The governor of California has just received approval by state legislature over a bill he helped create that would allow state college athletes to get paid through endorsements deals.

It's incredible to think of how much high school and collegiate sports has changes since I played ball in the late eighties. I attended Mission Viejo High School in southern California, where I played a couple years of football. There was no admission to get into our games, and statistics were not something you could find online.

It was until 2002 that MaxPreps launched, a national database of high school statistics that allowed coaches or their assistants to enter game data for individual athletes in a wide range of sports. CBS Interactive purchased the site five years later.

Nowadays, admission to--let's say a college football game--can be pretty steep. A college football ticket to see a major university play on Saturday can cost in upwards of $400. For instance, some tickets to see the September 21 match up between Notre Dame and Georgia were priced at $410. These schools are making a fortune off these players, so is it a crazy idea to allow these men and women the opportunity to earn money for themselves.

So, why not let the athletes themselves partake in the earnings? California Governor Gavin Newsom recently had a bill pass that could allow college athletes in the state to financially benefit from endorsements. We often hear of coaches having to resign from programs over allegations their young athletes were given money or possessions, on both the high school and college level.

Some might recall basketball great LeBron James was temporarily suspended when he was in high school for accepting a pair of valuable sports jerseys. LeBron is one of several professional athletes backing this bill. Senate Bill 206 was passed unanimously this week in California.

I think it's just a matter of time before coaches and athletes across the country (Idaho included) decide to pressure state law makers to pursue similar endorsement plans.

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