The NCAA’s Board of Governors said Tuesday that the NCAA will permit athletes to be compensated for their names, images and likenesses, according to The Associated Press.
NCAA’s rules have long kept players from hiring agents or letting players get paid by their school for images, likeness and names, the AP reports.
“We must embrace change to provide the best possible experience for college athletes,: said Michael V. Drake, the board’s chair and president of the Ohio State University, according to Axios. ”This modernization for the future is a natural extension of the numerous steps NCAA members have taken in recent years to improve support for student-athletes, including full cost of attendance and guaranteed scholarships.”
But earlier this year, a new California law that would prevent college athletes from getting kicked out of school or losing their scholarship for signing endorsement deals changed the conversation, raising questions about how the NCAA would respond.
Social media, NCAA experts and sports figures responded to the news, many with skepticism.