California’s New Athlete Pay Plan: Taxpayers on the Hook While Colleges Shift Amateurism Lines

Starting this week, California’s top public universities are authorized to pay their college athletes directly — a seismic shift that dismantles the long-standing line between amateur and professional sports. What the mainstream media glosses over is the alarming fact that taxpayers could be forced to foot a significant portion of this new payroll, raising questions about priorities and fiscal responsibility. The arrangement stems from a class-action settlement allowing schools up to $20.5 million annually to distribute among athletes, primarily football and men’s basketball players. But unlike private donors or brand sponsorships that previously supported athletes’ name, image, and likeness (NIL)...