It’s been a long time coming, but beginning Thursday, July 1, college athletes will be able to benefit from their name, image and likeness (NIL). This applies to every NCAA athlete in the country — regardless of division or location.
Following a board of directors vote, The NCAA officially announced an interim policy concerning NIL. This policy will suspend all current name, image and likeness rules — in all sports — for current and incoming athletes.
More than a dozen states, including Florida, have laws that will come into place July 1 making it illegal for schools to abide by NCAA rules that prohibited college athletes from making money. The NCAA ruling came one day before those laws were sent into action.
At this point, NCAA rules still stipulate that schools may not directly pay players; that applies for both current and incoming athletes. For now, there are no wages or unions.
According to the NCAA, the policy works under a set of key guidelines for athletes, schools, future recruits and their families.
- Individuals can engage in NIL activities that are consistent with the law of the state where the school is located. Colleges and universities are responsible for determining whether those activities are consistent with state law.
- College athletes who attend a school in a state without an NIL law can engage in this type of activity without violating NCAA rules related to name, image and likeness.
- Individuals can use a professional services provider for NIL activities.
- Student-athletes should report NIL activities consistent with state law or school and conference requirements to their school.
All three NCAA divisions adopt interim name, image and likeness policy:
— NCAA (@NCAA) June 30, 2021