04/18/24 03:32:00
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04/18 15:30 CDT Virginia law allows the state's colleges and universities to
directly pay athletes through NIL deals
Virginia law allows the state's colleges and universities to directly pay
athletes through NIL deals
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) --- Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed measure into law
Thursday that allows state colleges and universities to directly pay their
athletes through name, image and likeness compensation deals, a measure
believed to be the first of its kind.
The law, which takes effect July 1, was signed one day after the NCAA eased
some of its NIL restrictions but noted that its longstanding "prohibitions
against pay-for-play and schools compensating student-athletes for use of their
NIL remain in place."
Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said other states may follow Virginia's
lead. Several states have legislation pending, including Oklahoma, Nebraska and
Louisiana.
"The Virginia decision --- by the lawmakers there and the governor to sign it
--- I think really kickstarts it and puts it right at all of our doorsteps,"
Manuel said in an interview with The Associated Press.
The NCAA in July 2021 allowed college athletes to earn money from deals with
brands or businesses that compensate them for such things as endorsements or
personal appearances. That has made millions of dollars available to athletes
and prompted many states to put laws in place preventing the NCAA from
restricting NIL revenue, seen by most as a recruiting enticement.
"If this law gets us closer to a federal or a national solution for college
athletics then it will be more than worthwhile," University of Virginia
athletic director Carla Williams told ESPN. "Until then, we have an obligation
to ensure we maintain an elite athletics program at UVA."
Earlier this week, the NCAA moved forward on legislation that would allow its
1,100 member schools to be more actively involved in securing sponsorship and
endorsement deals for their athletes, including facilitating opportunities
between third parties and athletes.
The Virginia law clears the way for donors to work directly with a school on
paying athletes. One of the bill's sponsors, Del. Terry Austin, told the
Richmond Times-Dispatch, that the bipartisan measure was drafted by a
University of Virginia deputy athletic director.
Virginia Tech athletic director Whit Babcock told ESPN the school is
considering different options for NIL payments, from contracting with a
marketing agency or booster-backed collective to pay the athletes rather than
money directly from the athletic department.
In December, when NCAA President Charlie Baker proposed a new subdivision of
Division I athletics, he said all D-I schools should attempt to bring most NIL
activities in-house and consider joint licensing deals with their athletes that
would allow schools to pay the athletes.
State lawmakers have been a recent catalyst in prompting changes to NCAA rules
around player compensation. In 2019, California lawmakers passed a bill that
allowed college athletes to cash in on their fame, other states quickly
followed suit and the NCAA was forced to lift its regulations. What remains is
a patchwork of rules across the country.
Since then, the NCAA has suffered a number of losses in court tied to its basic
model of amateurism amid growing support for empowering athletes.
Last month, it halted investigations into booster-backed collectives or other
third parties making NIL deals with D-I athletes. A few days later, Dartmouth
men's basketball players took an early step toward forming the first union in
college sports.
"I do think the time is upon us where student-athletes either are going to be
employees or are going to be allowed to receive money, even if they're not
employees," Manuel told the AP.
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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and
https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
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