Name, Image, Likeness and the NCAA/Club Soccer

[timbuck]

Now that college athletes are allowed to make money from their Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) how will this impact how soccer clubs tout their college players?

Will SlamBluesSurf FC be able to highlight a player who scored a goal for UCLA on their instagram page for free? Or will the club now have to pay the player to use their NIL?

 

[espola]

Now that college athletes are allowed to make money from their Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) how will this impact how soccer clubs tout their college players?

Will SlamBluesSurf FC be able to highlight a player who scored a goal for UCLA on their instagram page for free? Or will the club now have to pay the player to use their NIL?

I can see another paragraph added to club player contracts.

 

[Dubs]

Typically when you pay for your club registration, that is pricesley one of the waivers you sign... at least at my DDs club. The ability to take and use images of them. There may be a strong push for some kids to opt out of that waiver.

 

[timbuck]

Typically when you pay for your club registration, that is pricesley one of the waivers you sign... at least at my DDs club. The ability to take and use images of them. There may be a strong push for some kids to opt out of that waiver.

Does that only apply while you play for the club? If you move to a new club or age out- does the club retain rights to your image forever?

What if that image is of you playing in your college uniform? Surely the youth club can't claim use of image then- can they?
(Reading my one-sided agreement now)

 

[Dubs]

Does that only apply while you play for the club? If you move to a new club or age out- does the club retain rights to your image forever?

What if that image is of you playing in your college uniform? Surely the youth club can't claim use of image then- can they?
(Reading my one-sided agreement now)

Good questions.. none of which I have answers to. I can tell you that there are national team players that have come from our club and they still use their images. Not sure if they've asked permission or not. My guess is they have.

 

[timbuck]

Good questions.. none of which I have answers to. I can tell you that there are national team players that have come from our club and they still use their images. Not sure if they've asked permission or not. My guess is they have.

I'm sure permission was granted in the past. But now that college athletes have the ability to get paid for this - Will they still be willing to give this permission (for free)?
"Ask not what your old club soccer team can do for you. Ask what you can do for your old club soccer team...."

 

[Dubs]

I'm sure permission was granted in the past. But now that college athletes have the ability to get paid for this - Will they still be willing to give this permission (for free)?
"Ask not what your old club soccer team can do for you. Ask what you can do for your old club soccer team...."

It's a good question. And if they do want money for it, how do you come up with that figure?

 

[timbuck]

It's a good question. And if they do want money for it, how do you come up with that figure?

This will be very interesting.
And a bit of a broader question- Can the university and/or NCAA dictate what kind of companies a player can lend their likeness too? (Could get very slippery with some companies that are geared more towards "adult" activities).

 

[Dubs]

This will be very interesting.
And a bit of a broader question- Can the university and/or NCAA dictate what kind of companies a player can lend their likeness too? (Could get very slippery with some companies that are geared more towards "adult" activities).

Agree it will be really interesting to see how everything unfolds.

 

[timbuck]

Agree it will be really interesting to see how everything unfolds.

A few scenarios keep running through my head (not necessarily soccer related):

• Athlete signs some deal. Athlete gets kicked off of the team/kicked out of school. What happens to the deal?
• Athlete signs some deal. Athlete gets in some sort of trouble but isn't arrested. Sponsoring company pulls the deal.
• Athlete signs some deal. Athlete does something really bad while doing something sponsor related (sexual assault, murder, drunk driving accident, etc). Is the sponsor liable?
• Athlete signs a deal. All is good. Has a great season. Stays out of trouble. Makes a ton of money from his/her NIL. But doesn't pay taxes.
• Is a scholarship now something that an athlete can be taxed on?
• Athlete signs a deal for multiple years. They go pro before the deal expires. What happens? What if they sign a deal with a local car dealership but then transfer (either to a rival school or somewhere far away)
• Can an athlete hire an agent to help with these deals? Would a tax and/or financial planner be considered an agent?

I'm sure that the smart people that brought this all to the forefront have already thought about these (and many more scenarios). I wonder who is helping college athletes with their decision making.