Conference commissioners bullish on enforcing new NIL rules - ESPN

Days after a multibillion-dollar legal settlement changed college athletics by allowing schools to directly pay their athletes, the most powerful conference commissioners are bullish on their ability to enforce NIL rules in a new system, even though specific punishments remain unclear.

Hours after the House v. NCAA settlement was approved on Friday, former MLB executive Bryan Seeley was named CEO of a new enforcement organization called the College Sports Commission. His job will be to lead the team responsible for enforcement of the new rules around revenue sharing, third-party payments to players for NIL deals, and roster limits.

One of the biggest questions, though, is what happens when those rules are broken?

ACC commissioner Jim Phillips, who spoke Monday on a Zoom news conference with fellow commissioners Greg Sankey (SEC), Tony Petitti (Big Ten), Brett Yormark (Big 12) and Teresa Gould (Pac-12), said they've all had ideas, but nothing they're «ready to come forward with.» Ultimately, Phillips said, the rules and boundaries will be under Seeley's purview.

«We're in the process of developing some of those rules and structure and overall implementation of that,» Phillips said. «Now that we have Bryan on board, I think we'll be able to move a little bit quicker. But we want to get this right. It's one of those areas that until you have somebody leading the College Sports Commission, it's difficult to get together with that individual and start some of that framework that will be in place.»

Yormark called it «progress over perfection,» and said that while there will be challenges, they will meet them over time.

«Our schools want rules, and we're providing rules, and we will be governed by those rules. And if you break