Paying athletes on back burner in several states

Now that he has graduated with a major in digital technology and culture, defensive lineman Dallas Hobbs wants an opportunity to profit off some of his graphic designs while he continues playing football at Washington State.

He also would like to hold charity fundraisers or youth football camps without worrying about potential compliance issues. The problem is that he happens to play in one of the states that hasn’t yet passed legislation to help athletes make money off their celebrity while they are still in school. His situation isn’t unique. “A lot of athletes on my team, a lot of athletes I’ve talked to in Washington, have hobbies that they could capitalize off of,” Hobbs said. “Not athletically. We’re talking singing, dancing, YouTube, playing video games and a whole bunch of other things that these athletes want to capitalize off of — and we’re being restricted.”

Nineteen states, including California, have approved legislation that would allow college athlete to make money through use of their name, image or likeness (NIL), according to data provided by the National Conference of State Legislatures. Illinois and Texas also have passed bills that await the signatures of their respective governors.

The legislation will become law July 1 in five of those states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi and New Mexico. California was first to enact a law, in 2019.

The remaining 29 states haven’t passed anything. That has athletes and athletic officials wondering if schools in those states could find themselves at a competitive disadvantage while others plunge ahead even as the NCAA and Congress eye blanket solutions.

“A lot of kids that are coming from places that don’t have a lot of money. Their families aren’t very well off. They’re not going to go to a school where they’re going to have to struggle even more,” Penn State basketball player Myles Dread said. “They’re going to go somewhere where they can help not only support themselves and live comfortably, but help support their family.”

Though Pennsylvania does have pending legislation but hasn’t passed anything yet, 10 states haven’t introduced any legislation on NIL, a list that includes Indiana, Utah and Wisconsin — all states with Power Five programs — as well as Alaska, Delaware, Idaho, Maine, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.

Athletic directors in states without legislation are holding out hope something is done at the NCAA level or in Congress that would put all schools under the same rules.

The NCAA said last month that its Division I Council is expected to act on NILrelated legislative proposals during its June 2223 meeting. There are plenty of pending proposals in Congress on the subject.

“I think it’s important that we find a national solution to this issue,” Ohio athletic director Julie Cromer said.