Playing under the NCAA is a privilege to earn that lasts once in a lifetime.
A dedicated athlete puts in hard work for their dream to pay off in their future.
Any athlete that wants to be great, fantasizes themselves being the next great player of their generation.
They dream of winning, making money signing big endorsements to companies such as Nike and Adidas.
In California, those dreams can now occur sooner to an athlete.
A new bill, known as the Fair Pay to Play Act, has been passed unanimously., in which college athletes in California are now able to get paid through endorsements and sponsorships, without any punishment.
The main limit to the bill is that an athlete that attends a school sponsored by Nike cannot sign an endorsement deal with any other brand, such as Under Armour.
The new bill was covered all over sports networks, creating some heated debates from constantly getting.
One of the most notable responses came from former University of Florida quarterback, Tim Tebow, where Tebow stated “It changes what’s special about college football,” Tebow said. “We turn it into the NFL, where who has the most money.”
The bill has been approved and is expected to be signed by the governor very shortly.
It will become official in 2023.
Florida Tech’s athletic director, Bill Jurgens, associates with the NCAA frequently due to his job as the A.D. Mr. Jurgens was well aware of the new law that was passed, and he said he is not surprised by the law.
He believes the NCAA “does a great job governing athletics and prepares athletes for professional sports. No one works harder than the NCAA with physical safety and mental safety.”
With the new bill being passed, Jurgens’ remark of preparing athletes for professional sports comes into play, as athletes are now making big decisions for themselves with endorsement contracts.
There is one concern the school’s athletic director has; “The safety of the college athletes are very important, and they must be smart with their decisions and life skills.”
College athletes in California must now make life-changing decisions.
Less than two percent of college athletes in all of college sports combined become professional athletes.
California college athletes are given a responsibility and an opportunity of a lifetime at a very young age, and must make their choices carefully.
Jurgens added a fact that the bill has been discussed with Florida, bringing all the terms passed in California, as a possible new bill coming to Florida as well.
If the new law moves to have an impact on Florida college athletics, this may expand on a big change coming to the NCAA.
Perspectives from college athletes are debatable, depending on what the athletes claim as their top priorities and what they focus on. Senior baseball player Blaise Maris is an athlete not in favor of the new bill.
“Not every college athlete has professional qualities. Getting paid makes it a job. College is stressful enough with classes, practices, and workouts. If you are not performing, then that ‘job’ weighs on your mind more, adding more stress.”
Athletes who are not qualified for business deals will have trouble managing their priorities with school and their sport.
If they are unable to keep their grades up to the appropriate GPA, the athlete will not be qualified to play, resulting in the athlete to lose out on their endorsement deal.
Maris also adds onto the thought of an increase of athletes going to play in California because of the Fair Pay to Play Act.
“I think that there are a lot of athletes that believe they should be getting paid right out of high school, so those people will probably go to California to start their journey. You will start to see better talent levels across the board in California.” Florida Tech football player Daniel Welch added his opinion towards the Fair Pay to Play Act.
He was able to view it as a benefit and as a possible concern.
“I think it could create an opportunity for athletes to be rewarded for being successful. However, I do agree with what Tim Tebow said earlier in the week, that it takes away what college football is about. It takes away some of the team aspect and makes it more individual.”
If athletes become selfish, and have problems as a team, the school’s team will not perform as well, which will lead to problems for the selfish athletes.
If the athletes struggle, they will not be awarded with endorsements, and possibly lose their deals and scholarships.
The college athletes must remain humble and focus on the main goal of winning and competing.
The Fair Pay to Play Act is the start of a new chapter in NCAA sports.
College athletes in California are now gaining the chance to get paid through endorsement deals.
If the bill is spread to other states, it will spread across the country, completely changing college sports, starting a new era that will continue to be debatable.