Virginia law allows schools to pay athletes for NIL - ESPN

Schools in Virginia will be able to directly pay athletes via name, image and likeness deals thanks to a state law signed Thursday morning, marking another significant step in the professionalization of college sports.

The new law, which is scheduled to take effect July 1, is the first in any state making it illegal for the NCAA to punish a school for compensating athletes for their name, image and likeness (NIL) rights. Current NCAA rules prohibit schools from signing NIL deals with their own players. The law could either give Virginia schools a significant recruiting advantage or provide a catalyst for similar changes elsewhere.

«If this law gets us closer to a federal or a national solution for college athletics then it will be more than worthwhile,» University of Virginia athletic director Carla Williams said. «Until then, we have an obligation to ensure we maintain an elite athletics program at UVA.»

Administrators from the University of Virginia took a leading role in crafting the legislation with help from colleagues at Virginia Tech, according to its author, commonwealth delegate Terry Austin. Both Williams and Virginia Tech athletic director Whit Babcock declined to share details about how they are planning to use the new opportunities presented by the law.

The law explicitly states that athletes should not be considered employees of their school. Schools in Virginia are still not allowed to pay athletes for their performance in a sport, but starting this summer will be able to use university or athletic department funds to pay athletes for appearing in marketing campaigns. Williams said this was «maybe a distinction without a difference, but there's a distinction there.»

Babcock said Virginia Tech is