Lebron James Praises California for Signing Fair Pay To Play Act To Let NCAA Athletes Profit Off Endorsements

California Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday signed into law the Fair Pay to Play Act, a policy that will allow college athletes to receive compensation from endorsement deals. This move has repeatedly been called unconstitutional by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), which has routinely turned down the idea of college athletes receiving benefits for their likenesses.

“I have deep reverence, deep respect for the NCAA and college athletics,” Newsom said. “I just think the system has been perverted, and this is fundamentally about rebalancing things. It’s about equity, it’s about fairness, and it’s about time.”

California State Schools, USC and Stanford also all opposed the bill. The universities cited fears of increasing costs to monitor compliance with the law.

The NCAA has expressed concern since the signing of the bill that the issue will devolve into a “patchwork of state regulations.” The association went on to say that they were considering their “next steps” in California, as the bill is not set to go into effect until Jan. 1, 2023. Newsom said he remains open to the idea of working with the NCAA to find common ground in the years before it takes effect.

“We recognize that we need to keep an open mind about the consequences of this legislation,” Newsom said. “We want to engage in good faith the NCAA and other states, but at the end of the day, we want to address this injustice in higher education. No other student is restricted in using their name, image, and likeness. Not one. Only athletes.”

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Of the proponents of the new bill, one of the most outspoken has been Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James. The three-time NBA champion has repeatedly advocated for compensation for college athletes, as he believes they should share in the profits with those who already receive large sums of money for their image.

“This is a game-changer for student-athletes and for equity in sports,” said James, who has been a vocal supporter of the bill. “Athletes at every level deserve to be empowered and to be fairly compensated for their work, especially in a system where so many are profiting off of their talents. Part of the reason I went to the NBA was to get my mom out of the situation she was in. I couldn’t have done that in college with the current rules in place.”

 

UCLA football coach Chip Kelly echoed James’ sentiment, calling the bill “the right thing to do”.

After Newsom’s groundbreaking decision in passing this type of legislation, only time will tell if more states begin to follow suit in allowing college athletes to be compensated. The NCAA will also have some tough decisions to make about how they will handle the situation as an organization.

California’s newly introduced law will also likely lead to more transparency in the process surrounding college athletes’ attempts to land sponsorships. In recent years, the NCAA has issued penalties to several college basketball programs and sports apparel companies like Adidas for violations related to bribes and other illegal recruitment tactics.