Even before the state of California passed a law that could disrupt the equilibrium of college athletics by allowing student-athletes to earn money based on their names, images and likenesses, one prominent athletic director spoke out in opposition of the change, saying that Californiaās schools would not ābe members of the NCAAā under such legislation.
Gene Smith, athletic director at Ohio State and co-chair of the NCAA-appointed working group thatās studying the issue of name, image and likeness, told USA Today that Californiaās legislation ā which passed the state Legislature unanimously and was reportedly signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom ā would likely preclude him from scheduling games against schools in California after its effective date of Jan. 1, 2023.
āIf the California law goes into effect in ā23, and letās say the NCAA legislation, however it emerges, doesnāt quite meet what California wants it to be and they continue to hold that law, whoās going to play (California schools?)ā Smith said last week. āWeāre certainly not. They wonāt be members of the NCAA. I think thatās going to be the problem.ā
Proponents of the bill have said that part of why they baked in the 2023 effective date is to provide the NCAA time to update its own policies. Meanwhile, the NCAA working group is slated to provide a report on the name, image and likeness issue to the bodyās Board of Governors in October.
āThere is a simple fix for (the NCAAās member schools). They can do the right thing and provide the right to name, image and likeness to all student-athletes,ā said California State Sen. Nancy Skinner, who authored the legislation.
Despite the delayed effective date, the bill will likely result in seismic changes almost immediately, as recruiting takes place years in advance of an athlete actually arriving on campus and scheduling is likewise done years out.
Gov. Newsom signed the bill in a video released Monday.
