Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed a bill Thursday that will allow universities in the state to pay athletes directly for NIL endorsements.
Before putting his signature on the bill, Youngkin said HB 1505, which won't take effect until July 1, helps Virginia schools be competitive in athletics and provides a level of added oversight:
ESPN's Dan Murphy noted it's the first piece of legislation by a state that would nullify the NCAA's rules regarding how athletes are compensated for NIL deals.
Rather than schools paying student-athletes NIL money directly, they've often leaned on independent collectives in which major boosters and fans pool their resources to attract talent.