The Power 5 conferences are expected to present a name, image, and likeness proposal to Congress this week. Sports Illustrated obtained a draft of the proposal, which is being called the Student-Athlete Equity Act of 2020 and intends to ‘help ensure competitive balance in college sports,’ according to a statement from Power 5 conference members.
The proposal has plenty of restrictions for student-athletes and has already received pushback, with opponents saying the rules should be more player-friendly.
The conferences have already spent record amounts lobbying Congress to ask for federal legislation to govern college athlete pay. The uniform national law is meant to prevent disparate laws across states.
The proposal revolves around three major points:
— NIL deals would be delayed until the athlete’s second semester in college.
— Preventing deals that “violate university standards or conflict with institutional sponsorship agreements.”
— Contracts with agents and businesses must be publicly disclosed to prevent recruiting benefits and “prevent athletes from acting without sufficient information.”
