AD Gene Smith Says Ohio State Won't Play California Teams if State Passes Player Pay Law
By Scott Rogust
A proposed California bill that would allow student athletes to profit off their names and likenesses has become a serious topic of discussion across the NCAA landscape. And one athletic director in particular is not a fan.
Ohio State AD Gene Smith declared that if governor Gavin Newsom signs this bill, his Buckeyes will have no interest in playing against any schools from the Golden State-- and the NCAA won't want to have anything to do with them, either.
Ohio State AD Gene Smith raises questions about California schools' ability to remain NCAA members, depending on what happens with NIL bill on desk of @GavinNewsom and possible NCAA rules changes: https://t.co/zgG38YoYBL pic.twitter.com/2DSSqVWcWZ
— Steve Berkowitz (@ByBerkowitz) September 26, 2019
“If the California law goes into effect in ’23,” Smith said Tuesday, via USA Today, “and let’s say the NCAA legislation, however it emerges, doesn’t quite meet what California wants it to be and they continue to hold that law, who’s going to play [California schools]? We’re certainly not."
"They won’t be members of the NCAA. I think that’s going to be the problem," he added,
The law would go into effect in 2023 if signed, but it would raise plenty of controversy. Smith mentions that the state law and NCAA rules would cause too many discrepancies.
Smith also stressed to USA Today that California schools would have an unfair advantage, as they would be able to secure the top recruits with player compensation, which schools in other states would be unable to offer.
Gov. @GavinNewsom on whether he'll sign college-athlete NIL bill: "I’m taking a good look ... I recognize the consequence of this decision because we could substantially change the NCAA as we know it. But I think this question needs to be called." https://t.co/zgG38YoYBL
— Steve Berkowitz (@ByBerkowitz) September 26, 2019
Newsom appeared on Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" and criticized the landscape of college sports. Yet, when asked by host Trevor Noah about whether he'd sign the bill sitting on his desk, Newsom didn't give an answer.
There's plenty of uncertainty surrounding this legislation, but if it does go into effect, there will be a mountain of controversy around the college sports world.