GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- Student athletes are one step closer to profiting off their name and likeness.
The NCAA Board of Governors released a statement on Tuesday that they voted "unanimously to permit students participating in athletics the opportunity to benefit from the use of their name, image, and likeness in a manner consistent with the collegiate model."
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This does not change anything right now. This is still an ongoing process but a welcomed move for student athletes.
“I love it, I love it," said wide receiver Freddie Swain. "We do a lot of work, put in a lot of work in this program and school, and it’s kind of like a job, you know what I mean? So I think we should be rewarded.”
Florida receiver Tyrie Cleveland has been quite vocal about the topic. When asked about the NCAA statement after practice on Tuesday, Cleveland laughed and started clapping.
"It's a big step to heading in the next direction," Cleveland stated. "You know, just hearing from the NCAA, just sending out votes, that's a great thing for players, player-athletes. I'm overwhelmed, I can't even -- I'm excited, excited for the future."
There is no timeline for this to change. When these possible changes will come is anyones guess, however, the NCAA needed to make a move after California passed the Fair Pay to Play Act earlier this fall - since several state legislators, including Florida, were quickly introducing their own bills.
According to receiver Van Jefferson, this is a long time coming.
"It’s long overdue, definitely," he said. "But now that they’re making it an emphasis to do it, that’s great.”
Swain, Jefferson and Cleveland are all seniors and will not benefit from any possible rule changes. Cleveland thinks the conversation started when EA Sports stopped making NCAA football. But he doesn't care how it started, Cleveland is happy the athletes are getting heard.
"I feel like it wasn't really a big deal back then, but once they took away NCAA the game and stuff, everybody start questioning, like, 'Why you taking the game?' and stuff like that," said Cleveland. "Most players agreed, 'Yeah, we should get paid for our likeness.' So just seeing them take steps in the right direction and not ignoring us. That's a good sign."
The players are not asking for the university themselves to pay them, they just want an opportunity to earn some of the profit they helped make; the ability to make money through their personalities.
There are still a lot of questions and potential pitfalls, but this statement is a step in the process.
"I'm excited for the young guys coming up."
