NCAA moves closer to allowing athletes to receive name, image and likeness compensation

The NCAA’s Board of Governors expects to adopt groundbreaking rules regarding name, image and likeness compensation for its athletes by January that would become effective in time for the 2021-‘22 academic year, officials said today.

The so-called NIL rules, when passed, would permit athletes to receive compensation for third party endorsements both related to and separate from athletics.

That means they could be paid for doing commercials, having their names on jerseys or their likenesses in video games or partaking in other commercial endeavors without risking either their college eligibility or scholarships.

“The board’s decision today provides further guidance to each division (of the NCAA) as they create and adopt appropriate rules changes,” Gene Smith, Ohio State senior vice president and athletics director and working group co-chair, said during a media conference call.

The NCAA’s actions follow the adoption of laws by California and other states. Two bills, Senate Bill 2673 and House Bill 1682, concerning NIL for athletes have been proposed in the Hawaii Legislature.

The NCAA board said it would require “guardrails around any future name, image and likeness activities” that would include no name, image and likeness activities that would be considered pay for play; no school or conference involvement; no use of name, image and likeness for recruiting by schools or boosters; and the regulation of agents and advisors.

NCAA President Mark Emmert said the rules would maintain a clear distinction between athletes being employees of their schools. Athletes would be accountable to the Internal Revenue Service for reporting their income.