ATHENS — History was made at Sanford Stadium on Thursday morning. What it will look like years from now — or even later this year — is not entirely clear.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law Thursday the state’s first name, image and likeness bill. Passed by the state legislature in March, House Bill 617 will allow college athletes in the state to make money off the use of their name while maintaining their eligibility as an amateur college athlete. That the ceremony took place in UGA’s recruiting lounge in the west end of its football stadium was no accident.
Kemp told reporters there he hoped the new law would help coach Kirby Smart win a national championship with the Bulldogs.
“It sets Georgia on the path to accomplish something that, quite honestly, should have been done a long time ago,” said Kemp, an Athens native and UGA alum. “Simply put, college athletes in Georgia should be fairly compensated for the use of their name, image and likeness. And as an alumni myself, I’m a little biased, but I believe that this is going to give coach Smart every bit of help he needs to bring home the national championship.”
Thanks to Kemp’s signature, Georgia athletes will be able to seek money-making opportunities this calendar year. However, it remains unclear exactly how and when they might be able to actually cash in on those opportunities.
The legislation won’t take effect until the NCAA changes its rules or Congress adopts legislation to allow student compensation. The college sports association has long opposed the idea even as its coffers continue to swell.
But to stay on top from a recruiting standpoint, UGA aims to be ready. The Georgia Athletic Association has hired the firm of Altius Sports Partners to help it navigate this new territory. LSU, South Carolina and Texas have also contracted with the Washington, D.C.,-based company. Casey Schwab, who previously was the NFL Players Association’s vice president of business and legal affairs, is the CEO and one of five founding partners.
For now, they’re conducting seminars and trying to educate college athletes about what the law will mean for them and what they can and can’t do.
“Student-athletes will be equipped to embrace and excel in the NIL era during their time in Athens and beyond.” Schwab said in a UGA news release.
The NIL law is one of numerous bills Gov. Kemp has until May 10 to sign into law.
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