AROUND NIL | HUSTLE Act aims to turn NIL money into long-term wins
- Golf NIL
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
Dec. 5, 2025—The SCORE Act was supposed to be Congress’ first major federal move on NIL. Instead, it was pulled from a scheduled House vote when it became clear Republicans lacked the support to pass it.
A one-vote procedural win the day before, with three Freedom Caucus members opposing, signaled trouble. Even backing from President Donald Trump could not overcome conservative concerns and near-unanimous Democratic opposition, much of it driven by fears the bill would hand too much power to the NCAA at athletes’ expense.
The proposal would have given the NCAA a narrow antitrust exemption, barred athletes from being treated as employees, and prohibited schools from using student fees to fund NIL deals. With the vote now indefinitely delayed, there is still no federal NIL framework, leaving the current patchwork of state laws in place.
Dec. 9, 2025—The HUSTLE Act (Helping Undergraduate Students Thrive with Long-Term Earnings) is a bipartisan push from Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) to turn short NIL earning windows into long-term money. The bill targets a marketplace that cleared $1.2 billion in 2023-24, with some college athletes earning $2 million or more.
HUSTLE would create tax-advantaged NIL investment accounts where earnings grow tax-free, with withdrawals taxed as ordinary income before graduation and at long-term capital gains rates after. Up to $35,000 in unused funds could be rolled into an IRA once an athlete’s college career ends.
The bill also tightens the rules around representation, forcing agents to register with a state, capping fees at 5%, building an NCAA database of certified agents, and banning deceptive NIL sales pitches—while requiring trustees to deliver real financial education on taxes and money management.
Oklahoma State junior and Golf NIL College Men’s No. 8 Preston Stout represents the kind of college athlete the HUSTLE Act targets with tax-advantaged NIL savings, while its 5% agent fee cap and financial education would still reach athletes at every NIL level | Steven Garcia-CSM/Alamy
Dec. 9, 2025— Louisiana is finally moving on high school NIL. A state task force on Monday laid out a roadmap for bringing prep athletes into the NIL era, as reported by Louisiana Illuminator. The recommendations start with guardrails: parental consent for any minor signing a deal, bans on sponsorships from industries like adult entertainment and alcohol, and limits on NIL work during school hours or school events.
A key financial piece echoes child-actor protections. 15% of a high school athlete’s NIL earnings would go into a trust account, with access once they enroll in college or turn 18. On the representation side, the state would broaden who counts as an “agent,” require background checks, and mandate NIL-specific training through the attorney general’s office.
Schools are being pushed to update NIL policies by August 2026, with legislation expected in the March–June session and implementation as early as next August or January.
