Virginia Law to allow schools to pay players for NIL

[Mr Janny]

As of July 1st, a new Virginia law makes it illegal for the NCAA to punish schools for paying athletes for name image and likeness deals.
The law attempts to draw a distinction between NIL and pay for play, by continuing to classify athletes as non-employees, but allowing the the schools to compensate them for marketing purposes.

It will be interesting to see how the NCAA and/or other states respond to this.

Virginia law allows schools to pay athletes for NIL

Schools in Virginia will be able to directly pay athletes via name, image and likeness deals thanks to a state law signed Thursday morning.

www.espn.com

 

[Cyclonepride]

As of July 1st, a new Virginia law makes it illegal for the NCAA to punish schools for paying athletes for name image and likeness deals.
The law attempts to draw a distinction between NIL and pay for play, by continuing to classify athletes as non-employees, but allowing the the schools to compensate them for marketing purposes.

It will be interesting to see how the NCAA and/or other states respond to this.

Virginia law allows schools to pay athletes for NIL

Schools in Virginia will be able to directly pay athletes via name, image and likeness deals thanks to a state law signed Thursday morning.

www.espn.com

Seems like that would be very vulnerable to a lawsuit claiming that it makes them de facto employees even if it says they aren't.

 

[coolerifyoudid]

Budget meetings at universities are about to get really interesting.

 

[FriendlySpartan]

Title 9 ruling on this is going to also be very interesting. Crazy that this is Virginia of all places but the first domino had to fall somewhere

 

[Lineup]

College sports done most money wins!

 

[Mr Janny]

College sports done most money wins!

That's not really much of a change. When was the last time a MAC school made the CFP? Big time college sports has always favored the "haves" over the "have nots". Nobody wants competitive balance, across the board. Not really. There's no realistic scenario where the SEC wants a level playing field with the Sunbelt.

I'm sorry, but the time for crying about the rich getting richer has been over for years. Decades even.

 

[cycloneG]

College sports done most money wins!

It's been like that for decades. It's just more in the open now. Look at the last CFP. All four teams are in the top 25 for the highest athletic budgets. Texas, Alabama, and Michigan are in the top 5 athletic budgets.

 

[CycloneErik]

College sports done most money wins!

Money always won. The illusion is done.

 

[Mr Janny]

Seems like that would be very vulnerable to a lawsuit claiming that it makes them de facto employees even if it says they aren't.

Yeah, this doesn't feel like a law that will exist in its current state for very long. It's either going to get pummeled by the court system or superceded by another law that defines athletes as employees.

 

[NorthCyd]

It's been like that for decades. It's just more in the open now. Look at the last CFP. All four teams are in the top 25 for the highest athletic budgets. Texas, Alabama, and Michigan are in the top 5 athletic budgets.

It's the same with any new development in NIL. A group of people will throw there hands in the air and declare this is officially the death of college sports. It's been going on for years now.

 

[MeowingCows]

It's the same with any new development in NIL. A group of people will throw there hands in the air and declare this is officially the death of college sports. It's been going on for years now.

So long as all schools are still within NCAA D1, the product on-field and coverage of it will be alright. When we finally reach the day when the superleague separates away with it's 20 or 30 chosen ones, then we'll start having real discussions on sports being ruined (for people like us).

 

[madguy30]

It's been like that for decades. It's just more in the open now. Look at the last CFP. All four teams are in the top 25 for the highest athletic budgets. Texas, Alabama, and Michigan are in the top 5 athletic budgets.

I find it to be kind of amazing that some refuse to acknowledge this.

 

[MushroomPinball]

That's not really much of a change. When was the last time a MAC school made the CFP? Big time college sports has always favored the "haves" over the "have nots". Nobody wants competitive balance, across the board. Not really. There's no realistic scenario where the SEC wants a level playing field with the Sunbelt.

I'm sorry, but the time for crying about the rich getting richer has been over for years. Decades even.

Just because a problems always existed, doesn't mean it can't be getting worse.

 

[madguy30]

Just because a problems always existed, doesn't mean it can't be getting worse.

Is there a chance of it getting corrected?

 

[CYDJ]

Money always won. The illusion is done.

That's just the way it is, some things will never change..... That's just he way it is, the way it is, the way it is.....

OK, with a little less vague sarcasm this time.

NOW, that it is out in the open, that it is free market capitalism instead of blatant CHEATING, we have less to complain about. Popular things win out. People vote with their pocketbooks. Successful things create more success. The Free Market is not the answer for everything, but is it possibly the answer for college sports?

The arguments now are:

1) Do the big boys have their present competitive advantage becuase of years of cheating or not.
2) Did we start this free market experiment with a level playing field? AND
3) Should we TRY to do anything to assure something closer to parity? OR
4) Should those schools that have / can gather more money win? (i.e., is this all about money? hehe!)

 

[NetflixAndClone]

"If this law gets us closer to a federal or a national solution for college athletics then it will be more than worthwhile," University of Virginia athletic director Carla Williams said. "Until then, we have an obligation to ensure we maintain an elite athletics program at UVA."

interesting line form the Virginia AD, I personally hope she is right. Hopefully this is the first dominoes that starts a reaction to work for a nationwide solution.

 

[8bitnes]

That's just the way it is, some things will never change..... That's just he way it is, the way it is, the way it is.....

OK, with a little less vague sarcasm this time.

NOW, that it is out in the open, that it is free market capitalism instead of blatant CHEATING, we have less to complain about. Popular things win out. People vote with their pocketbooks. Successful things create more success. The Free Market is not the answer for everything, but is it possibly the answer for college sports?

The arguments now are:

1) Do the big boys have their present competitive advantage becuase of years of cheating or not.
2) Did we start this free market experiment with a level playing field? AND
3) Should we TRY to do anything to assure something closer to parity? OR
4) Should those schools that have / can gather more money win? (i.e., is this all about money? hehe!)

It was kind of fun watching how Kansas performed in basketball this year with the under the table adidas money pipeline terminated and everyone else having above the table options. Would like to see the outcome sustained for a few years in a row.

 

[madguy30]

It was kind of fun watching how Kansas performed in basketball this year with the under the table adidas money pipeline terminated and everyone else having above the table options. Would like to see the outcome sustained for a few years in a row.

Repeating but I also think Alabama last year in football and some others are feeling the heat if their usual depth has gone to lesser programs for playing time and still really good money.

If things actually even out a bit and the big TV makers aren't there in the end of the playoffs etc., let's see them then make a hard correction with guardrails of some sort.

 

[CascadeClone]

Everywhere is going to keep pushing boundaries until there just aren't any left. Total arms race.

I suppose the sooner they get to NIL-mageddon, the sooner some kind of major step change will happen.

 

[ClubCy]

NIL isn’t and won’t be the death of college sports. Transfer portal isn’t and won’t be the death of college sports.

Realignment and consolidation of conferences, power, and programs will be the death.