Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) said this week that Congress would be working on national legislation to address student athletes’ ability to profit from their names, images and likenesses.
Romney spoke at a roundtable on Wednesday, according to CBS News. The roundtable featured ESPN analyst Jay Bilas (a former college basketball standout) and Rep. Mark Walker (R-NC) who has introduced a federal bill called the Student Equity Act. Per a reporter from The News & Observer on Twitter, Romney addressed the NCAA directly, saying Congress would be stepping in to remedy the current situation:
“You know something is seriously awry,” Romney said. “The reality is Congress is going to act. We’re coming for you. We’re coming to help these athletes.”
The debate centers around the NCAA’s current amateurism rules, which prohibit NCAA student-athletes from earning money from their names, images or likenesses as student-athletes. The ‘name-image-likeness’ or NIL issue is currently set for a showdown over the next few years after California passed a bill allowing student-athletes to earn NIL money. The NCAA has said that California’s bill creates an unfair playing field between California schools and their competitors in other states, and even hinted at an NCAA ban on California schools.
On the other hand, more states have begun drafting their own similar legislation. California’s law doesn’t go into effect until 2023, giving a rough timeline for the NCAA to come to a decision. But other states may move the timetable up significantly – a Florida representative introduced a similar bill last month, but that bill would go into effect on July 1, 2020.
Representative Walker’s Student Equity Act would be a federal law that would apply to all 50 states. It would “bring above-board payments for name, image and likeness to college athletes at the national level,” according to the CBS report.
So if they get $ do then then have to pay tuition, meals, all college fees they don’t pay now? How many will make enough to cover expenses?
And in other news, club swim teams take colleges by storm.
Keeping Mitt busy with internal US matters is a win for the world . .
I’m from the government and I’m here to help.
I personally believe that providing financial aid to high level college athletes will help to enforce the concept of a student-athlete. Elite athletes are entering professionals leagues right out of high school, and are bypassing college, and in some cases, this is due to lack of economic stability. However, providing the future financial incentive to elite high schoolers might make them want to go to college, which in return, they will receive education.
Love this comment – spun a little differently, one of the best things about the antiquated amateurism rules was the fact that it motivated (required) more of these athletes to attend college as opposed to trying to make it in the truly professional life right out of high school. By allowing these athletes to make more money while in college, it might entice them to stay a little longer and actually get more value out of their academic scholarships!
Whether you agree with Romney or not, it’s important that this issue be resolved at the federal level to prevent different states from enacting different legislation which can create unfair recruiting advantages, etc.
If you have been a student athlete under NCAA rules or have a child who is one, you can understand the complete and utter control they have over your daily life. Others receiving merits awards or other aid are not worked and controlled to the same extent. They can go home for Fall break and see their families for more than a day over Thanksgiving. They don’t have to get sign off to do something outside of the sport. Speak to the athletes and hear their… Read more »
NCAA to Mitt Romney: “You will lose”: 3 syllables
Wait so I’m confused, so which university did Mitt Romney verbally commit to swim for in 2021?