Let’s change the definition of amateurism
Comic courtesy of youthvoices.net
The NCAA finally got a little taste of their own medicine when California passed a bill that would allow players to earn money from endorsements done outside of the athlete’s athletic department. This bill is currently waiting to be signed or vetoed by California governor Gavin Newsome.
The bill, creatively called The Fair to Play Act, or SB 206, was created after much debate over the long-time discourse over if NCAA athletes should be paid in some way or not. The question everyone is asking is: will the bill kill amateurism? I think no.
There is a fine line between the importance of amateurism and the exploitation of young athletes. Amateurism restricts collegiate athletes to be compensated for participation in athletics. But does a school making millions on the performance of young athletes without the athletes receiving a single penny qualify as a moral way of operating a sports business?
What is unfair in the sports world is that these schools are making money off their individual success. Selling jerseys with players’ names or just their numbers on them is like your school selling a book you wrote and you not getting a penny out of it.
To stay an amateur, you must not be receiving any payment from any source, specifically for your involvement in a team. Now, if athletes were to be paid by their institutions they play for, they would not be considered amateurs and not be allowed in the NCAA. But, if they were being paid by endorsements, would they really be breaking that rule?
The interpretation of amateurism needs to be reconsidered. There needs to be some compensation for these athletes that are being exploited by their schools. That is why endorsements from outside companies would be a great compromise for everyone (well, except for Tim Tebow). This California bill is exactly the start we need, but not exactly in the correct way.
These athletes will still be considered amateurs; they will just have the opportunity to have a side hustle. There is still no way it would be like professional teams since a college athlete will not have a $2 million contract with their school, and they still need to be a student to participate in athletics.
Those arguing for a workers’ compensation for athletes need to check themselves. NCAA athletes definitely should not be paid solely for their participation in the sport.
What we are all forgetting is that these Division I athletes are being compensated; they are getting a free education and the opportunity to play a sport they are obviously passionate about. Schools should not be forced to pay them on top of scholarship, but if endorsers do, what is wrong with that?
Actually allowing these athletes to do endorsements is quite like a learning experience as well. For those going into the professional leagues, it is just a start in what they are going to experience in their day-to-day lives. For others, it is a fun opportunity to gain some extra cash to cover expenses that are not paid by their scholarships. We have to remember that these students are in college; they do not have the luxury of an NFL or NBA player.
People argued that athletes should be focusing in on their school work rather than endorsement deals, but really, have you seen the hustle of a college athlete? If they can handle morning workouts, classes, film sessions, afternoon practices, sometimes jobs, and extracurriculars, do you not think they could handle a little endorsement deal?
The Fair to Play Act is a great start in the political world of college sports, but I do not believe it is the right place to begin.
By passing this bill in the state of California, it will give California schools unfair advantages in the recruiting world. Students all over the country will want to be a part of a California team that will actually allow them to benefit financially from outside endorsements.
If Newsome does pass the bill, the Fair to Play Act will begin in January 2023. Passing that bill will only wreck havoc to what these NCAA athletes are really fighting for. There should be a nation-wide bill that covers all NCAA schools so we do not embarrass ourselves by only passing a bill in one state. We need to create a nation-wide bill that will ensure consistency throughout the NCAA and provide equal opportunities for all student-athletes.