Take Two translates the day’s headlines for Southern California, making sense of the news and cultural events that affect our lives. Produced by Southern California Public Radio and broadcast from October 2012 – June 2021. Hosted by A Martinez.
Regardless of their off-the-field reputations, most players signed in last week's NFL draft have two things in common:
They're former college athletes... And they've never been paid to play football.
NFL rules say that an athlete must be out of high school for at least three years before they can sign with a professional team.
But soon, some of them may be able to get paid for playing before they reach the NFL.
It's called the Pacific Pro Football League. It's based right here in Southern California and will start in summer of 2018.
"We feel Pacific Pro Football can be a supplement to the existing system," said Donald Yee, CEO of the fledgling league. "[It could] expand the football industry, provide more jobs and give the players a choice."
Yee told Take Two's A Martinez that Pacific Pro Football would be made up of four teams, each with about 50 players. They'd play eight games in the summer. Player pay would average around $50,000, along with a benefits package.
"That would include health insurance, workers compensation benefits, one year paid community college tuition and books, housing and food."
There is a catch: If a player decides to sign with Pacific Pro Football, they would be immediately disqualified from receiving a scholarship from a school to play football. Yee says that he would work to educate young players on that rule.
"It will require complete education on the issue. But they are adults and we will hold them accountable to understanding that choice."
And while playing football at a major institution would not be possible, Yee said that Pacific Pro would still provide education for its players.
"We take an expansive view of the word education," Yee said. "We hope to innovate and excite these players and have them explore different paths outside of their football career by creating unique internships and exposing them to a wide variety of occupations."
Recruitment for the Pacific Pro Football League will start this coming winter.
To hear the full conversation, click the blue player above.