Sports

Black Student Athletes in California Can Now Say, ‘Show Me the Money’

Published

7 years ago

October 10, 2019

Antonio Ray Harvey, California Black Media

In 2009, former UCLA basketball player Ed O’Bannon slapped the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the Collegiate Licensing Company and video game maker Electronic Arts Sports (EAS) with a lawsuit.

He accused the organizations of profiting from the images of student athletes without paying them or asking their permission.

O’Bannon, who grew up in South Los Angeles, became the main plaintiff in the class action, anti-trust lawsuit filed on behalf of NCAA Division 1 men’s football and basketball players after he discovered EAS used his own likeness in the video game “NCAA Basketball ’09.”

“Who wouldn’t want to be on a video game? I was ecstatic about it, to be honest. Initially,” O’Bannon told CNN, recalling the first time he came across his image in the game at a friend’s house.

“Then, he told me he paid X amount of dollars for it,” said Bannon. “I didn’t get a penny. That’s when it hit me.”

On Sept. 30, in an effort to bring about some equity to the college sports economy and address what California lawmakers are calling “the civil rights issue of today,” Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 206, also called the Fair Pay to Play Act.

The governor and some legislators say, over the years, NCAA rules that bar student athletes from earning money from their personas or performances have led to the exploitation of California college players like O’Bannon.

Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) and Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) introduced the legislation. It allows college student athletes in California to receive compensation for the use of their name, image and likeness in marketing activities like shoe endorsements, jersey licensing, ticket sales or other for-profit ventures that benefit them.

Lawmakers in New York and South Carolina are pushing similar legislations but California is the first state in the country to pass a law addressing the NCAA student athlete rules.

“This puts California in the vanguard of leadership as it relates to rebalancing the power in the NCAA,” Newsom said in a telephone interview. “Rebalancing the power now with student athletes on par with institutions. That balance of power has been perverted over the course of many, many years by the extraordinary amount of money in this system.”

The law will go into effect Jan. 1, 2023.

In 1995, O’Bannon led the UCLA Bruins to a NCAA championship victory over the University of Arkansas Razorbacks in the March Madness final.

In that game, the power forward – now a well-known advocate for rolling back the NCAA’s strict rules regarding student athletes – scored 30 points and grabbed 17 rebounds. He was named the NCAA’s ‘Most Outstanding Player.’

After college, the power forward played two seasons in the NBA and eight more in Europe and South America, but he never became a high profile, high-earning professional basketball player.

By the mid 2000s, he was back in the U.S., selling cars at a Las Vegas auto dealership.

Although O’Bannon won the lawsuit in 2014 and $40 million in fees, plus $5,000 payments to the plaintiffs for each year they played college sports, the NCAA appealed that decision. A U.S. district court upheld the ruling against the NCAA in 2015, but reversed the order to compensate the athletes whose likenesses were used in the video game.

In 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld those decisions.

Sen. Skinner uses the story of UCLA gymnastics star Katelyn Michelle Ohashi to illustrate the unfairness of the NCAA student athlete policy.

A video posted on YouTube of Ohashi doing a popular floor exercise routine in January this year generated 64 million views, but the Bruins star couldn’t make a penny from it because of NCAA rules.

“For decades, college sports have generated billions for all involved except the very people most responsible for creating the wealth. That’s wrong,” Skinner said.

There was broad bipartisan support in the Legislature for SB 206. But there was also strong opposition to the bill.

The University of California system, California State University schools, Stanford and the University of Southern California all opposed the bill, saying they feared it would increase costs to ensure compliance with the law and lead to fines or even expulsion from the NCAA.

The NCAA and the Pacific 12 Conference, the western collegiate athletic league commonly called the PAC-12, also opposed the bill.

Antonio Ray Harvey, California Black Media

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Sale of Coliseum to African American Developers Moves Toward Completion

The deal includes the sale of the Oakland Arena to an unidentified third-party buyer for no less than $100 million, which Bobbitt said was one of the most important aspects of the site’s future redevelopment.

