NJ needs to let college athletes benefit from endorsement deals (Opinion)

Are you sick of seeing Rutgers get blown out week after week? If only there were an enticement to get the top athletes from around the country as well as New Jersey to come here to play for their Big Ten sports teams. Imagine the coach Rutgers could attract if that were possible?

Well now there's a way, and it comes from California!

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a bill allowing college athletes to hire agents to make them money from endorsement deals. The measure is the first of its kind and will rock the business model of the NCAA.

I've always said that college athletes should be paid. To me, when you look at the money these top athletes make for their schools, that all they get is a scholarship just isn't fair. Granted, said scholarship is worth a lot of money, but it pales in comparison when you look at the revenue brought back by these top athletes not only in the form of ticket sales and television deals but in jersey and likeness sales. The possibility of the athlete making it back when they turn pro doesn't always happen. With this bill the athlete can now profit from what the market will bear for their endorsement.

Governor Murphy needs to act as soon as possible on this. With California being the only state to allow athletes to benefit from these deals where do you think the top high school athletes will go? The quicker the Governor can sign legislation to allow New Jersey college athletes to benefit from their own endorsements the better our college teams especially Rutgers will become. Athletes will flock here with all we have to offer endorsement wise.

Now we need one of our politicians to draft legislation to begin the process and make it happen. Any volunteers?

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