California Gov. Gavin Newsom took a path of action and signed the Fair Pay to Play Act into law and ensured California college athletes could make money off of their likenesses and receive personal endorsements beginning in 2023.
The NCAA is not happy about it, to say the least — they have threatened to bar California colleges from competing in the NCAA if the law goes forward as planned.
We all know what this is about: money. The NCAA fears that their monopoly of the college athlete market is at stake. Allowing college athletes to make decisions for themselves would mean that the multi-billion dollar organization might lose a few bucks.
Oh boohoo.
Don’t let the NCAA fool you. This is — and always has been — about money. The NCAA cites the concern that the policy will create an unfair advantage for California schools? The simple solution: create a policy, like California’s, that applies to the entire NCAA. Looks like leveling the playing field really isn’t that hard, unless of course you’re looking to compete against Alabama or Clemson in the current state of things.
If the NCAA or LeBron James has taught us anything in the last few weeks, it’s that money is more important than people. College athletes will continue to skim by and Space Jam 2 will have the Chinese market, all in the name of making five billion dollars instead of four and a half billion. I have a feeling that James will still be able to afford Taco Tuesday only making a measly 89 million this year alone (not including endorsements, of course).
So just remember as you sympathize with these athletes, many of which have come from nothing, that it’s actually the executives that are the real victims here. Because if anyone can’t afford to lose money, it’s those who currently tower over us in their box seats above.
