SPOKANE, Wash. — Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) policies for all Division I college athletes go into effect on Thursday, July 1. These student-athletes can now profit off their personal brand.
The NCAA approved the temporary policies on June 30, as some individual states around the country were putting into their own state laws to allow athletes to make money. The NCAA is working on permanent legislation with Congress.
Washington and Idaho don't have their own state laws for NIL. They will follow the NCAA's interim rules, which are as follow:
- Individuals can engage in NIL activities that are consistent with the law of the state where the school is located. Colleges and universities may be a resource for state law questions.
- 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.
"It's finally here and people are calling it Christmas," Washington State football defensive lineman Dallas Hobbs said. "We're waking up to some presents and other things we can do."
Hobbs has been entrenched in this topic for about a year now, starting with the We Are United movement in August of 2020. The group's main concern was health and safety protocols during a pandemic season, but the group was also looking for compensation for athletes.
Hobbs said he's happy with how things have progressed and that there is a way for athletes to profit. He would like to see the permanent policies put in place by the NCAA include protection for athletes when it comes to NIL as well as educating them on the new policies.