Published

1 week ago

June 16, 2026

bpusa-syndication

The deal includes the sale of the Oakland Arena to an unidentified third-party buyer for no less than $100 million, which Bobbitt said was one of the most important aspects of the site’s future redevelopment.

‘This is on the precipice of actually occurring,’ said Ray Bobbitt, buyers’ representative

By Post Staff

After many months of complex negotiations, the Oakland Coliseum development deal is finally nearing an agreement that will open the way for new owners – the African Americans Sports and Entertainment Group (AASEG) – to revitalize the sports complex and the Hegenberger Corridor in East Oakland.

On May 28, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a non-binding agreement to dispose of the County’s portion of the complex for $115 million in a deal with AASEG, with a closing date set for June 30.

“People are seeing that this is on the precipice of actually occurring,” said Ray Bobbitt, founder of the AASEG and an East Oakland native. “People feel that this needs to happen for Oakland, for East Oakland in particular,” Bobbitt said, as reported in the East Bay Times.

The agreement would transfer ownership of the 112-acre Coliseum complex property, which was owned 50-50 by Alameda County and the City of Oakland, to Oakland Acquisition Company, which is AASEG’s real estate wing.

The County’s approval marks an important step in the sale of the property, even though concerns about environmental liability remain. Under the terms of the non-binding agreement, the county will pay $115 million to Coliseum Way Partners, the corporate entity of the Oakland Athletics that had previously purchased the county’s half of the property for $85 million.

AASEG will then pay $115 million to the County in three annual payments, with 5% annual interest paid on any outstanding balance, according to the term sheet.

AASEG already negotiated a purchase of the city’s half of the property for $125 million in 2025, awaiting the sale of the county’s half.

A strong supporter of the sale, Supervisor Nate Miley said he was not “breaking out the champagne” until the sale was final. This is not perfect, but it is good.

“It’s good because the County ends up with more money,” Miley continued. “It’s good because an African American team takes ownership of the property, and they’ve got a lot of potential in terms of what they want to do with the property.”

A remaining disagreement between Alameda County and the AASEG involves environmental concerns.

AASEG wanted a “carve-out” for environmental concerns so that it would not face liability for the release of groundwater into San Francisco Bay without a permit. Obtaining a permit could be time-consuming and expensive, requiring the need for consultants, studies, and an oversight process by the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board.

County supervisors unanimously supported the non-binding agreement without the carve-out, though Bobbitt said delaying or excluding the carve-out creates timing risks for the project.

“The motion is to accept the terms as presented, excluding the carve-out,” Board of Supervisors President David Haubert said. “Noting that it’s a non-binding term sheet and terms can always be discussed going forward. It’s been pointed out that that could affect the deal, timing, which we’ve been at this for nine years, but what’s a little more time?”

“The arena represents an anchor of the site,” said Babbitt. “This arena … has become a pop culture mecca, and the opportunity to enhance that and expand that is critical to the overall process.”

Speaking at the Board of Supervisors meeting, Miley explained the County’s reasoning behind some of the complex negotiations. He asked interim County Counsel Andrea Weddle:

“In layman’s term’s who’s on the hook for the environmental (cleanup)” under the current deal with the Oakland A’s?

“When the county with a former board entered in the deal with the (A’s), we took on all of the environmental obligations,” Miley said. “Since then, we’ve learned a lot more about the environmental conditions of the Coliseum.”

“If we do a deal with Coliseum Way Partners (the A’s), we remain on the hook,” she said. “If we do a deal as we’ve currently structured with OAC (AASEG), we have eliminated some or hopefully all (or) as much as we can of that liability and aligned our deal with the terms of the city.”

Bobbitt, despite his concerns, supported the nonbinding agreement. He said the public has waited nearly a decade to come to this point.

“The community support has been overwhelming,” he said. “We’ve used a lot of P-words: patience, perseverance, persistence. And we’ve just had to do it, and we understand how complex this has been.”

