Sunday, June 7, 2026

California Opens Door for Student-Athletes

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 24, 2018; Los Angeles, CA, USA; General overall view as Southern California Trojans quarterback JT Daniels (16) throws a pass against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
*This piece first appeared in the Front Office Sports Newsletter. Subscribe today and get the news before anyone else.

Student-athletes in California could be signing endorsement deals in the near future.

Senate Bill 206 by state Sen. Nancy Skinner would allow student-athletes in California to sign with agents and profit from endorsement. The bill, which cleared the state Senate yesterday, heads to the Assembly for consideration in the coming months, according to Melody Gutierrez of the LA Times.

What does the bill say? 

– The bill would treat student-athletes like Olympians and give them an opportunity to “earn income from their talent” while retaining their amateur status.

– The bill would allow student-athletes at public and private universities and colleges to earn money from the use of their name, image or likeness in endorsement deals starting in 2023.

– The bill would not allow the schools to directly pay athletes.

– The bill would bar schools from offering sponsorship deals to high school students as a recruitment tool.

Not everyone is for it…

While there is no precedent for what would happen if the bill were to become law in terms of how the NCAA would treat student-athletes at California schools, but many of the bigger schools don’t even want to test it. 

According to Guitierrez, Cal, USC and Stanford all oppose the bill. 

The next few months are critical…

Not only for student-athletes in California but for student-athletes across the country thanks to the NCAA forming a working group to examine issues highlighted in recently proposed federal and state legislation related to student-athlete name, image and likeness. 

The working group will be moving quickly, with an update provided in August and a final report due to the Board of Governors in October

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign up for
The Memo Newsletter

Get the biggest stories and best analysis on the business of sports delivered to your inbox twice every weekday and twice on weekends.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Apr 18, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; ESPN analysts Richard Jefferson (left) and Tim Legler (center) and play-by-play announcer Mike Breen during game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena.

ESPN’s Tim Legler: ‘I Don’t Think About Coaching Anymore’

Legler is making his NBA Finals broadcasting debut.
FILE PHOTO: U..S. President Donald Trump speaks at the site of ongoing construction of the planned White House ballroom in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 19, 2026.

How the Big Ten and SEC Found Themselves Opposing Trump

The bill is considered dead if it doesn’t pass the Senate before August.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) listens as Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) speaks during a hearing on the “Protect College Sports Act” before the Senate Commerce Committee, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 3, 2026.

Senate Bill Causes Rifts in Longtime College Sports Alliances

Saban testified in favor of the bill, while the SEC is against it.

Expensive Texas Tech Roster Brings New Fans to College Softball

NIL discussion and transfer controversies are drawing attention to the Red Raiders.

Featured Today

Ai sports slop

How Sports Became Ground Zero for AI Slop

The category is the perfect breeding ground for AI content churn.
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup - UEFA Qualifiers - Group A - Germany v Luxembourg - Rhein-Neckar-Arena, Sinsheim, Germany - October 10, 2025 Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann
June 4, 2026

‘Weird Corners of the World’: How to Find a World Cup Coach

National associations look for a winning record—and also hope for serendipity.
June 3, 2026

The Elite High Schools Hosting World Cup Teams

Spain, Morocco, Croatia, and Switzerland chose schools as their tournament base camps.
Frances Cabral-Delaney
May 29, 2026

How Arsenal Fandom Went ‘Manic’

“People do not become Arsenal fans because it’s easy,” says Zohran Mamdani.

ACC’s Brazil CFB Game Scrapped With Return to Virginia

NC State and Virginia were set to face off in Rio de Janeiro.
U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) boards an elevator in the Senate subway during a vote on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 19, 2026.
June 2, 2026

College Sports Split on Whether to Support Landmark Senate Bill

One detractor said it “would play athletes and organized labor for fools.”
June 2, 2026

Carlsbad Is Emerging as College Golf’s Signature Stage

The NCAA golf championships have reached a fever pitch.
Sponsored

Landon Donovan: What Soccer in America Still Needs

Landon Donovan discusses the evolution of soccer in America and investing in the NWSL.
Dec 6, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; BYU Cougars safety Faletau Satuala (11) tackles Texas Tech Red Raiders tight end Terrance Carter Jr. (7) during the game between the Red Raiders and the Cougars at AT&T Stadium.
May 29, 2026

Big 12 Spring Meetings: CFP Expansion and Private-Capital Deal

Most Big 12 leaders support a 24-team CFP, though execution is unclear.
May 28, 2026

Big 12 Coaches Unanimously Back 24-Team CFP Expansion

Every coach voted for a 24-team playoff on Thursday.
Nov 28, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A general view of the the line of scrimmaged during a game between the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and Georgia Bulldogs in the first quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
May 28, 2026

At SEC Spring Meetings, a Consensus on Problems, but Not Solutions

Georgia discussed a “breakaway,” where the SEC would set or enforce its own rules.
May 27, 2026

Big 12 Commish Already Eyeing Next Media Deal, Bigger Payday

The conference’s media deals with Fox and ESPN run through this decade.