State Rep. Billy Mitchell, D-Stone Mountain, plans to introduce legislation this January in the General Assembly modeled after California’s “Fair Pay to Play” bill that allows college athletes to be compensated for their name, image and likeness.
State Rep. Billy Mitchell
Mitchell says the bill has the support of two pro hall of fame players— one football and basketball— that played for Georgia. Mitchell did not want to name them yet, according to the Athens Banner-Herald, but Dominique Wilkins is the lone former University of Georgia player in the basketball hall.
An adamant voice against paying college athletes, however, is legendary former UGA football coach and athletic director Vince Dooley. Speaking at an October 10th community meeting at the Vinings Bank attended by this writer, he tore into the concept as “unfair” and “divisive” for a college athletic team. Dooley mused that it “wouldn’t be good” to have a star player like a Herschel Walker being paid handsomely for his name and image while other virtual unknowns on his team received little or nothing. Dooley maintained it would foster disparity and “resentment” that has no place on a team that needs to be unified.
It remains to be seen if Mitchell can gain bipartisan traction as debate continues over this complicated issue.
