New California Law May Impact Husky Football

California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a bill recently that may change college athletics forever. Under the new law, which goes into effect in 2023, student athletes in California will be able to from their likeness, sign endorsement deals and hire agents. Prior to this bill, it was illegal for for student athletes to do either of those things.

In fact, under current NCAA laws, it is still illegal for college athletes to accept compensation for the use of their name, image or likeness. They are prohibited from earning money from the endorsement of products or services of any kind, which directly contradicts the new bill. So now the question arises: How will the NCAA enforce it’s bylaws in the state of California once the new state law comes into effect?

Governor Newsom believes that this new law is long overdue. “Collegiate student athletes put everything on the line — their physical health, future career prospects and years of their lives to compete. Colleges reap billions from these student athletes' sacrifices and success but, in the same breath, block them from earning a single dollar," said Newsom. "That's a bankrupt model — one that puts institutions ahead of the students they are supposed to serve. It needs to be disrupted.”

Colleges reap billions from student athletes but block them from earning a single dollar. That’s a bankrupt model.

I just signed the Fair Play to Pay Act with @KingJames -- making CA the first state to allow student athletes to profit off their name, image, and likeness. pic.twitter.com/aWE9OL9r1v
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) September 30, 2019

The California law may have effects that reach far beyond the borders of the Golden State. Each year California produces thousand of student athletes who are recruited by colleges around the nation. If a student athlete will have the ability to earn a significant amount of money by staying in California, in a large market, rather than attend a school in another state where earning money isn’t an option, California schools will have a significant and unfair advantage in the recruiting process.

How this new development will play out remains to be seen. Washington Husky head football Coach Chris Petersen, who recruits heavily in the state of California weighed in on this new law and how it may effect the future of his program. Watch his response below.

Chris Petersen

Add us as a preferred source on Google