FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, March 14, 2025
Bipartisan Legislation Establishing Protections for College Athletes
with Name, Image, Likeness Deals Passes Senate
PHOENIX, ARIZONA— Bipartisan legislation establishing protections for college athletes with name, image, likeness deals is being considered by the House after receiving near unanimous support in the Senate Thursday.
Sponsored by President Pro Tempore T.J. Shope, SB 1615 outlines prohibitions and requirements on regulators, student athletes, and postsecondary education institutions relating to the use of a student athlete's own name, image, and likeness (NIL). These arrangements, made with individual college athletes across the various NCAA sports, allow them to profit from their name, image, and likeness through business deals with interested sponsors. However, the system remains largely undefined by federal and state laws, creating uncertainty and confusion amongst universities, athletes, and potential sponsors alike. Senator Shope is working with representatives from Arizona State University, University of Arizona, Northern Arizona University, and Grand Canyon University, among other interested stakeholders, to create a more-complete governance to this emerging issue facing college athletics.
"Just like our universities, the State of Arizona is committed to finding innovative ways to address the complex cloud of questions surrounding the newly created NIL system in college athletics," said Senator Shope. "As other states begin to update their NIL laws, it's time for Arizona to help pave the way for this emerging landscape and give certainty to our universities attempting to gain an advantage over other institutions and conferences across the country. I am proud of our continued work to make Arizona's universities the very best in the nation, and I am hopeful that this bill will give these schools the tools they require to win many championships for our beloved state."
During testimony in the Senate Education Committee last month, Grand Canyon University Vice President for Athletics, Jamie Boggs, said, "We are currently in a very uncertain state in college athletics. There are currently states like Virginia, Utah, and Georgia, who have already enacted, or are in the process of enacting, NIL laws that permit direct NIL to student athletes and also revenue share to student athletes – and they're able to go ahead and operate. This bill allows the universities in the state of Arizona to also be very proactive to continue to operate at the highest level and compete, so that we're not falling behind and we're on a level playing field with post-secondary institutions in these kinds of states."
SB 1615 builds upon SB 1296, which was sponsored by Senator Shope in 2021 and signed into law by then-Governor Doug Ducey. SB 1296 permits a student athlete who participates in intercollegiate sports to earn compensation from the use of their own name, image, or likeness. NIL deals in college athletics commenced around the nation in summer 2021.
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For more information, contact:
Kim Quintero
Director of Communications | Arizona State Senate Republican Caucus
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