Pennsylvania passes law allowing college athletes to profit from name, image and likeness
Penn State student-athletes will now be legally allowed to profit off of their own name, image and likeness. Gov. Tom Wolf signed the state’s budget bill into law on Wednesday, which included language that will allow college athletes to receive compensation and prevents the NCAA, conferences or schools from intervening in any way.
The law stipulates that student-athletes may not receive compensation in exchange for their attendance at a particular school and they are not allowed to be compensated for association with specific industries, including the alcohol industry, the gambling industry and the tobacco industry, among others. Schools will also be permitted to stop sponsorship deals that compete with sponsorships held by the school.
Student-athletes must give the university the proposed contract in which they will profit off of their name, image and likeness at least seven days before the beginning of the contract.
The Penn State athletic department released a statement on the matter Wednesday afternoon.
“We are excited the lawmakers in Pennsylvania passed law to allow our students to explore opportunities involving their name, image and likeness, ” the statement read. “This law will give our students the same opportunities that students in states with NIL laws have to receive payment for the use of their name, image or likeness. We have always focused on preparing our students for a lifetime of impact and this new law will allow our students to grow their entrepreneurial spirit which they will carry with them long beyond their time at Penn State.”
The new law coincides with an interim policy, reportedly passed Wednesday, from the NCAA that will allow athletes to profit off their name, image and likeness beginning Thursday. The previous policy made that illegal according to NCAA rules.
It is believed that Pennsylvania’s law will also be effective Thursday, when the new fiscal year begins.
While it’s not yet known whether any Penn State athletes have signed deals, wrestler Roman Bravo-Young signaled his openness to exploring opportunities in a social media post last week.
“I have worked hard for this moment,” he wrote on Twitter. “During my battles on and off the mat, I have had to constantly remind myself, ‘The opportunity that will change your life is near. Just win the battle here.’ One of those opportunities has arrived. The NCAA is in the process of approving athletes to monetize their name. What a blessing.’
This story was originally published June 30, 2021 at 4:59 PM.
