also be noted that the Fed Govt is also looking at a Fair Pay bill as well.

2. No. California is a sovereign state and has the right to pass state laws. The BE is merely a collegiate conference, spanning many states.
The best COA is to see what other state legislatures will do, as several are considering similar laws.
If the Federal Government passes a Pay to Play law, then conferences such as the BE can act on such law.

[gtmoBlue]

Name, Image, and Likeness...more.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-footb ... -likeness/

[billyjack]

Name, Image, and Likeness...more.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-footb ... -likeness/

This really is the college sports issue of our time. So it could happen where one by one states follow California's lead.... article says Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Washington, Pennsylvania, probably New York, etc. Depending on how it plays out, much better to hitch our wagon with the larger more forward thinking states, than stay back in the Middle Ages with the old line NCAA.

The NCAA has had decades to address this issue, and has resisted at every turn. Reminds me of MLB and free agency in the 70's, with medieval owners resisting and predicting doom for the game if they gave up an inch.

[xusandy]

Fearless Predictions:
(1) The almighty NCAA will eventually cave in on this issue, probably using some total BS piece of logic to redefine "pay" as not including having players acquire some money when their images, etc. are used by media outlets or their own institutions to generate even more money. The alternative for the NCAA will be to lose all California schools and some of those schools' league members as well (the entire Pac 12?, the West Coast Conference?, other schools or entire leagues if more states adopt such a law.) The NCAA would also have to compete with whatever rival organizations arise to manage alternate national championships for schools that drop out of the NCAA. To refuse to cave in might even kill the NCAA's presence in D-1 athletics altogether.
(2) When the dust settles, a ton of D-1 athletes in major sports will have agents while they are still in college, peddling their images and building their "brands." We'll all see local college players on Wheaties boxes, in ads on local TV, etc., etc.
(3) The "sports agent industry" will expand significantly, as agents will have a whole new source of income, with LOTS of potential new clients to chase, and this will just increase the $$$ opportunities for players.
(4) The biggest winners in all this will eventually be the the schools located in the biggest media markets, since the best players in the major sports will want to enroll where they can make the most money while still in college (congrats Depaul, sorry Creighton.) ("Gee Mom, I love Coach Cool and School Wow, but I guess I need to go to Big City U, where I can potentially make a lot more $$$.")
(5) Finally, we'll see a major re-alignment of major conferences, as the schools with the best players (those in major media markets) will want to affiliate with each other for financial reasons. Virginia Tech, Penn State, Clemson, Alabama, etc. just won't be able to attract top players any more. And if a kid blossoms at a school in a small media market, the temptation to transfer to Big City U will be huge. I'll give it less than 10 years before this happens, and the number of truly competitive programs in football, basketball, and even baseball starts to dwindle significantly.

Though I agree that players deserve a piece of the huge profits that D-1 schools make off their presence on campus, I really don't like that MONEY is becoming (has already become?) the main driver of college sports, and in particular I hate it that for too many universities, the finances of the football program are already way more important than academic quality, getting research grants, or instilling strong citizenship values in young people. California is doing the right thing, but I see a lot of downside in the future.

[gtmoBlue]

Yoda and the ncaa will cave...as more states and finally the fed govt get in on the NIL bandwagon.