Atlanta, Georgia – In a significant shift for college sports, Georgia’s governor has signed an executive order allowing schools in the state to pay their athletes directly. This order, signed by Governor Brian Kemp on Tuesday morning, provides legal protection for universities to offer compensation to student-athletes for the usage of their name, image, and likeness (NIL) without fear of punishment from the NCAA.
Currently, NCAA rules prohibit schools from paying athletes directly for NIL deals. However, the organization has agreed to lift some restrictions as part of a pending antitrust settlement, although this agreement has yet to be finalized. Should the settlement be approved, new guidelines regarding NIL payments are expected to be implemented at the beginning of the next academic year.
The order in Georgia aligns with a recent law passed in Virginia, which also allows schools to compensate their athletes directly without facing penalties from the NCAA. Despite this opportunity, sources indicate that neither Georgia nor Georgia Tech plans to start paying their athletes immediately. Instead, the executive order provides flexibility for these institutions to offer payments should other schools follow suit.
In a joint statement, Georgia’s athletic director Josh Brooks and Georgia Tech’s athletic director J Batt expressed their gratitude to Governor Kemp. They stated, “In the absence of nationwide name, image, and likeness regulation, this executive order helps our institutions with the necessary tools to fully support our student-athletes in their pursuit of NIL opportunities, remain competitive with our peers, and secure the long-term success of our athletics programs.”
As the landscape of college sports continues to evolve, other states have also shown interest in passing legislation that would facilitate athlete payments. For example, Missouri has enacted a law allowing schools to direct funds to third parties that pay athletes for promotional activities. However, with the NCAA potentially set to challenge these new state orders, the situation remains fluid and could lead to further legal battles.
As the debate around NIL payments continues, one thing is clear: the ability of schools in Georgia to directly compensate their athletes marks a notable change in the world of college sports, paving the way for potential shifts in how student-athletes are supported financially.
