NIL Tax Breaks, Direct Athlete Payments, Steph Curry Davidson News, Eddie George, + ICYMI | Newsletter #311

Mar 13, 2025

Today’s Thursday newsletter includes highlights from this week, important news from last week, and what to watch for.

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Recapping Major News This Week:

The Utah Legislature approved a landmark measure (HB479) that allows universities to directly compensate student-athletes for their name, image, and likeness (NIL). It also clarifies that college athletes are not university employees and prohibits using state appropriations or tuition to fund these payments.
The bill includes requirements that schools adopt policies against abusive coaching practices, a response to recent reports of player mistreatment. With this law, Utah looks to keep pace as more states push ahead with expanded NIL options.
The governor’s approval is the final step. If signed, the bill would make schools in Utah would be among the first in the country to formally establish a system for direct athlete payments—whether or not a national revenue-sharing settlement takes effect.
CLICK HERE to learn more.

A new bill (HB1041) working its way through the Colorado legislature would restrict the public’s access to athlete NIL contracts and compensation details at the state’s public universities. Media outlets and open-government groups are concerned this creates a dangerous lack of transparency.
Supporters say the measure is necessary to protect students from predatory agents, but critics argue it prevents public oversight of how universities may spend or share millions of dollars with athletes.
Despite opposition from multiple transparency advocates, the bill easily passed the House and advanced from a Senate committee. It now heads to the full Senate.
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State NIL Tax Breaks Under Consideration – Lawmakers in Illinois, Georgia, and Alabama propose exempting college athletes’ NIL earnings from state income tax. Advocates point to boosting in-state recruiting, but critics worry about fairness and lost revenue.- LINK
Out2Win Raises $1.3M To Expand AI Athlete Platform – The analytics startup helps brands and universities identify marketable college athletes using an AI-driven “Out2Win Score.” Funds will bolster data science capabilities and add new platform features. - LINK
Curry, Berman Donate Eight-Figure Sum to Davidson College Hoops – NBA star Stephen Curry ’10 and entrepreneur Matt Berman ’05 pool resources to create a new fund for men’s and women’s basketball. They’ll also serve as volunteer assistant GMs, advising the teams in the new NIL era. - LINK
Eddie George Named Bowling Green Head Coach – The Heisman winner and former All-Pro was honored as Big South-OVC Coach of the Year at Tennessee State in 2024. He takes over a Falcons program aiming to stay competitive amidst shifting NCAA rules. - LINK

After weeks of talks among UNC, head coach Bill Belichick, and NFL Films, a proposed “Hard Knocks” offseason series fell apart over creative control differences.
This would have been the first time NFL Films featured a college program for an offseason Hard Knocks. However, with no NFL teams volunteering this year, the series now appears unlikely to happen at all.
Despite the setback, UNC officials are reportedly still interested in creating an all-access, behind-the-scenes show, though they acknowledge the lost opportunity for widespread exposure through NFL Films.
CLICK HERE to learn more.

In Wisconsin, the WIAA is reconsidering whether to permit high school athletes to sign endorsement deals. The upcoming vote in late April follows a failed proposal last year, but many officials now say that adopting some form of NIL policy is inevitable. Schools worry that if they do not act, legislators might impose requirements without their input.
Meanwhile, in Texas, two new House bills would legalize NIL for high school athletes under certain conditions, such as meeting academic requirements, avoiding promotions of prohibited products, and completing financial literacy coursework. One proposal restricts deals to those 18 and older, while the other would allow NIL from 9th grade on. Supporters believe Texas must keep up with the rest of the country, while critics are concerned about potential early burnout, blurred lines between amateurism and professionalism, and improper recruiting incentives.
Credit to KBTX for the photo found here - LINK

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