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Alameda County

Seth Curry Makes Impressive Debut with the Golden State Warriors

Seth looked comfortable in his new uniform, seamlessly fitting into the Warriors’ offensive and defensive system. He finished the night with an impressive 14 points, becoming one of the team’s top scorers for the game. Seth’s points came in a variety of ways – floaters, spot-up three-pointers, mid-range jumpers, and a handful of aggressive drives that kept the Oklahoma City Thunder defense on its heels.

Published

7 months ago

December 4, 2025

Oakland Post

Seth Curry is a point guard on the GSW team.Photo courtesy of the Golden State Warriors.

By Y’Anad Burrell

Tuesday night was anything but ordinary for fans in San Francisco as Seth Curry made his highly anticipated debut as a new member of the Golden State Warriors. Seth didn’t disappoint, delivering a performance that not only showcased his scoring ability but also demonstrated his added value to the team.

At 35, the 12-year NBA veteran on Monday signed a contract to play with the Warriors for the rest of the season.

One of the most memorable moments of the evening came before Seth even scored his first points. As he checked into the game, the Chase Center erupted into applause, with fans rising to their feet to give the newest Warrior a standing ovation.

The crowd’s reaction was a testament not only to Seth’s reputation as a sharpshooter but also to the excitement he brings to the Warriors. It was clear that fans quickly embraced Seth as one of their own, eager to see what he could bring to the team’s championship aspirations.

Warriors’ superstar Steph Curry – Seth’s brother – did not play due to an injury. One could only imagine what it would be like if the Curry brothers were on the court together. Magic in the making.

Seth’s debut proved to be a turning point for the Warriors. Not only did he contribute on the scoreboard, but he also brought a sense of confidence and composure to the floor.

While their loss last night, OKC 124 – GSW 112, Seth’s impact was a game-changer and there’s more yet to come. Beyond statistics, it was clear that Seth’s presence elevated the team’s performance, giving the Warriors a new force as they look to make a deep playoff run.

Oakland Post

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Barbara Lee

WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries Kick Off Season with Community Programs in Oakland

“The Golden State Valkyries are more than a team—they’re a movement,” said Oakland Interim-Mayor Kevin Jenkins. “Their touchdown in Oakland marks a new era of opportunity, inspiration, and equity in sports. This partnership reflects our city’s deep commitment to uplifting women, investing in youth, and building a community where every dream has a place to grow. We’re proud to welcome the Valkyries to The Town.”

Published

1 year ago

May 18, 2025

Oakland Post

The Valkyries came to Oakland City Hall with a “Hoopbus.” Present were (from left to right): City Councilmembers Noel Gallo, Rebecca Kaplan, Zac Unger and Rowena Brown; Oakland Mayor-elect Barbara Lee, Valkyries President Jess Smith, a Valkyries team representative and Deputy Mayor LaNiece Jones. Photo courtesy Rebecca Kaplan’s office.

Team installs new nets at playgrounds, holds flag-raisings at City Halls in Oakland and S.F.

Special to The Post

The Golden State Valkyries brought the excitement of their inaugural season to every corner of the Bay Area with a full slate of community celebrations leading up to their historic home-opener against the Los Angeles Sparks at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Friday.

The week featured flag-raising ceremonies at city halls in Oakland and San Francisco, three “Violet Net” installation days at Oakland parks to encourage basketball play, fun “Hoopbus” takeovers at multiple schools presented by Kaiser Permanente, and player appearances.

In total, 90 violet nets were installed on 45 basketball courts across 34 public parks throughout Oakland this week. A list of the parks receiving violet nets can be found at Valkyries.com.

About the Golden State Valkyries

The Golden State Valkyries, the WNBA affiliate of the seven-time NBA Champion Golden State Warriors, were announced as the 13th WNBA franchise on Oct. 5, 2023. According to Norse mythology, Valkyries are a host of warrior women who are fearless and unwavering – flying through air and sea alike.

This brand is Golden State’s modern interpretation of Valkyries: strong, bold, and fierce. Tipping off during the 2025 WNBA season, the team is headquartered in Oakland and will play home games at Chase Center in San Francisco. For Golden State Valkyries’ assets, including team logos, visit valkyries.com.