Razorbacks' Nick Smith against UConn in Sweet 16 on Thursday night. — (Joe Camporeale / USA TODAY Sports)

Now State of Arkansas Filing Bills Right and Left Regarding NIL

What's going to ultimately happen still too unpredictable for any conclusions

Author:
Andy Hodges
Updated:
Mar 26, 2023 8:34 AM EDT
Original:
Mar 25, 2023

In this story:

Arkansas Razorbacks

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — State legislators are sticking their noses into the whole name, image, likeness mess.

Yeah, we kinda saw this coming and it's probably going to happen in other states.

State Sen. Ricky Hill, R-Cabot, filed a bill this week to stop the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences from doing paid sponsorship deals with college athletes. In other words, it's aimed at primarily the Razorbacks.

If passed, student-athletes would still be able to sign paid NIL sponsorship deals, just not with UAMS.

On the surface, at least, appearances make it look like the university is paying players. The majority of folks aren't going to go into the particulars of how UAMS functions or anything else.

UAMS, which is a health care division of the whole deal, has run commercials with current basketball player Nick Smith Jr. and former football player Jalen Catalon (who transferred to Texas, of all places).

Both had touted UAMS's help in them recovering from injuries.

According to a statement from UAMS, they have spent $31,759 on 12 athletes and it's not being done with any taxpayer dollars.

Last week State House Speaker Matthew Shepherd, R-El Dorado, filed a bill to expand the state’s name, image and likeness law for players.

It would allow high school athletes who have been accepted to a college or have signed a written agreement to attend one, be eligible to profit off their name, image and likeness.

Oh, and now State Rep R.J. Hawk, R-Bryant, is asking for a state-sponsored study on changing the rules for high school athletes to cut NIL deals.

As expected, this whole thing is becoming a complete mess now that politicians have gotten into the middle of everything.

Of course, nobody has answered the question of why it's only a concern with athletes and not brilliant students in other areas of study (science, technology or even business) if some company wants to pay them for something they've figured out.

Yeah, everything is out of whack.