“College Athlete Protection Act”

Stanford student Liam Anderson, captain of the Stanford track and field team, has been advocating for new legislation to compensate college athletes. Currently athletes are only allowed to be compensated by private sponsors, not by the universities themselves. Bill 252, or the College Athlete Protection Act, proposes that California colleges allocate a portion of their sports revenue to a fund that would pay D1 scholarship student athletes upon completing their degrees. Athletes could potentially earn up to $25,000 per year based on their sport's revenue and their team's existing athletic grants. However, opponents, including the University of California, California State University, and Team USA, argue that it could prioritize men's basketball and football, leaving less funding for other sports. Some also fear that non-revenue and Olympic sports, along with mental health counseling programs, may suffer. The bill has been delayed until the next legislative session, but if passed, it could establish California as a pioneer in college athlete compensation, further challenging the amateurism model in college sports.