Ohio state lawmakers want to update laws regarding paying college athletes for their name, image and likeness.
Governor Mike DeWine signed an executive order in 2021 allowing college athletes to earn money through advertising and sponsorships during their playing careers.
Reps. Jay Edwards (R-Nelsonville) and Adam Mathews (R-Lebanon) introduced a bill Wednesday that would provide the first update to Ohio’s approach since 2021 to remain competitive with schools across the country.
The bill would allow student-athletes to work more directly with NIL collectives, nonprofit organizations affiliated with schools that raise money from fans and alumni and pay student-athletes for branding deals or appearances.
Mathews said that each university interprets NIL laws differently and that the aim of this legislation is to ensure that students and universities know exactly which contracts are allowed and which are not.
He looked to other states, particularly those with schools in the Southeastern Conference, as a model for updating Ohio’s approach to how the market might be shaped in the future.
The bill makes it clear that college athletes can have their contracts reviewed by an agent or attorney for compensation and that schools and collectives will not be held liable if an athlete cannot be paid for his or her name, image or likeness.
Mathews said there are some legal gray areas between collectives and colleges that leave students in a confusing situation, pointing out that Cincy Reigns, the collective affiliated with the University of Cincinnati, has a partnership with Rhinegeist, but a student-athlete does not.
The bill maintains the ban on college athletes from associating with companies that sell marijuana or alcohol.
Edwards, who played football for Ohio University, said the discussion is not about whether student-athletes can make money from their name, image and likeness.
“We’re already in that world,” he said, adding that he’s spoken to business owners and athletes across the state who aren’t sure if they can work together legally.
Erin Glynn is a reporter for the Ohio Bureau of the USA TODAY Network, which covers the Columbus Dispatch, the Cincinnati Enquirer, the Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.
