The National College Players Association (NCPA) has joined forces with two state representatives — a Democrat and a Republican — to push for the ability for college athletes to receive compensation.
The NCPA is working with Democratic state Rep. Wes Rogers and GOP state Rep. Nick Schroer on bills pertaining to NIL rights for college athletes, meaning legislation that would allow them to profit off their names, images, and likeness.
“Missouri college athletes are fortunate to have Representatives Schroer and Rogers fighting for their economic freedom and right to proper representation,” NCPA Executive Director Ramogi Huma said in a statement. “We are hopeful that this bill will finally end NCAA rules that impose second class citizenship on Missouri’s colleges.”
Schroer’s HB 1564 would mandate public and private colleges, as well as the NCAA, could not prohibit students from earning compensation based on his or her name, image, or likeness. Additionally, the bill lays out guidelines for a student to be able to hire representation.
Roger’s HB 1792 was not yet publicly available online as of Monday morning.
“Allowing college athletes to be paid for their image and likeness is long overdue. It has worked well as the Olympic model for many years and allows college athletes to be treated the same as every other student on campus,” Rogers said.
Both representatives and the NCPA blasted the NCAA over the issue. Rogers, in particular, pointed to the recent sanctions levied on the University of Missouri, saying, “It is abundantly clear the NCAA will not act in the best interest of student athletes until state governments force their hand.”
“While student athletes are barred from making money off of their image and likeness, the NCAA continues to cash in as they siphon money away from the very student athletes the organization should be protecting,” Schroer said.
The NCAA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
California Gov. Gavin Newsome signed into law earlier this year the Fair Pay to Play Act, which prevents schools from punishing athletes who sell the rights to his or her name, image, or likeness. It is set to go into effect in 2023.
Similar efforts are underway in other states across the U.S. with the help of the NCPA, including in Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and Nebraska.
The NCPA has retained Catalyst as it works in Missouri.
Kaitlyn Schallhorn was the editor in chief of The Missouri Times from 2020-2022. She joined the newspaper in early 2019 after working as a reporter for Fox News in New York City.
Throughout her career, Kaitlyn has covered political campaigns across the U.S., including the 2016 presidential election, and humanitarian aid efforts in Africa and the Middle East.
She is a native of Missouri who studied journalism at Winthrop University in South Carolina. She is also an alumna of the National Journalism Center in Washington, D.C.
Contact Kaitlyn at kaitlyn@themissouritimes.com.
