Opinion ID: 4535062
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Post-Appeal Developments

Text: After the NCAA timely appealed, California enacted the Fair Pay to Play Act (the “FPP Act”). See Cal. S.B. 206 (Sept. 30, 2019), Cal. Educ. Code § 67456. The FPP Act requires the NCAA and its member institutions to permit student-athletes enrolled in California colleges and universities to earn compensation from the use of their NILs. Id. § 67456(a), (g). It takes effect on January 1, 2023. Id. § 67456(h). In response to the FPP Act, the NCAA created a working group that has recommended permitting NIL benefits so long as they are tethered to education and otherwise preserve the distinction between college and professional sports recognized in O’Bannon II. See Fed. and State Leg. Working Grp. Report 4 (Oct. 23, 2019), available at https://tinyurl.com/working-grp-report. In recent testimony before the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Manufacturing, Trade and Consumer Protection, NCAA President Dr. Mark Emmert denied that the NCAA would be “taking any action that is contrary to the position advocated by the NCAA or accepted by the Ninth Circuit with respect to the type of NIL payments that were at issue in the O’Bannon case[.]” See Test. of Dr. Mark Emmert 6 (Feb. 11, 2020), available at https://tinyurl.com/Emmert-Test-y. IN RE NCAA ATHLETIC GRANT-IN-AID CAP ANTITRUST LITIG. 29