# College Athlete Economic Freedom Act

This bill would allow college athletes to earn money from their name, image, and likeness—basically, the right to profit from being a recognizable athlete. Right now, college athletes can't be paid by anyone for endorsements, sponsorships, or other commercial uses of their fame, even though universities make enormous amounts of money from their sports programs. This bill would change that by letting athletes sign endorsement deals with companies, appear in commercials, sell merchandise with their name on it, or make money through social media and other ventures, just like professional athletes do.

The practical effect would be significant for student-athletes, especially those in popular sports like football and basketball. A star quarterback could sign a shoe deal, a volleyball player could earn money from Instagram sponsorships, or a baseball player could sell autographed memorabilia. This could help athletes pay for living expenses, education costs, or build financial security for after their playing days end. However, it would likely create new inequalities within college sports—elite athletes at major universities would make substantial money while athletes at smaller schools or in less popular sports might earn little to nothing.

The bill would also affect universities and coaches, who would lose their current monopoly on controlling how athletes benefit from their own success. Schools might need to establish new rules about how athletes can use their name and image to avoid conflicts with team branding or NCAA regulations. Companies would gain new marketing opportunities by sponsoring college athletes directly, potentially shifting some advertising dollars away from professional sports.

College Athlete Economic Freedom Act

Murphy, Christopher

College Athlete Economic Freedom Act This bill establishes name, image, likeness (NIL) and athletic reputation rights for college athletes. Specifically, the bill <ul> <li>establishes a federal right for college athletes to market the use of their NIL or athletic reputation by prohibiting colleges and intercollegiate athletic associations from setting or enforcing rules that restrict this right or coordinating to limit how athletes can use their NIL; </li> <li>prohibits colleges or such athletic associations from regulating athlete representation; </li> <li>authorizes grants for analyzing NIL and athletic reputation monetization; </li> <li>provides for enforcement by the Federal Trade Commission and through a private cause of action against violators; and </li> <li>preempts more restrictive state laws relating to college athletes' NIL and athletic reputation rights. </li></ul>