The NCAA Board of Governors is urging California Gov. Gavin Newsom not to sign a "Fair Pay" bill that would allow student-athletes to accept endorsement money, arguing that the legislation would "upend the balance" of the collegiate athlete system.
Why it matters: The board of governors argues in a letter to Newsom that the bill would "erase the critical distinction between college and professional athletics" and give schools "unfair recruiting advantages" — making them ineligible to compete in NCAA competitions. If the bill is passed, California would be the only state in the country that allows college athletes to be paid.
A California bill that would allow college athletes to accept endorsement money moved one step closer to becoming law last night when it cleared the State Assembly by a vote of 72-0.
What's next: Once the details are ironed out, the proposed law — known as the Fair Pay to Play Act — will head to Gov. Gavin Newsom, who will have 30 days to sign it. If it becomes law, it will go into effect in Jan. 2023.
