Wait... What? NCAA Student-Athletes Need a Voice in Name, Image and Likeness Discussions

Wait... What? NCAA Student-Athletes Need a Voice in Name, Image and Likeness Discussions

Started
July 21, 2020
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Signatures: 3,663Next Goal: 5,000
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Why this petition matters

Started by College Athletes for No More Names

ACTION: Please sign this petition that sets the FAIR PAY TO PLAY ACT legislation passed in California, as the National Standard.  Lebron James says the legislation is a “GAME CHANGER.” James further noted that now “college athletes can responsibly get paid for what they do and the billions they create,” wherein the California State Senate passed the legislation 39-0.  

Tomorrow, Wednesday July 22nd, the Power 5 Commissioners will testify before Congress to “Please Save Us,” by asking that legislation be enacted to create a “uniform national standard” to “regulate NIL economic opportunity” in order to avoid what is termed “pay for play.” The letter asserts that college athletes are students and not employees and thus would require an athlete to complete a term of academic progress before the student-athlete can be granted an NIL license. 

Standing on the shoulders of the recently passed legislation championed by LeBron James in the state of California, Senate Bill 206, the “FAIR PAY TO PLAY ACT” now “grants student-athletes the right to earn compensation in connection with the use of their name, image and likeness.” 

"Me and my mom didn't have anything," James said. "We wouldn't have been able to benefit at all from [a college selling a No. 23 jersey, selling out the arena for his games and being in the NCAA basketball video game]. And the university would have been able to capitalize on everything that I would've been there for that year or two or whatever. I understand what those kids are going through. I feel for those kids who've been going through it for so long, so that's why it was personal to me."

Why should student-athletes have to wait to earn money off of their NIL they so often need? Given the rise and reliance on social media, college athletes can easily supplement their college experience with online coaching, tutoring etc. 

Why would we keep student-athletes from earning money during the first year of college when all of their peers can and are afforded the opportunity to earn money online? Given the global pandemic and the reliance on virtual earnings online, athletes would be able to join the rest of the world in this new economy.

We say that NOW is the time for ALL student-athletes to be able to PROFIT from their NIL upon entering college and follow the "Fair Pay to Play Act" enacted in California. 

Our Asks:

We ask that the NCAA allow student-athletes to trade on NIL beginning Fall 2020.

We also ask that within two weeks of the public release of the statement, the NCAA provide clear, public guidance to student-athletes regarding regulations for charitable fundraising that allows student athletes to raise funds for charitable organizations given the rise of athletes addressing causes that dominate these challenging times.

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Signatures: 3,663Next Goal: 5,000
Support now
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Decision Makers

  • NCAA
  • NCAA Student-Athletes