Name, image and likeness has created a free-for-all for rule-breakers in collegiate athletics — for now, at least. High-profile pay-for-play deals are being signed and ultimatums are being handed out regarding cash demands. Many schools have embraced it, throwing around substantial sums of money to land premier recruits and transfer portal targets.
The issue — and it’s a fairly significant one — with these deals? They remain illegal under NCAA guidelines and most state laws. It’s why NIL guidelines are being updated and a task force is being created in an effort to crack down on pay-for-play, with NCAA sanctions on the table for schools failing to follow the rules.