David J. Phillip/Associated Press
The N.C.A.A. Board of Governors voted to support rule changes that would allow athletes to cash in on the use of their fame, as long as schools were not paying athletes for any of these money-generating opportunities, the N.C.A.A. announced Wednesday.
The board’s recommendations will be forwarded to the N.C.A.A.’s three divisions, which are expected by next January to adopt name, imagine and likeness rules that would go into place at the start of the 2021-22 academic year.
The N.C.A.A. had been under increasing pressure in recent years to allow athletes to capitalize on the use of their unique abilities, just like other students can if they have exceptional talents but do not compete in sports.