Menu
Marketing and Sponsorship

California Bill Would Allow Sponsorships For College Athletes

A proposal introduced by California state Sen. Nancy Skinner would allow college athletes to "get compensated for sponsorship opportunities," according to Bryan Anderson of the SACRAMENTO BEE. Under the bill, 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." Skinner said that it is "not her intent to have universities directly pay the athletes beyond scholarships." Rather, she wants students to get a "larger piece of the pie by profiting off of their skills." Skinner's proposal comes less than a month after Washington state Rep. Drew Stokesbary introduced a bill to allow college athletes to be paid by sponsors or companies seeking their endorsements (SACRAMENTO BEE, 2/6).

BATTLE IS ON: THE ATHLETIC's Marcus Thompson II noted the "Fair Pay to Play Act" is "hoping to spark a movement that forces the hand of the NCAA, a private entity not bound by state laws." The athletes could still be "ruled ineligible by the governing body of college sports." But the law "seeks to create a standoff between California colleges and their athletes and the NCAA, presuming the NCAA would eventually have to acquiesce instead of, in essence, banning its California schools." The tide has "gradually shifted towards compensating players." If this law passes and students take advantage, it would "create an incredible stir once the NCAA steps in and rules players ineligible" (THEATHLETIC.com, 2/4). Sacramento-based KOVR-CBS noted a bill introduced in California's last legislative session, the Student Athlete Bill of Rights, "failed in committee." That bill would have "allowed student-athletes to organize and make money from commercial sponsorships; however, that money would have gone into a trust until the athlete left school" (SACRAMENTO.CBSLOCAL.com, 2/5).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 25, 2024

NFL meeting preview; MLB's opening week ad effort and remembering Peter Angelos.

Big Get Jay Wright, March Madness is upon us and ESPN locks up CFP

On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2019/02/06/Marketing-and-Sponsorship/California-Bill.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2019/02/06/Marketing-and-Sponsorship/California-Bill.aspx

CLOSE