NCAA Proposes Allowing Division I Schools To Sign NIL Deals

Summary:

• Division I schools can pay their athletes without any ties to education resources
• Division I schools must review and decide if they want to move forward with the new policy
• Sub-divisions will be created amongst Division I schools and they will have to pay millions each year

The NCAA has come out with a new policy that will look to disrupt the way things used to be with Division I schools and their athletes in sports such as football and basketball.

NCAA president Charlie Baker came out with a policy on Dec 5 that will allow Division I schools to deal directly with their athletes and allow them to sign NIL deals.

Division I Schools Must Decide On Policy

The current policy only allows Division I schools to pay their athletes via means that are tied directly to their educational resources. The new policy will look to change this and Division I schools will now be able to compensate their athletes via non-educational resources.

The new rules will look to create a sub-division amongst Division I schools and these schools will have to remit millions of dollars each year into a trust fund that will then be used to pay their athletes. These Division I schools will be allowed to develop their own policies concerning hiring, team sizes, transfers and a number of other key issues.

The proposal has been sent to Division I schools who will now have to review the same and decide if they want to accept the new proposal. Should they decide to move forward with the new proposal, they will then be able sign image, name and likeness deals with their student athletes.

New Policy In Best Interests Of Schools-Athletes

Baker has already discussed the proposal with some of the top level athletic directors in the country and the response has been positive.

In a statement, Baker said

It is time for us — the NCAA — to offer our own forward-looking framework. This framework must sustain the best elements of the student-athlete experience for all student-athletes, build on the financial and organizational investments that have positively changed the trajectory of women’s sports, and enhance the athletic and academic experience for student-athletes who attend the highest resourced colleges and universities.

The proposal has not indicated a timeframe as to when Division I schools will have to make their decision. However, the process to make major changes to any NCAA rules takes around 12 months.