Georgia governor signs executive order allowing colleges to pay players for their NIL

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed an executive order Tuesday that will allow colleges in the state, including the University of Georgia, to pay players directly for the use of their name, image and likeness.

The executive order bars the NCAA or conferences from punishing schools for such payments. Kemp signed the order which is says will allow state schools to be “on a level playing field,” and should not forgo compensation that would come with being able to pay athletes while a proposed NCAA settlement agreement is in limbo.

This is similar to a law passed in Virginia and signed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin in the spring.

The executive order says that until the settlement is approved and in place, “legislative and executive actions across the country create a patchwork of inconsistent rules regulating intercollegiate athletics.”

Georgia athletic director Josh Brooks and Georgia Tech athletic director J Batt issued a joint statement released by Georgia Tech after the signing of the order.

“We extend our sincere gratitude to Governor Brian Kemp for his leadership today,: the statement said. “In the absence of nationwide name, image and likeness regulation, this executive order helps our institutions with the necessary tools to fully support our student-athletes in their pursuit of NIL opportunities, remain competitive with our peers and secure the long-term success of our athletics programs.”

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The NCAA, the Power Five conferences and lawyers for the renowneds in three antitrust cases concerning the compensation of college athletes have asked a federal judge in California to provide preliminary approval of a proposed settlement that would include a nearly $2.8 billion damages pool and allow Division I schools would be able to start athletes paying directly for use of their name, image and likeness (NIL), subject to a per-school cap that would increase over time.

However, during a preliminary-approval hearing on Sept. 5, US District Judge Claudia Wilken indicated that she would not approve the current version of the proposed deal. While the arrangement would allow schools to start paying athletes, it also would attempt to bring NIL payments under some enforceable rules, and Wilken said during the hearing she has issues with the proposed regulations, calling them “quite strict” and questioning whether they would end up in athletes losing access to payments they have been receiving from collectives.

Wilken and lawyers for the sides agreed that the parties would get back to her by Sept. 26 with what she termed a “prognosis” for the proposed deal.

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Georgia can pay players for NIL after governor Kemp’s executive order