If/when this bill passes, it will be the beginning of the end of college athletics as we know it.
When Star Quarterback at State U has a practice that conflicts with a media appearance that's contractually part of his likeness deal, who's to stop him from skipping? What happens if those contracts have provisions that reward injury prevention? Maybe he objects to being put in in the 4th quarter of a blowout, over the coach's objection. Etc. Maybe he wants to wear his endorsed gear over the team's. Not to mention how much worse school culture will be when the star athletes can literally just pay people to do everything for them.
Pro sports solve this through collective bargaining agreements that set out how athletes' off-court obligations interact with their athletic obligations, and by segregating by sport and league. Can't do that for students at universities, as they're (a) not employees and (b) the issues would vary from sport to sport and school to school, as would the lucrativeness of student-athletes' likeness deals.
This is a disaster waiting to happen in the name of progressive reform.
When Star Quarterback at State U has a practice that conflicts with a media appearance that's contractually part of his likeness deal, who's to stop him from skipping? What happens if those contracts have provisions that reward injury prevention? Maybe he objects to being put in in the 4th quarter of a blowout, over the coach's objection. Etc. Maybe he wants to wear his endorsed gear over the team's. Not to mention how much worse school culture will be when the star athletes can literally just pay people to do everything for them.
Pro sports solve this through collective bargaining agreements that set out how athletes' off-court obligations interact with their athletic obligations, and by segregating by sport and league. Can't do that for students at universities, as they're (a) not employees and (b) the issues would vary from sport to sport and school to school, as would the lucrativeness of student-athletes' likeness deals.
This is a disaster waiting to happen in the name of progressive reform.