NCAA president Mark Emmert said that he recommends the approval of name, image and likeness (NIL) rights “before, or as close to, July 1,” according to the New York Times.
New laws permitting NCAA athletes to profit off their name, image and likeness in a limited capacity will take effect in Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi and New Mexico in July, with many more to follow in the next year.
“We need to get a vote on these rules that are in front of the members now,” Emmert told the New York Times.
The NCAA was scheduled to vote on a NIL rights proposal in January before voting to indefinitely postpone making a decision on the plan.
The plan, which has been sitting with NCAA members for months, would let college athletes make money through advertisements via their social media accounts while giving universities the power to block sponsorships that conflict with “existing institutional sponsorship arrangements.”
However, NIL laws vary by state, creating various legal gray areas and potential competitive gaps that has led Emmert to call for the approval of a widespread plan.
The U.S. Supreme Court is also expected to rule on the issue in the upcoming months, although Emmert said that he did not expect a decision about new rules to depend upon the case.
More NCAA Coverage:
• The NCAA’s Transfer Revolution Is Here
• Inside the Hidden Industry of Name, Image and Likeness
• Deion Sanders Says NFL Draft ‘Neglected’ HBCU Players
