Iowa will need to compete with this in recruiting:
Gov. J.B. Pritzker is poised to sign a measure into law Tuesday that would allow college athletes to sign endorsement deals, making Illinois the latest of nearly two dozen states to enact policies allowing student-athletes to profit off the use of their names and likenesses.
The signing comes a day before an NCAA vote on a proposal that would institute similar rules for schools nationwide. It also comes less than two weeks after a unanimous U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down a NCAA rule prohibiting schools from offering athletes education-related benefits.
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There’s been a growing push for high-level college athletes to be able to earn some share of the profit from a multibillion-dollar industry, including an unsuccessful attempt by Northwestern University football players to unionize in 2014. The NCAA and others have fought such attempts, contending they undermine the spirit of amateur sports.
The measure that Pritzker is scheduled to sign Tuesday afternoon at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign was sponsored by two former Division I football players: state Rep. Kam Buckner, a Chicago Democrat who played at Illinois, and state Sen. Napoleon Harris a Democrat from south suburban Harvey who played linebacker at Northwestern and for seven seasons in the NFL.
“For myself, as a former student-athlete, you see coaches making money, you see the administration is making money and the student-athletes are the ones that are filling the stands, but they’re not able to go and make any substantial monetary gains of their own likeness and image,” Harris said in May when the General Assembly was considering the proposal.
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“I think the colleges are now seeing the light of day and understanding the difference between student athletes being able to use their own name and image versus being employees. They’re not considered employees, and I think that’s the difference,” he said.
Under the Illinois law, which would take effect Thursday upon Pritzker’s signature, student-athletes at both public and private universities would be allowed to hire an agents to represent them in endorsement deals, and schools would be able to set “reasonable limitations” on when athletes can participate in the newly allowed activities and whether the school’s logos, uniforms or name can be used.
Athletes also would be required to report their endorsement deals and other activities to their respective schools. Boosters or other third parties would be prohibited from using the promise of endorsement deals to recruit athletes to a school.
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California passed the first such law in 2019, with the policy set to take effect in 2023. Since then, 18 others states have enacted similar policies, with laws taking effect Thursday in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Mexico and Texas. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine issued an executive order Monday with similar provisions.
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Wednesday’s vote by the boards all three NCAA divisions is based on a recommendation from a panel composed of athletic directors and other officials to suspend rules prohibiting athletes from receiving compensation.
The proposal would suspend the current rules prohibiting athletes from being paid for the use of their name, image or likeness until the NCAA adopts a permanent policy or Congress approves a federal law.
If approved, the proposal would permit activities similar to those covered in the new Illinois law for athletes nationwide, regardless of whether their state has approved a similar policy. Athletes in the States that have passed laws would be governed by those rules.
www.chicagotribune.com
Gov. J.B. Pritzker is poised to sign a measure into law Tuesday that would allow college athletes to sign endorsement deals, making Illinois the latest of nearly two dozen states to enact policies allowing student-athletes to profit off the use of their names and likenesses.
The signing comes a day before an NCAA vote on a proposal that would institute similar rules for schools nationwide. It also comes less than two weeks after a unanimous U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down a NCAA rule prohibiting schools from offering athletes education-related benefits.
ADVERTISING
There’s been a growing push for high-level college athletes to be able to earn some share of the profit from a multibillion-dollar industry, including an unsuccessful attempt by Northwestern University football players to unionize in 2014. The NCAA and others have fought such attempts, contending they undermine the spirit of amateur sports.
The measure that Pritzker is scheduled to sign Tuesday afternoon at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign was sponsored by two former Division I football players: state Rep. Kam Buckner, a Chicago Democrat who played at Illinois, and state Sen. Napoleon Harris a Democrat from south suburban Harvey who played linebacker at Northwestern and for seven seasons in the NFL.
“For myself, as a former student-athlete, you see coaches making money, you see the administration is making money and the student-athletes are the ones that are filling the stands, but they’re not able to go and make any substantial monetary gains of their own likeness and image,” Harris said in May when the General Assembly was considering the proposal.
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“I think the colleges are now seeing the light of day and understanding the difference between student athletes being able to use their own name and image versus being employees. They’re not considered employees, and I think that’s the difference,” he said.
Under the Illinois law, which would take effect Thursday upon Pritzker’s signature, student-athletes at both public and private universities would be allowed to hire an agents to represent them in endorsement deals, and schools would be able to set “reasonable limitations” on when athletes can participate in the newly allowed activities and whether the school’s logos, uniforms or name can be used.
Athletes also would be required to report their endorsement deals and other activities to their respective schools. Boosters or other third parties would be prohibited from using the promise of endorsement deals to recruit athletes to a school.
Sign up for The Spin to get the top stories in politics delivered to your inbox weekday afternoons.
California passed the first such law in 2019, with the policy set to take effect in 2023. Since then, 18 others states have enacted similar policies, with laws taking effect Thursday in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Mexico and Texas. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine issued an executive order Monday with similar provisions.
[Most read] United Airlines makes biggest plane purchase in its history, will add flights and up to 3,000 employees in Chicago »
Wednesday’s vote by the boards all three NCAA divisions is based on a recommendation from a panel composed of athletic directors and other officials to suspend rules prohibiting athletes from receiving compensation.
The proposal would suspend the current rules prohibiting athletes from being paid for the use of their name, image or likeness until the NCAA adopts a permanent policy or Congress approves a federal law.
If approved, the proposal would permit activities similar to those covered in the new Illinois law for athletes nationwide, regardless of whether their state has approved a similar policy. Athletes in the States that have passed laws would be governed by those rules.
College athletes in Illinois can hire agents, be paid for endorsements under measure signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker
Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a measure into law that allows college athletes to sign endorsement deals, making Illinois the latest of nearly two dozen states to enact policies allowing student-athletes to profit off the use of their names and likenesses.
