Written by Mark Payne, LINK nky politics and government reporter
Senate Bill 6 — the name, image, and likeness (NIL) bill — passed a special meeting of the Senate Education committee Feb. 9.
But it wasn’t without fanfare: University of Kentucky Basketball coach John Calipari and Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart testified to the committee.
Kentucky college athletes, like others around the country, can currently profit from their name, image, and likeness due to an executive order from Gov. Andy Beshear and a June NCAA change that suspended NIL rules for student athletes. Now, the order is one step closer to becoming law in the state of Kentucky.
“It is not paying student athletes to play their sport,” said bill co-sponsor Morgan McGarvey (D-Louisville), elaborating that the bill doesn’t allow athletic departments to pay their students.
It puts student-athletes on the same level as other students across the university who can take advantage of making money in their field, McGarvey said. He gave examples of freelance writing or a musician creating a YouTube channel or giving lessons.
“You can work on your craft and promote yourself,” McGarvey said. “Student-athletes haven’t had that opportunity.”
The bill puts forward a framework for student-athletes to work and profit off their brands, though Calipari and Barnhart noted that student-athletes wouldn’t make a ton of money off of it. But it allows them to manage their likeness with help from the university.
“The athletic department at the University of Kentucky prepares students for life after college in a variety of ways,” Barnhart said. “It’s a focus we have and something we talk about every day.”
For some, that might be a career as a pro athlete, but for the vast majority, it means preparing for other career paths where they might obtain jobs or create jobs in the commonwealth.
“Today, we are met with an opportunity to address this evolving issue, as the needs and demands of my players have changed,” Calipari said. “I’m confident with your interest, as well as mine, we will share in creating the best opportunities for players while at the same time allowing men’s basketball at UK to remain the gold standard.”
Locally, Northern Kentucky University basketball player and Highlands graduate Sam Vinson signed an NIL deal with Fort Thomas Matters before LINK Media acquired it. The deal was the first of its kind for NKU.
“The signing is part of the tidal wave of change in NCAA college athletics with name, image and likeness rules, wrote FTM Founder Mark Collier, now COO of LINK Media, on the signing. “We want Sam to focus on the court and classroom, while we help him build out his personal brand. “
With the bill moving out of committee, it will now head to the Senate chambers. There is sure to be more debate, but Kentucky’s bill could become a gold standard, as there is not expected to be a federal bill anytime soon.
“I think other states are going to look at this bill and say ‘wow,’” Calipari said. “I also think the federal government will look, as they start to deal with this, they’re going to look at this bill.”
Photo: John Calipari testifies to the Senate Education Committee on Senate Bill 6, the name, image and likeness bill that could potentially make this law. (via Legislative Research Commission)
