NCAA To Allow Compensation For Athletes' Names, Images

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA/AP) - The NCAA will allow athletes to be compensated for their names, images and likenesses, the Board of Governors announced Tuesday.

The move comes days after California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a similar fair pay-to-play bill which had the support of Lakers star LeBron James and other high-profile athletes.

The vote came during a meeting at Emory University in Atlanta.

Board chair Michael V. Drake said in a statement the board realized that it "must embrace change to provide the best possible experience for college athletes."

NCAA rules have long barred players from hiring agents and the association has steadfastly refused to allow players to be paid by their schools, with some exceptions. A California law set to take effect in 2023 would prevent athletes from losing their scholarships or being kicked off their teams for signing endorsement deals. Other states could put laws in place earlier than that.

The NCAA - which reported $1.1 billion in revenue in 2017 - says it represents some 450,000 athletes nationwide.

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