Last year, the NCAA revised its guidelines to allow student-athletes to profit from the use of their name, image and likeness (NIL). Now U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) and U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia) are on a fact-finding quest to learn how to best craft legislation to regulate NIL collectives.
Collectives, while independent from the institutions they support, are entities designed to pool funds from private donors to maximize NIL's impact on the recruitment and retention of college athletes.
Tuberville and Manchin sent a letter Thursday to various collectives seeking feedback on future NIL legislation after other stakeholders, such as coaches, college presidents, and conference leaders, recommended "any future legislation address the issue of whether and how to regulate, control, or ban collectives."
According to a news release, Tuberville and Manchin plan to combine the feedback received from collectives with the information already submitted by dozens of other leaders and groups.
One respondent said NIL collectives "are designed to compensate student-athletes in a thinly-veiled pay-for-play model damages the integrity of collegiate athletic model."
Another respondent "acknowledged the need to protect women's sports: 'Can requirements for collectives be implemented to ensure some equity in NIL deals to male and female athletes at an institution, similar to requirements of Title IX?'"
Tuberville and Manchin also received multiple recommendations to establish a penalty structure for collectives "that are involved in inducing student-athletes during the recruiting and transfer process," while others recommended a regulatory structure establishing "when and how student-athletes may interact with third parties or collectives.'
"Nearly all respondents recommended greater transparency in the process," the news releases said.
High Tide Traditions and NIL-Auburn didn't return requests for comment about the letter on Thursday afternoon.
To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email caleb.taylor@1819News.com.
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