Surprised there has been not recent discussion on this. Tomorrow (July 1) it becomes legal for individuals and companies to pay individual athletes for their NIL (licensed Name Image Likeness).
You can foresee this becoming a total game changer. No limit on the amount of compensation an individual college athlete can earn from licensing, gathering social media followers, etc. College sports model moving closer to the pro sports model.
This in practical terms legalizes the ability for companies and wealthy boosters to give cash payments to athletes/recruits. No need to go "under the table" or "load up those McDonald's bags" any more. I'm sure companies like Nike at Oregon are chomping at the bit to spread their cash around.
Also potentially creates huge wealth gaps between stars and unheralded players, wealthy schools with large rich fanbases and small obscure schools, males and female athletes, etc. It's likely to be the "wild west" for a while as this rolls out. I'm guessing though there will have to be some more definitive rules/restrictions down the road at some point.
You can foresee this becoming a total game changer. No limit on the amount of compensation an individual college athlete can earn from licensing, gathering social media followers, etc. College sports model moving closer to the pro sports model.
This in practical terms legalizes the ability for companies and wealthy boosters to give cash payments to athletes/recruits. No need to go "under the table" or "load up those McDonald's bags" any more. I'm sure companies like Nike at Oregon are chomping at the bit to spread their cash around.
Also potentially creates huge wealth gaps between stars and unheralded players, wealthy schools with large rich fanbases and small obscure schools, males and female athletes, etc. It's likely to be the "wild west" for a while as this rolls out. I'm guessing though there will have to be some more definitive rules/restrictions down the road at some point.