California to let college athletes make money, defying NCAA

California will let college athletes hire agents and make money from endorsements, defying the NCAA and setting up a likely legal challenge that could reshape amateur sports in the U.S.

Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has announced he signed the law that would let athletes at California universities make money from their images, names or likenesses. The law also bans schools from kicking athletes off the team if they get paid.

The law will take effect on Jan. 1, 2023. It doesn’t apply to community colleges and bans athletes from accepting endorsement deals that conflict with their schools' existing contracts

California is the first state to pass such a law.

The NCAA Board of Governors had asked Newsom to veto the bill, saying it "would erase the critical distinction between college and professional athletes." The board also warned that the law would give California universities an unfair recruiting advantage, which could prompt the NCAA to bar them from competition.