Millions of dollars for basketball and football players from private donors. Thousand-dollar deals with the Biden Campaign, the former crypto-currency company FTX and clothing brands like Crocs and Aeropostale.
In a first-ever look, CalMatters’ Adam Echelman and Erica Yee obtained and analyzed California universities’ records of college athletes’ brand deals. Some records mention popular athletes, such as UCLA gymnast and Olympic gold-medal winner Jordan Chiles, but most of the data is anonymized and comes with important caveats.
Still, it offers a glimpse into how name, image and likeness money is changing college sports.
Since 2021, when California became one of the first states to allow student athletes to cash in on sponsorship deals, college football and basketball players have earned the most, including multiple six-figure deals at UCLA and UC Berkeley.
But much of that money comes from private donor groups, known as collectives, rather than traditional brands. Donors offer that money in exchange for a service, such as an autograph, but most experts say it’s just a means to support top-performing athletes — and discourage them from seeking better deals elsewhere.
- Anaiya Singer, a freshman on the UCLA women’s rowing team: “Those big sports do bring in the most revenue, and they’re the most watched, (but rowers) deserve much more than we’re getting.”
Except for a few star players, most female athletes earned very little. While gymnasts at UCLA reported earning over $2 million in the last three school years, university records show that players on the UCLA women’s water polo team earned just $152 during the same time frame — despite winning the national championship last year.
Have a question about higher ed? Fill out this form (also in Spanish) and it could be answered by the CalMatters’ College Journalism Network.
Other Stories You Should Know
Rural counties at risk of missing out
Small and rural California counties that are in the most need of mental health resources may miss out on Proposition 1 funds, according to local officials who testified at a legislative oversight hearing Tuesday.
As CalMatters’ Kristen Hwang explains, the $6.4 billion bond that voters narrowly passed last year provides counties money to build treatment beds and facilities, as well as support housing for people with mental health issues and substance abuse disorder.
Prop. 1 is one of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s major mental health initiatives, and his administration is moving quickly to distribute billions of dollars by May. But in doing so, counties that don’t have the personnel or expertise to navigate the complex grant requirements may get excluded.
Susan Holt, Fresno County’s behavioral health director, said the county submitted nine grant applications for care beds to treat short-term patients, but it received no money.
- Holt, at Tuesday’s hearing: “Moving this money out fast does come at a cost, because there will be some who are left behind.”
California has historically awarded counties that can provide services and are better-resourced in developing “launch ready” projects, which can be completed on a faster timeline.
Government secrecy?
In January Sen. Susan Rubio came under scrutiny over her possible involvement in a federal corruption investigation related to bribes from a cannabis company. The West Covina Democrat denied accepting bribes and said she was “not involved” in the probe, which by then had ensnared a handful of other San Bernardino County officials.
During our own look into the investigation, CalMatters’ Ryan Sabalow requested copies of federal law enforcement subpoenas and search warrants dating to 2020, as well as invoices showing how much money the Legislature spent on legal bills related to federal criminal investigations.
The requests were denied. The Assembly and the Senate cited the same reasons for the denials, including that “the public interest served by not making the record public clearly outweighs the public interest served by disclosure of the record.”
This has advocates for government transparency alarmed. David Loy, the legal director for the First Amendment Coalition, said deploying the reasoning of not serving the public interest “is the last refuge of the scoundrel.”
- Loy: “Even if (secrecy) might be allowed under the letter of law in some circumstances, that is not a position that I think serves the public well. We should err on the side of disclosure. The public has a right to know.”
Legislative leaders Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas of Salinas and Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire of Santa Rosa did not respond to CalMatters’ request for interviews.
And lastly: Fremont backtracks homelessness rule
In February the Fremont City Council approved an ordinance that would have made aiding and abetting a homeless encampment a misdemeanor. But Tuesday night the council voted to reverse course. Find out why from CalMatters’ Richard Procter.
California Voices
CalMatters columnist Dan Walters: The state’s efforts to update outdated systems with cutting-edge technology have been mediocre at best, and in some cases an outright failure.
CalMatters columnist Jim Newton: Los Angeles’ newest police chief faces various challenges at an uncertain time — when the city is neither facing a crime crisis nor a period of quiescence.
Other things worth your time:
CA is embracing psychiatric hospitals again. Behind locked doors, a profit-driven system is destroying lives // San Francisco Chronicle
Newsom’s ‘Sargent Shriver’ running for CA lieutenant governor // Politico
CA farmers backed Trump. Now, his tariffs could hurt them // Los Angeles Times
Trump tariffs and immigration policy create uncertainty for CA economy, study shows // The Sacramento Bee
Trump DOJ to investigate UC over antisemitism allegations // KQED
Cuts could close CA campsites and trails, forest service memo says // The New York Times
Migrants in San Diego County have been particularly targeted for deportation // San Francisco Chronicle
Sacramento has hundreds of millions of federal funding at risk under Trump administration // The Sacramento Bee
LA County and two cities sue SoCal Edison over Eaton Fire damage // LAist
Ex-RFK Jr. running mate puts money into push to recall LA Mayor Bass // The New York Times