More thoughts on new CA law regarding athlete compensation

[Dwight89]

I’m quite confident that the only way Utah isn’t hurt in all this is if nothing changes. Here’s why:

Scenario 1: CA passes the law. The NCAA holds firm and kicks CA schools out of the NCAA and no other states follow suit.

In this scenario the PAC 12 essentially folds and Utah has to find a conference. Maybe the BIG 12 picks us up, maybe not. No guarantees. This would be the worst case scenario

Scenario 2: CA passes the law. The NCAA holds firm and kicks CA schools out of the NCAA but the other PAC 12 states pass similar laws so tha the PAC 12 can stay somewhat intact

In this scenario, we have to rely on the Utah legislature enacting a law that benefits Utah Football. Considering the dingleberries we have on capitol hill, that ain’t happening. Utah doesn’t pass any legislation and is stuck looking for a conference.

Scenario 3 (the most likely scenario, in my opinion): CA passes the law. The NCAA capitulates and allows athletic compensation through endorsements nationwide. Unfortunately this will be a nightmare scenario for Utah as it will simply turn into an arms race with boosters providing “endorsements” to boost recruiting. CA and Washington schools just have such bigger markets and opportunities to provide endorsements it really won’t even be close to being fair.  Kids who do wind up at Utah and kick ass will then get tempted to transfer to bigger market schools for better endorsement deals. Remember, most kids won’t get to the NFL so this would be a lot of kids only opportunity to make money off of football. 

The best case scenario is if the NCAA levels the playing field by allowing schools to compensate players but setting a cap while being strong enforcers of rule breakers. Unfortunately, I have very little hope this ever happens. So, our best hope is that the NCAA scares CA into backing off their legislation, unfortunately. 

 

Anyone have any other thoughts on this? 

[ironman1315]

Why do we need the law? Could t the schools just allow it?

[Dwight89]

I guess that is a good point, assuming Hughes and co. don’t try to stop it. Unfortunately that just puts us right back to scenario 3. 

[PlainsUte]

Membership in NCAA requires obeying NCAA rules on player compensation that are meant to provide a “level playing field”.

[Central Coast Ute]

If the NCAA allows it the schools can.

[utahsportsguy]

Agree that scenario 3 is the most likely to happen over time, although I’m not sure Utah effectively becomes a minor league player in this scenario (you could argue that we have the same risk today without ‘legal’ payments for players). 

[RedRocks]

I agree that scenario 3 is most likely, but I don’t think it will be a bad situation for Utah.  I honestly don’t think it will change much of anything from a recruiting/transfer standpoint.

I know my opinion on this topic is apparently unpopular on this board, but I honestly think people are overestimating the effects that this would have on recruiting and transfers.  The USCs, Floridas, and Notre Dames of the world already have huge recruiting advantages; including visibility.  The players available to Utah now will still be available in scenario 3.

A rising tide raises all boats.

[UtMtBiker]

Couple things, CA has passed this bill. So, no the NCAA isn’t going to scare them into backing off the legistlation.  CA politicians relish the opportunity to make a name fighting agains an entity like the NCAA.  

This will stand in CA. Likely the NCAA will punish a student athlete in CA in some point and that athlete will be the name on the lawsuit that goes probably to the Supreme court.  The court will uphold a states right to pass such laws as they should.  The NCAA will be stuck with your 3rd option and will have to then make some rules that all schools, including those in CA can get behind.  Something like a cap or a dollar amount for all athetes at a school or something like that.  

This is a good thing.  I don’t think it will hurt Utah any more than we are already at a disadvantage with schools like USC and Washington.  It will absolutly crush a school like BYU. So, that’s a nice silver lining.  

[PlainsUte]

Within Utah this could give an advantage to TDS.  Not that Provostan has more earning power but the TDS fans tend to be more zealots for their stars (among other things).   Imagine how much money would have been thrown at Jimmer, and now their self-proclaimed Steve Young v2.0, Zach, or is it Travis, Roscoe?, Wilson.

[UtMtBiker]

TDS fans are also cheap AF. It takes alot of $5 autographs to add up to much. Serious donors will make the difference.

[GameForAnyFuss]

If it does pass in CA, the NCAA will sue and it will be tied up in court for years. By the time it’s out of court, the CFB television bubble will have burst and the landscape will be totally different anyway. So, for me, it’s way too early to worry about it.

Plus we’ll all probably be dead by the time anything meaningful happens on this front. 🙂

[Central Coast Ute]

The legislature would love to see the pac 12 fold and Utah go back to a G5 league. It’s the only way the zoobs get the upper hand back.

[Utesbyfive]

My thought is that it’s one more step on the road to the destruction of college football.