NIL NETWORK INSIGHT
Recap: Massachusetts became the latest state to propose their own NIL legislation. While there aren’t many details about the proposal, it notes that there are no restrictions on what companies an athlete can endorse. If the legislation passes, and no federal bill goes into effect, it will begin in January of 2022.
Observations: The worst nightmare for the NCAA is to have these bills go into effect before federal legislation trumps them. Not only would it be a massively unfair recruiting advantage to states with NIL legislation, the NCAA would need to figure out how to deal with the athletes, programs, and universities that are taking advantage of their NIL (as it currently stands, this is illegal by the NCAA bylaws). With Florida NIL legislation set to go into effect on July 1, 2021, the clock is ticking.
Massachusetts lawmakers are proposing their own “Name Image & Likeness” legislation according to a tweet by Dan Murphy of ESPN. This proposal would allow collegiate athletes to make money off endorsement deals, and would have no restrictions on what companies endorse them.
Currently, the battle for NIL compensation is being battled on a national level. Sports Illustrated’s Ross Dellenger reported late last week there is a new charge led by Senator Cory Booker that would allow college athletes to be compensated, something that is strictly against NCAA policy right now. Along with Richard Blumenthal, Booker has proposed an Athletes Bill of Rights that includes compensation, health insurance and more. This was led by their frustration of the NCAA’s lack of progress on the issue.
