The California Governor, Gavin Newsom, has signed a law that will allow college athletes to make money from endorsements -- as well as hire agents.
College athletes are allowed to profit from their images, likeness and photos in state and private universities across the state. That's much like how NFL players can make money from endorsement deals.
The bill, which passed the California Legislature with overwhelming bipartisan support, is the first law of its kind in the country to allow college student-athletes to profit from their name, image and likeness.
That has traditionally been against the NCAA rules.
Both the NCAA and the Pac-12 gave statements Monday in response to the news.
Pac-12 wrote "The Pac-12 is disappointed in the passage of SB 206 and believes it will have very significant negative consequences for our student-athletes and broader universities in California. This legislation will lead to the professionalization of college sports and many unintended consequences related to this professionalism, imposes a state law that conflicts with national rules, will blur the lines for how California universities recruit student-athletes and compete nationally, and will likely reduce resources and opportunities for student-athletes in Olympic sports and have a negative disparate impact on female student-athletes. "
"Because it gives those schools an unfair recruiting advantage, (it) would result in them eventually being unable to compete in NCAA competitions," the letter said. "These outcomes are untenable and would negatively impact more than 24,000 California student-athletes across three divisions."
The law takes effect Jan. 2023.