NCAA Says Athletes May Profit From Name, Image And Likeness

It's an exciting time for upcoming college athletes. On October 29th, the NCAA Board of Governors voted unanimously to allow student-athletes to be paid for the use of their name, image, and likeness, much like professional athletes.

The NCAA has been getting a lot of slack in recent years for taking advantage of their athletes and not allowing them to be paid. The organization profits off of people buying tickets and advertisers and make a huge amount of money off of events like March Madness, but the athletes never see any cash.

The three divisions in the NCAA must now decide on rules for these opportunities. The new rules will allow players to sign endorsement deals and licensing contracts to allow them to profit off of their game.

"We must embrace change to provide the best possible experience for college athletes," said Michael Drake, the chairman of the Board of Governors and president of the Ohio State University, in a statement. “Additional flexibility in this area can and must continue to support college sports as a part of higher education. This modernization for the future is a natural extension of the numerous steps NCAA members have taken in recent years to improve support for student-athletes, including full cost of attendance and guaranteed scholarships.”

The move from the Board comes after numerous states began enacting legislation that protects athletes from getting taken advantage of and not getting paid. California recently passed a "Fair Pay To Play Act," which would go into effect in 2023. More than a dozen states reportedly are considering legislation similar to California's. NCAA officials said they will continue to get feedback on how to deal with state legislation and that will help guide future recommendations.