The College Athlete Economic Freedom Act establishes comprehensive rights allowing college athletes to earn money from their name, image, and likeness (NIL) without institutional interference or collusion among colleges to limit payments. The bill requires colleges to obtain licenses from athlete groups before using their NIL in media deals, prohibits colleges from reducing athletic scholarships based on NIL earnings, and mandates equitable institutional support across all athletes regardless of gender, race, or sport. International athletes are granted permission to legally earn NIL income without jeopardizing their student visa status, while the Federal Trade Commission gains enforcement authority over violations, which are treated as antitrust violations allowing athletes to pursue private lawsuits for damages. The bill also prevents states from restricting athletes' NIL contracts, though states may still regulate athlete agent certification. The legislation effectively shifts control over athletes' commercial rights away from colleges and athletic associations to the athletes themselves.
Take Action
Your position
Add a comment
to comment on this bill.
Annotate the text
Highlight any passage on the Summary or Full Text tab to attach a note. Annotations appear on the Annotations tab.