Student Athletes Need Congressional Action on NIL

As a former high school and college football coach at several universities, I have witnessed firsthand how sports can help empower students to receive a world-class education and grow in skills such as teamwork, discipline, and dedication. However, I fear the cherished tradition of college athletics that has provided so many opportunities to young people could disappear unless Congress intervenes to fix fundamental issues with name, image, and likeness (NIL).

NIL affects all parties involved, the institution, Coaches, and most importantly the student-athletes.

Allowing student-athletes to profit off their NIL forever changed the landscape of college athletics. Without question, NIL deals have been a net positive for student-athletes, enabling them to be compensated for their hard work. Rightfully so, but without federal guardrails or a governing body, NIL has also created a difficult environment for all parties to navigate. Any competition without governing rules results in chaos.

What exactly led to this? A primary driver has been individual states taking the initiative to issue competing regulations, resulting in a lack of uniformity. This uneven playing field has opened the door for third-party actors to take advantage of student-athletes.

The ramifications of this broken system have been extensive and disadvantage certain players, schools, coaches, and athletic programs. 

Not many realize that less than two percent of college athletes make it pro. The vast majority recognize college sports as the means to their primary goal of earning a college degree. In addition to pursuing success on the field, student-athletes today also receive academic support, mental health resources, and career advising among many other things to assist with making sure student-athletes are in the best position possible to find success in life after college.

Yet, there is a concerted push by some outliers to force student-athletes into employment status, which is a proposition that has largely been rejected by student-athletes across all levels of college athletics. Not only do student-athletes not want this, it’s causing major concerns for universities at all levels as well. And now that a recent National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) ruling deemed men’s basketball players employees of an institution, this is an issue where it is no longer possible to kick the can down the road and actions must be taken now.

I am particularly worried about the future of non-revenue-generating college sports that do not generate revenue for college athletics departments, such as football or basketball. If some states have their way, these programs are in jeopardy of being shut down if athletics departments are required to engage in revenue-sharing agreements with student-athletes. 

Saying goodbye to these sports programs means saying goodbye to tens of thousands of opportunities annually for young women and men to pursue an education they otherwise might not have been able to. While athletic achievement is paramount, at the end of the day, academics should remain a central component to the student-athlete experience. Not to mention the maturity, relationships, and exposure the college experience provides.

It’s time to hit the reset button! Guidelines will help stabilize these uncharted waters for all parties. Thankfully, momentum is quickly growing in Congress for a national NIL standard. When U.S. senators who are polar opposites on the political spectrum recognize there is an issue and commit to working together to solve that problem, it’s clear the status quo is broken and needs immediate reform. Lawmakers should prioritize preempting the patchwork of state laws while emphasizing student-athlete welfare and preserving many of the positive steps we’ve taken for student-athletes in recent years. 

College sports as a whole can no longer wait for Congress to act. They deserve certainty from lawmakers that their priorities are not only heard but also inscribed in federal law. Imagine the relief for not only current student-athletes but future ones as well once they know their opportunities are preserved moving forward. 

Lawmakers in Washington must help secure this bright future, and they must act now.