One can view the NCAA in many ways. Here’s how I see it: An antiquated, venal institution clinging desperately to its waning power.
That’s a common survival tactic. Right now, it is doing so by fighting tooth and nail against the California “Fair Pay to Play” Act that was signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom this past week.
The bill would allow collegiate athletes in the state, starting in 2023, to receive compensation for their name, image or likeness (NIL, in the vernacular) and also hire agents, without losing their collegiate eligibility. Please note, because this is important, and widely misconstrued: It has nothing to do with the schools themselves (58 of them in California) paying the athletes.