AROUND NIL THIS WEEK | MAY 19, 2025
- Golf NIL
- May 19
- 2 min read
Updated: 2 hours ago
May 19, 2025—Tennessee’s new law, effective May 1, breaks new ground by shielding universities like Vanderbilt and their athletes from NCAA penalties if they sidestep the proposed House settlement’s NIL restrictions. The law stops the NCAA from enforcing rules that clash with state law, letting schools pay athletes directly for their name, image, and likeness. It also requires the NCAA to cover Tennessee institutions against any related claims. Only federal law or a valid court order can override these protections. Plus, the law blocks athletic associations from threatening conference membership or revenue over compliance issues. This bold move lets Tennessee athletes and schools fully tap into NIL opportunities, no matter what future NCAA or conference limits might say—unless federal action steps in.
Jackson Van Paris, a senior at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, at the 2024 U.S. Amateur | Mike Erhmann/USGA
May 21, 2025—If the House settlement moves forward, oversight of NIL and athlete compensation would leave NCAA hands and land with the power conferences—a major shift for college sports. Enforcement would shift to a new College Sports Commission (sometimes called the Settlement Enforcement Committee), which will handle salary caps, NIL group activities, and compliance checks. Schools may have to sign away their right to challenge enforcement decisions in court, with the risk of being ousted from their conference if they refuse. Legal analysts point out that this developing system could trigger more legal battles, especially in states with laws that strongly support athlete compensation, as conferences take on a more prominent role in shaping the landscape of college athletics.
NCAA President Charlie Baker confirmed this new direction at a Knight Commission event, announcing the NCAA will step back and let the power conferences handle enforcement through the College Sports Commission, led by a CEO tasked with penalties and compliance under the settlement’s rules.
May 22, 2025—President Trump’s push for a national NIL commission was shelved on May 22, 2025, after Senators Ted Cruz and Cory Booker urged the White House to let Congress take the lead. Lawmakers argued that a federal law would bring more staying power than a commission, especially with Nick Saban and major conferences like the Big Ten and SEC questioning the plan’s direction. With the commission now on hold, all eyes are on Capitol Hill, where Congress is weighing proposals to set a single national NIL standard, override state laws, and possibly launch a new federal agency to oversee college sports. The details are still being debated, but the goal is clear: bring some order to the NIL landscape and give schools, athletes, and fans a rulebook everyone can actually follow.
