Governor Glenn Youngkin of Virginia recently signed a bill into law that will enable schools in the state to directly compensate college athletes for their Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rights. This law, effective July 1st, will render it illegal for the NCAA to penalize schools for compensating athletes in this way. This legislation has the potential to bring about significant changes to college sports not only in Virginia but across the country as well.
Prior to this bill’s passing, the NCAA had prohibited schools from signing NIL deals with their student-athletes, leading to the creation of NIL collectives. These collectives functioned as separate entities that paid players for their NIL rights. With the new law in place, schools in Virginia will now have the freedom to directly sign athletes to NIL deals, eliminating the need for separate collectives.
The impact of this law could be substantial for college athletics in Virginia and beyond. Schools in Virginia will now have an edge in recruiting student-athletes by offering them NIL compensation, something that schools in other states cannot do at present. This advantage may push the NCAA to expedite the timeline for changes to NIL rules nationwide.
NCAA president Charlie Baker has proposed possible changes that would allow all schools to pay athletes through NIL deals; however, these changes require a vote from Division I athletics members. With Virginia’s law now in effect, it is likely that these members will be more inclined to address the issue sooner rather than later. Until a decision is made on a national level, schools in Virginia will enjoy the benefits of offering NIL compensation to their student-athletes.