A recently introduced piece of legislation could end NCAA restrictions on student-athletes’ publicity rights regarding their image, likeness and name.
New Legislation On Student-Athletes
Student-Athlete Equity Act Could Change Publicity Rights
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Mark Walker (R-N.C.) introduced the Student-Athlete Equity Act, bi-partisan legislation that would amend the definition of a qualified amateur sports organization in the tax code to remove the restriction on student-athletes using or being compensated for use of their name, image and likeness – forcing the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to change it's current model. The lead cosponsor of the bill is U.S. Representative Cedric Richmond (D-La.).
"Signing an athletic scholarship with a school should not be a moratorium on your rights to your name, image, and self-worth," Walker said. "It’s time to bring equity to student-athletes and fix the injustices that exist in the current NCAA model. After nearly two years of discussions with players and leaders, we are introducing legislation that won’t cost the NCAA or our schools a single dollar, while empowering college athletes with the same opportunities that every American should have in a free-market."
“The Student-Athlete Equity Act is a clear cut first step at leveling the playing field for collegiate athletes whose labor generates significant revenue for the colleges and universities they serve and have done so for years,” said Rep. Richmond. “Student-athletes deserve the right to protect their name, image, and likeness that amateur sports organizations, such as the NCAA, currently restrict. These athletes generate enough revenue to pay for state-of-the-art athletic facilities, massive coaching salaries, and even contribute to the endowment at their respective colleges and universities. As young men and women who stimulate the economics of the NCAA, they should also be able to secure their own economic well-being. I am proud to cosponsor this legislation and look forward to continuing the conversation on advancing the educational and financial equity of all student-athletes.”
The legislation was highlighted in a story last week in the Raleigh News and Observer that noted "Walker, a third-term congressman from Greensboro, called on the NCAA to change its rules in May, saying at that time that legislation could follow."
Read the full text of the Student-Athlete Equity Act at https://walker.house.gov/sites/walker.house.gov/files/StudentAthleteEquityAct.pdf
Source https://walker.house.gov/
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