NCAA Votes Unanimously To Allow Athletes To Profit Off Names, Images & Likenesses

The NCAA’s board members on Tuesday agreed via a unanimous vote to pave the way for college athletes to profit off their names, images and likenesses.

The organization directed its three distinct divisions to start determining how to change their rules and regulations in such a way that marks a clear difference between collegiate and professional sports.

“We must embrace change to provide the best possible experience for college athletes,” NCAA board chair Michel Drake said in a statement, per ESPN. “Additional flexibility in this area can and must continue to support college sports as a part of higher education. This modernization for the future is a natural extension of the numerous steps NCAA members have taken in recent years to improve support for student-athletes, including full cost of attendance and guaranteed scholarships.”

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The board said it hopes the new rules will go into effect by January 2021, and added that the association would strive to make sure the regulations are “transparent, focused and enforceable” and that they do not drastically affect the level of competition within college sports.

The NCAA’s latest announcement also follows the introduction of the Fair Pay to Play Act, a law California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed last month that would allow college athletes to profit off endorsement deals. The NCAA had originally opposed the legislation, calling it unconstitutional. Several California universities like Stanford and USC also voiced their opposition to the law.

Whether or not the NCAA’s new law will truly lead to more transparency in the process of allowing college athletes to profit off any use of their name — whether it is in an advertisement or a video game — remains to be seen.