College football may change forever due to California’s new bill

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill that would allow athletes to earn money off endorsements, changing college football as we know it.

The first step in paying college athletes is underway as Gov. Gavin Newsom from California signed a bill on Monday to allow the pay-for-play.

It’s not quite that simple, though. The bill allows for college athletes in the state of California to earn money from the use of their names, images and likenesses. The NCAA warned the governor that this would change the landscape of college athletics and “upend amateur sports”.

And the NCAA is right, but the bill is the first step in allowing something that should have been legal for years.

Since the NCAA makes so much money off of player images, likenesses and names, it’s only fair that these kids get a little cut of that. Schools can sell jerseys with players’ numbers or posters and programs but the student athletes see no cut from that. This isn’t quite the “school can pay players to come there” level, but it will attract many athletes.

While many might assume this gives California a major upper-hand in recruiting for schools like Cal, UCLA and USC, among others, it’s only a matter of time before other states follow suit and force the NCAA’s hand. I doubt this will be a one-state bill for long.

But the game has changed and this has just opened the floodgates much to the chagrin of the NCAA.

Is it time for athletes to make money off of endorsements, images and usage of likeness? Absolutely, but this won’t be accepted right away. It’s going to take some time for this to hit other states and for fans to adjust to the new direction of college sports.

Heck, this might be the first step in bringing back EA Sports NCAA Football. So rejoice, college football fans, this is a monumental day.