College athletes will be able to get paid for their athletic careers

Ohio- A new bill in Ohio has been passed in favor of college athletes getting paid for their athletic career. The athletes will receive money through endorsements and sponsorship deals based on their likeness, names, and images without being punished. The bill was fast-tracked through the Senate last week and is headed to the House for final vote this week.

Compensation can include anything from a cereal, commercials, or shoe deals. Before this bill it was illegal for student athletes to take gifts from schools before they sign a contact. It is also illegal to take endorsements or get sponsorships, so most athletes live with the struggle of survival with paying for school, while pursing their athletic career.

Athletes would have to notify their universities 15 days ahead of signing endorsement deals. This bill comes on the brink of other states like Georgia and California trying to pass deals for their athletes. Since 2019, 16 states have passed a similar bill allowing students to make money through promotions.

The bill is sponsored by state Senator Niraj Antani and has support from the Ohio State Football team, Ryan Day. He has testified before both the House and Senate committees in favor of the bill being passed. He believes the bill needs to be passed quickly so Ohio schools can compete with other schools.