Tuesday December 5, 2023

NIL: The New Political Football?

  • Politicians spoke with the NCAA about the NIL bills they've introduced in Congress.
  • President Biden doesn't have a strong opinion on specifics of an NIL bill.
Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen
Linkedin
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

During a session at the NCAA Convention, the governing body’s Chief Legal Officer Donald Remy discussed potential reforms with members of Congress.

Democratic Sens. Cory Booker (N.J.) and Richard Blumenthal (Conn.) ripped into the NCAA’s lack of name, image, and likeness legislation and other reforms, while Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (R-Ohio) took a more measured approach. 

All three NCAA-athletes-turned-politicians, however, stressed bipartisan support for helping college athletes profit off NIL.

New Administration’s NIL Opinion

According to Gonzalez, the Biden administration is aware of pending NIL legislation, but President-elect Biden “doesn’t have a particularly strong opinion one way or the other” about how far an NIL bill should go. He added that he’d met with the administration last month to discuss his proposed bill. 

He did echo the skepticism voiced by politicians on both sides of the aisle that the NCAA would actually make NIL reforms. 

The Student Athlete Level Playing Field Act, a bipartisan bill introduced by Gonzalez and Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.), creates a framework for athletes to profit off their NIL rights by:

  • Designating the Federal Trade Commission to oversee NIL deals
  • Creating a congressional committee to provide recommendations to improve the bill’s rollout
  • Prohibiting athletes from becoming university employees

“How do we extend student-athlete rights as far as we can without jeopardizing the system overall?” Gonzalez said of the balance he looked to strike.

The College Athlete Bill of Rights, proposed by Booker and Blumenthal, looks to address what Booker called “system-wide failures.” 

“When you say things to me like, ‘Hey, we’ve made progress’ — for folks experiencing injustice, that’s not satisfactory,” he said of the NCAA’s previous reforms.

In addition to NIL rights, the bill would allow athletes to:

  • Participate in group licensing deals
  • Take part in some programs’ revenue-sharing
  • Receive enhanced medical and educational opportunities

However, the senators clarified that their bill doesn’t require athletes to be university employees, which appeared to please Remy.

Linkedin
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

JMU football has been spending like a Group of 5 team for years. Now it will play its first bowl game.

James Madison, the FCS Team That Spent Like an FBS Team To Become One

The Dukes have been spending like a Sun Belt program for years.

TV Networks Are Programming College Football’s Future: What’s Next

Conference championship weekends will have a different feel in the future.
A lawsuit against the university of Oregon could dictate the future of Title IX and NIL.

New Lawsuit Could Decide Whether NIL Is Subject To Title IX

It's one of the biggest unanswered questions of the NIL era.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

Premier League Sets New Bar with Media Deals

0:00
0:00

Featured Today

The College Football Playoff is considering rotating TV networks for the national championship game.

CFP Considers Super Bowl-Like Rotation For National Championship Game

Multiple networks could share rights to the championship game, sources told FOS.
Brett Favre
November 27, 2023

Favre Welfare Case Hold-Up? "AG’s Office Has Not Expressed Interest In Pursuing"

The DOJ interviewed Brett Favre in early 2020.
The future of the Pac-12 rests on a court decision.
November 24, 2023

The Pac-12 Plays Its Final Regular-Season Game. Then A Court Decides Its Fate.

The conference's future rests with a court decision.
Lane Kiffin
November 9, 2023

Ole Miss, Lane Kiffin Lawyers Argue for Dismissal of Player Lawsuit

FOS obtained audio of Lane Kiffin's interaction with the player behind lawsuit.

Careers

Powered By

Careers in Sports

Looking for a new job? Check out these featured listings and search for openings all over the world.
Wasserman
Multiple - USA Careers
Live Nation
Multiple - USA Careers
Saco Bay PT
Multiple - USA Careers

After Unbeaten FSU’s Snub, Financial and Legal Fallout

FSU, ACC to take sizable revenue hit despite Seminoles' undefeated season.
November 30, 2023

Power 4 Commissioners Split On Fate of Conference Title Games

Georgia and Alabama play in Saturday's SEC Championship Game.
Sponsored

NHL’s Chris Foster on Amplifying Content Distribution With Automation

Learn how the NHL is using WSC Sports to increase fan engagement.
Oregon State and Washington State appear to be making contingency plans to operate as a two-school conference while their lawsuit against the Pac-12 winds through state court.
November 28, 2023

Oregon State, Washington State Make Contingency Plan as Lawsuit Delayed

It will take at least another month for a court decision.
Delaware receiver Kym Wimberly leaves St. Francis defenders behind as he turns a reception into a touchdown in the final minute of the first half at Delaware Stadium, Saturday Sept. 16, 2023.
November 27, 2023

Delaware to Pay $5M to Move to Conference USA, FBS

Delaware will be the first football program to pay the FBS $5M.
Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh's comments on athlete compensation highlight the NCAA's hypocrisy.
November 27, 2023

Jim Harbaugh’s Athlete Compensation Comments Highlight NCAA Hypocrisy

Harbaugh can donate to athletic department employees, but not players.
November 26, 2023

Schools Owe Fired CFB Coaches A Record $118M In Buyouts (So Far)

Firings over the weekend broke a record for buyout figures.