Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) has caused a lot of powerful people in the world of college athletics to be concerned. Whether that concern is about taking care of student-athletes or about protecting themselves and their share of the wealth generated by college sports is up for debate.
The NCAA has hoped that Congress would get involved and try to help put rules on the way NIL can be used and what kind of deals can be made. There are a number of bills working their way through the U.S. government at the moment that have the chance to instruct the future of NIL, and Texas Senator Ted Cruz (R) is championing one of them.
Cruz was at Texas A&M on Saturday for a press conference alongside Aggies AD Ross Bjork to discuss why he thinks the legislation is so important. He also added an interesting update regarding how far along his bill is.
Cruz told reporters that his bill currently has a 60/40 chance of passing.
Ted Cruz on the current status of the NIL bill being passed.
Says right now it’s about 60/40
Cruz compared the ability to keep fair competition in CFB to March Madness where “everyone has a chance to win.” pic.twitter.com/hox8grhk2n
— Cole Thompson (@MrColeThompson) October 7, 2023
The concern over Cruz’s bill is that it would effectively give the NCAA full control over NIL and how it works. It would also establish that college players are not employees, which differs from the growing sentiment that they are laborers deserving of fair compensation for their work.
Other bills that have been put forward around NIL would create a third-party entity to regulate NIL as the NCAA hasn’t exactly been the best steward of student-athlete treatment up until now.
Reactions to Cruz’s appearance and thoughts on NIL were met with some strong reactions.
This should be interesting.
Cruz’s #NIL bill is one of the worst ones out there.
It contains an antitrust exemption for the NCAA and preempts all state laws that regulate athlete compensation (not just NIL), which would eliminate the prospect of revenue sharing. https://t.co/v4ohi5tduX
— Mit Winter (@WinterSportsLaw) October 6, 2023
Bama by 28 https://t.co/E6In4sOskg
— Matt Brown (@MattBrownEP) October 7, 2023
Two people I absolutely do not need to hear from on this issue https://t.co/La7ZYDLUsH
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) October 6, 2023
The collegiate model needing Ted Cruz to be its savior sounds about right 🤯 https://t.co/PXuY1tlKup
— Marc Isenberg (@marcisenberg) October 6, 2023
Dear God no. Please no https://t.co/BBd9HA3fec
— Jackson Williford (@fj_williford) October 7, 2023
