Clemson, UofSC ADs team up to push bill for NIL athlete compensation

The state of South Carolina could send a message soon to the NCAA over name, image and likeness compensation.

by Brandon Rink - Staff Writer - Thu Mar 25 10:31:36 GMT-04:00 2021

The state of South Carolina took a step this week toward keeping up with its neighbors pushing for student-athletes to receive compensation with the use of their own name, image and likeness.

Florida, among six total states (California, Colorado, Michigan, Nebraska and New Jersey), have already passed such a law and a bill being promoted by both Clemson athletic director Dan Radakovich and South Carolina AD Ray Tanner moved forward in a S.C. senate subcommittee Wednesday.

“This would be legitimate compensation for student athletes and not an inducement to attend a certain school or for on field performance,” Radakovich said in his testimony for the subcommittee.

There were reports in 2020 that the NCAA would allow compensation for name, image and likeness as early as this fall, but they tabled a proposal to do that in January for “judicial, political and enforcement issues.”

The next key date in the NIL debate is March 31 and a Supreme Court case (Alston v. NCAA) regarding the NCAA’s ability to define the difference between amateurism and pro sports.

The current date for the S.C. bill to go into effect -- if passed -- is July 1, 2023, but Radakovich proposed moving that up at least a year to 2022 and the subcommittee appeared willing to address that. It would follow proposals that were already expected to be implemented by the NCAA regarding compensation not being tied to on-field performance or using promotions in a uniform or wearing a school logo. Florida’s bill will be the first to go into effect this July, which could meet some opposition from the NCAA in court.

According to ESPN, 17 more states have similar bills going through the legislative process.

“We just want to make sure that we have the ability to be on the same ground as some of the other states and offer our student-athletes the best opportunities here within our state,” Radakovich said.

Radakovich also proposed an addition to the S.C. bill including a third party to review endorsements to aid schools in keeping athletes within NCAA rules.