Fair Pay to Play
Governor of California, Gavin Newsom with UNINTERRUPTED founder, LeBron James
Student athletes put their bodies through physical and mental exhaustion all while still having to attend class and earn their degrees like their fellow classmates. National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is an organization in the United States that administers intercollegiate athletics. The NCAA is currently a billion dollar industry where the young adults who represent their respective colleges do not see any monetary profit from their efforts. Which has led to the discussion for years, should NCAA athletes be paid?
NCAA's former executive vice president of regulatory affairs, said in a speech in 2015, "It would be a bad mistake to create campus employer-employee relationships with student-athletes." Paying college athletes "would distract in a very significant way from pursuing what they really need to pursue - an education... And we need to emphasize the value of that education."
Why is it so relevant today? Gavin Newsom, governor of California put pen to paper this past week with LeBron James and Maverick Carter by his side. Newsom was featured in a short video on UNINTERRUPTED, a brand whose sole focus is to create athlete empowerment and give athletes the opportunity to have a platform where they create the story they want told. Newsom signed the Fair Pay to Play Act (SB206) which would allow collegiate athletes in California to profit from their name, image, and likeness starting in 2023. Newsom stated "It's going to change college sports for the better by having now the interests, finally, of the athletes on par with the interests of the institutions." The act will make it illegal for colleges in California deny that their athletes profit from their talents.
The Pac-12 conference located in the state of California has issued statements addressing the implications that this act will have on its athletes.
"The Pac-12 is disappointed in the passage of SB 206 and believes it will have very significant negative consequences for our student-athletes and broader universities in California. This legislation will lead to the professionalization of college sports and many unintended consequences related to this professionalism, imposes a state law that conflicts with national rules, will blur the lines for how California universities recruit student-athletes and compete nationally, and will likely reduce resources and opportunities for student-athletes in Olympic sports and have a negative disparate impact on female student-athletes. Our universities have led important student-athlete reform over the past years, but firmly believe all reforms must treat our student-athletes as students pursuing an education, and not as professional athletes. We will work with our universities to determine next steps and ensure continuing support for our student-athletes."
All this means if the NCAA does not follow this act in all states, California institutions will be prohibited to compete within the NCAA.
The hopes for this act is making the future of student athletes be known for #MoreThanAnAthlete.
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KIA NURSE | PEOPLE'S CHOICE
Kia has been nominated for the People's Choice Awards by Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. This award is recognizing athletes who are champions of their sport and who are helping change the face of their communities. Kia is in great company with golf superstar Brooke Henderson, X Games and Olympic Medalist Mark McMorris, and Captain of the Edmonton Oilers Connor McDavid among many others. Let's make Kia the People's Choice by voting here.