Cal Quarterback Chase Garbers Calls NCAA Changes `A Step in the Right Direction'
On the first day college athletes were able to profit from their own name, image and likeness, Cal quarterback Chase Garbers acknowledged “it’s been a long time coming,” but said in our interview his own plans to profit from the NCAA changes were not yet clear.
Then, not two hours later, Garbers revealed through social media he has partnered with Orgain Clean Protein.
Cha-ching!
“It’s definitely a change of scenery in college football,” Garbers said. “I think it’s the right step forward in where collegiate athletics is going. “This has been a fight for as long as I can remember with people losing eligibility over stuff like this.
“I think it’s been a long time coming since athletes have been able to benefit off their name, image and likeness, and it’s going to be interesting to see how college football and college sports in general shapes up over the next few years.”
Garbers said he has talked to a couple people about potential opportunities to market himself. “People have reached out,” he said. “But nothing official yet.
“Even going into my last year, having the opportunity, there will be some benefit in some way.”
We now know that was just a temporary smokescreen.
As a student (a graduate, in fact) at a high-profile university with a broad alumni base and the starting quarterback for a Pac-12 Conference football program, it seems entirely likely Garbers will reap additional benefits.
Cal unveiled a program it's calling "Golden" that's intended to provide multi-faceted support of its athletes in the wake of the NCAA changes.
Perhaps no one has cashed as quickly — or potentially as lucratively — as twin sisters Haley and Hanna Cavinder, stars of the Fresno State women’s basketball team. They have a strong social media following on TikTok and quickly monetized that by striking a deal with Boost Mobile and another with Six Star Pro Nutrition, the Fresno Bee reported.
The NCAA on Wednesday lifted so-called NIL restrictions which prevented athletes from profiting in any way from their celebrity. The organization really had no choice after seven states, including Texas, passed laws that would allow athletes to do so, beginning July 1.
In order to keep a level playing field, the NCAA relented and lifted the prohibitions across the board. The announcement was characterized as an interim plan, with more detail to come.
“It will be interesting to see when they come up with a final draft of what’s OK and what’s not,” Garbers said. “It will be interesting over these few years to see how it skews everything in terms of recruiting and where players go.”
Although schools will not be permitted to include the lure of potential financial benefits in their recruiting pitch to prospects, there will be nothing to stop local business owners or anyone outside the university from offering opportunities to athletes.
Former USC star tailback Reggie Bush
Photo by Robert Hanashiro via Image Content Services, LLC
Another question looming is how the change might retroactively impact things. Former USC star Reggie Bush, who had his Heisman Trophy stripped and his collegiate statistics wiped out because of past NCAA violations involving extra benefits, wants to see those penalties lifted.
"It is my strong belief that I won the Heisman trophy 'solely' due to my hard work and dedication on the football field and it is also my firm belief that my records should be reinstated," Bush said in a statement.
All of it is part of a suddenly altered landscape that seems sure to remain fluid going forward.
“Since they let up and allowed this, which is such a huge thing to happen, I think more things will definitely come.” Garbers said. “Just going to be a matter of time and putting the right pieces in the puzzle.”
Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo
