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California may be the first state to be implementing a bill of rights for their college athletes. Though the bill is intended to protect it’s student athletes from exploitation, it could be posing too much of a risk for them. The California State Senate Bill 193 would prohibit public and private universities in California from associating with any organizations that may not adhere to the bill of rights.

 

The bill of rights would include the demands of elimination of rules for terms of scholarships that are below the tuition cost. It would also give athletes the opportunity to transfer if their coach leaves the school. Not only do institutions have to be aware of the changes the bill will make but so do associations such as the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.

 

The NCAA will now allow its student athletes to acquire an on or off-campus job in order to receive more earnings. However, student athletes will be limited to only accept compensation that is not earned due to their reputation as a college athlete or their athletic abilities. There are many concerns coming from the associations of how this will affect the athletics but if neither can agree on changes, it could be a lose-lose situation.

 

The NCAA could risk losing money that is generated from schools in California if they withdraw from the bill. If the NCAA does, in fact, withdraw, the schools could lose their healthcare which is provided by the NCAA. If passed, California’s universities would be barred from competing against any institution in the NCAA, meaning athletes would be excluded from national championships, financial aid programs, and academic award programs.

 

The bill of rights is still being discussed to ensure that the best possible outcome for all parties is found. At the moment, it doesn’t represent the best interests of college athletics or their athletes. If not thoroughly discussed, there could be serious ramifications and unwanted changes to the college sports world. Keep up with the discussion and possible changes to the bill of rights for student athletes enrolled in California’s universities.