Days after a multi -million dollar legal agreement changed university athletics by allowing schools to pay directly to their athletes, the most powerful conference commissioners are optimistic about their ability to enforce the NIL rules in a new system, despite the fact that specific punishments still are still clear.
Hours after the camera settlement v. NCAA was approved on Friday, former MLB executive Bryan Seleyy was appointed CEO of a new execution organization called College Sports Commission. His work will be to lead the team responsible for the application of the new rules on the distribution of income, the payments of third parties to the players for null agreements and the limits of the list.
However, one of the most important questions is what happens when those rules are broken?
The Commissioner of ACC, Jim Phillips, who spoke on Monday at a zoom press conference with the companions Greg Sankey (SEC), Tony Petitti (Big Ten), Brett Yormark (Big 12) and Teresa Gould (PAC-12), said they have all had ideas, but nothing are “ready to present.” Ultimately, said Phillips, the rules and limits will be under the reach of Seeley.
“We are in the process of developing some of those rules and structures and general implementation of that,” said Phillips. “Now that we have Bryan on board, I think we can move a little faster. But we want to do well. It is one of those areas that until it has someone who leads the College Sports Commission, it is difficult to meet with that individual and start some of that frame that will be in force.”
Yormark described him as “progress on perfection”, and said that while there will be challenges, they will face them over time.
“Our schools want rules, and we are providing rules, and we will be governed by those rules. And if you break those rules, the ramifications will be punitive,” said Yormark.
The annual limit is expected to begin at $ 20.5 million per school in 2025-26 and increase every year during the agreement of a decade. These payments will be additional to scholarships and other benefits that athletes already receive. As of June 7, players have to inform null agreements of $ 600 or more to the University Sports Commission.
The LBI software and accounting firm Deloitte will monitor the management of the salary stop and NIL Clearinghouse, an online platform called Nil Go. These null agreements will be out of income directly shared by schools and will be examined to determine if they are for a valid commercial purpose, not recruiting.
Sankey met with his chief coaches in football and male and female basketball last February, and said he has asked the same question at all levels, including university presidents.
“If you want an open and not regulated system, just raise your hand and let me know,” said Sankey. “And universally, the answer is: 'No, we want supervision. We want railings. We want structure.' Those people do not have the luxury of saying that in meetings rooms, they do not have the luxury of being anonymous sources.
However, the commissioners agreed that to “make it work”, they need help from Congress. Sankey, who said he recently played with President Donald Trump and Atlético de Notre Dame director Pete Bevacqua, continued to emphasize the need for an “effort to avoid state laws.”
“Congress exists to establish national standards, and we are not going to have Fours Fours and Playoffs of College Football and World University Series with 50 different standards,” said Sankey. “The coding of at least liquidation terms or around the liquidation terms would be enormously healthy.”
Sankey said he has always “appreciated [Trump’s] Interest in university sports, “and although it was” useful for me and Pete also listening to their thoughts and perspectives, and sharing some of ours, “said those are” better left at the time in the golf course. “
Even with a multitude of still advanced questions, Phillips said that university athletics is in a “much better place” than 48 hours ago, before the agreement was approved.
“What is not debatable is that this new model provides stability and justice to athletes in university sports,” said Phillips, “and we have been in an unregulated environment without rules and without compliance. It has paralyzed the NCAA in Indianapolis, and we are responsible for that.
