California Governor Newsom passed a landmark law on Monday, opening the door for college athletes in the state to make money off endorsement deals, despite NCAA protests.
The law is set to take effect in 2023. The NCAA has threatened that passing the law could led to California collegiate sports programs losing accreditation, because it would create an uneven playing field when it comes to persuading recruits.
Draymond Green simultaneously heaped praise on Newsom’s signing of the law while trashing the NCAA’s practices.
“Governor Newsom, I think has been doing some great things since he’s taken over in office and this is just another one of those great things that he’s done,” Green said. “I think it will definitely help move the needle. When you start talking the state of California, how much weight this state holds, for this state to be the first to do that, it’s very special.
“You know as a former college athlete, that’s exciting. You spend so much time in college broke, with no money, and yet everybody else was living very well. University is making a ton of money off your likeness. It’s the most bankrupt model. It does not make any sense. ‘I can make all the money off your likeness, and the moment you try to make some money off your likeness you can’t play here anymore.’ You’re ineligible, you’re suspended. It’s backwards.”
Green then went a step further.
“Someone needs to force this dictatorship to change. Because that’s exactly what it is. It’s no different than any country that’s ran by dictators. The NCAA is a dictatorship.
“No college athletes have a voice really. When you see a commercial promoting a college game, it usually shows the coaches, and they don’t score a point…It’s a great day for everyone. I don’t know about y’all but I’m tired of seeing people getting ripped off. I’m tired of seeing these college athletes being ripped off and the President of the NCAA just kind’ve sit back…I’ll love to see what his response is going to be to this.”
The NCAA reported $1.1 billion in revenue in 2017.