CA Assembly Votes 72-0 in favor of NCPA bill to allow college athlete pay for use of their name, image and likeness!
Left to Right: Sen Steven Bradford, antitrust law prof Marc Edelman, fomer Stanford VB player Hayley Hodson, Sen Nancy Skinner, SD Chargers' Russell Okung, NCPA Executive Director Ramogi Huma, & economist Andy Schwarz
The California Assembly voted 72-0 in favor of The Fair Pay to Play Act (SB 206), a bill co-sponsored by the National College Players Association (NCPA) that would allow college athletes to hire sports agents and receive compensation for use of their name, image, and likeness.
NCPA Executive Director Ramogi Huma stated, “Our name, image and likeness was given to us by our parents and our Creator. It’s dehumanizing for the NCAA to demand complete ownership of players’ identity as a condition of participating in college sports. Players are people not university property. It’s especially offensive given the majority of California athletes and players elsewhere are minorities and women.”
NCAA rules currently prohibit college athletes from receiving pay for endorsing products, signing autographs, throwing sports camps, having a YouTube channel, and a host of other activities. Even players receiving no scholarship at all are subject to these restrictions.
Huma stated, “It’s not over yet. We’re focused now on getting the governor’s signature. Stay tuned.”
State Senators Nancy Skinner and Steven Bradford authored SB 206 and big voices such as Lebron James, Draymond Green, and Bernie Sanders have voiced their support.
The NCPA has been at the forefront of a number of legislative actions to protect college athletes since 2003 when it sponsored an athletes’ bill of rights that would have accomplished similar freedoms for college athletes.