Local Athletic Directors Weigh-In On College 'Fair Pay For Play' Law

October 29, 2019 at 10:46 AM PDT

Speaker 1: 00:00 Speaker 2: 00:33 Speaker 3: 01:15 Speaker 2: 01:26 Speaker 3: 01:32 Speaker 2: 01:43 Speaker 3: 01:47 Speaker 2: 02:03 Speaker 3: 02:22 Speaker 2: 02:29 Speaker 4: 02:37 Speaker 2: 02:52 Speaker 4: 03:00 Speaker 2: 03:19 Speaker 4: 03:23 Speaker 2: 03:38 Speaker 5: 03:41 Speaker 2: 03:53 Speaker 6: 04:01 Speaker 2: 04:09 Speaker 6: 04:15 Speaker 2: 04:22 Speaker 6: 04:26 Speaker 2: 04:31 Speaker 1: 04:33 Speaker 7: 04:48 Uh. In an unprecedented move. The NCAA is allowing college athletes across the nation to cash in on their name, image, and likeness. Today, the board of governors voted unanimously to allow athletes to sign endorsement deals by 2021 this coming month. Add, this is coming. A month after governor Gavin Newsome signed a law allowing sponsorships starting in 2023 KPBS reporter Matt Hoffman spoke with athletic directors at local colleges about the looming changes right after Newsome signed the law in September, allowing athletes to profit from their image. San Diego state's director of athletics spoke out. I don't support SB two Oh six in the sense that they've gone out and created a law that now puts us in direct conflict with the NCAA and NCAA rules. Ady John David Wicker doesn't agree with how the state is handling this, but he's not necessarily against student athletes making money. We're going to work on finding a way for student athletes to take advantage of those new opportunities. While SDSU is the only local university with a major football and basketball program, it is not the only school that stands to be impacted by this new legislation, which the NCAA says would give an unfair recruiting advantage to California schools and could bar them from competing. I'm going to say it's a concern. It's not a fear for me in that I know that a groups are working together to resolve that UC San Diego director of athletics, Earl Edwards also is not against athletes being able to sell their name, image and likeness, whatever we come up with. Uh, it needs to be something that's manageable and work, uh, workable from the student perspective as well as the, uh, the colleges. Edwards does say that there is already some unintended consequences from this new law. There is a negative recruiting with individuals saying that if you go to California and this law passes and you're not eligible friends CA competition because the rules haven't changed in that regard. And that's that that's a problem for us. Governor Newsome says colleges and universities are making billions while student athletes get nothing. Everybody's making coaches have let it director's assistant coaches know all the advertisers, the programs directly in themselves and everybody. But the athletes, Edwards disagrees that students are being left high and dry. Something I don't agree with. Uh, particularly when you look at the scholarship aspect, when you look at the meals, when you look at the travel, university of San Diego, AAD, bill McGillis argues much of the money that's made from athletics goes back to the students. The universities are not owners in the way that you know and the way that professional sport owners have franchises. It's money that stays within within the institution and gets reinvested and, and athletic programs and academic programs that benefit the students. He also thinks that the NCAA should do a better job of communicating how student athletes are being compensated right now. So above and beyond tuition fees, room and board schools covered above and beyond that, um, at the highest levels, which is what I think legislators are most concerned about. Um, there are also those students are also receiving a cost of attendance stipend on average nationally and probably $5,000 cash. The Gillis does say that there needs to be a clear line between college athletes and professional ones and I'm not for going down the path of pay for play does name, image and likeness Morphin to something else and then something else and then we're there. I don't think, um, we should go there. Student athletes we spoke to say change is needed. I feel like university and make a lot of money off the players so I don't understand why it's not okay for us to receive some of that money. I think it's, you know, maybe something that is definitely going to benefit student athletes. That was SDSU football players, Luke Barker who and Parker Houston, some of the regions, most high profile collegiate athletes, but what about star athletes from lesser known sports? That was kind of bummed that my sport is one of those that are pretty much left out in the situation. Just because rowing isn't the most popular sport. Katie Silla is one of the top collegiate rowers in the country. She doesn't believe there would be many opportunities for her to sign an endorsement deal. I can see maybe some company that provides boats or gear for rowing, maybe reaching out, but it's, it's very slim. But Cilla says, if the law was in effect, now she would go look for those opportunities. I would 100% do it because it would just help my wellbeing and my financial situation. Matt Hoffman, K PBS news. And once again, just this morning, the NCAA voted to allow college athletes across the nation to cash in on their name, image and likeness, and to sign endorsement deals by the year 2021.

By KPBS Public Media

While San Diego State is the only local university with a major football and basketball program, it's not the only school that could be impacted by the new state law allowing college athletes to profit from their images.