Governor Wolf and Penn State Athletes Unite to Support Pennsylvania’s New NIL Laws

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Governor Tom Wolf visited Beaver Stadium on Monday morning to celebrate recently established law allowing student-athletes to benefit from the use of their names, pictures and similarities (NIL).

At the top of the stadium club, Wolf, some politicians and a dozen Nittany Lions athletes praised the new policies, which should provide entrepreneurial opportunities for student-athletes at Penn State and across the country.

“For too long, varsity athletes weren’t allowed to be paid for mentions, forced to allow other entities to profit from their successes in order to continue playing the sports they love,” said Wolf. “From now on, our athletes will no longer have to choose between receiving fair compensation and continuing to play. “

Student-athletes cannot literally are paid to play sports, but they can now work with advertisers and sponsors to capitalize on their fame, status and influence. Now for example you can buy Sean Clifford t-shirts or participate in sweepstakes to win the Roman Bravo-Young match shoes.

Wolf said that Pennsylvania’s recently passed legislation, in addition to NCAA policy change, should open the door for student-athletes to start professional activities off the field.

“[The NIL legislation] will also help ensure that colleges and universities in Pennsylvania remain competitive and attractive, ”said Wolf. “It will give high performance athletes a guarantee that they will be treated fairly here in Pennsylvania.”


Wolf chats with Penn State President Eric Barron (left).

Although he spent the day in Happy Valley, Wolf pointed out that the new policy is the product of the work of all of Pennsylvania. As such, other state politicians like Senator Jake Corman and Ed Gainey, the future mayor of Pittsburgh, have also touted the NIL legislation.

Gainey said NIL laws give student-athletes a much needed opportunity to gain work experience.

“When we talk about the development of our student-athletes, we should celebrate this as a success because we are teaching them not only entrepreneurial skills, but also how to take care of their careers here where they are supposed to take care of them. – at university, ”Gainey said.

Penn State women’s basketball forward Anna Camden is one of many athletes who have already signed a few deals, including a sponsorship with Cameo. On Monday, she said the opportunities offered by the NIL legislation would not be possible without the hard work of previous generations of college athletes.

“I want to thank the athletes who came before me and who fought for the right to use their name, image and likeness,” she said. “It is because of all of these people that we are so fortunate to be here today in a new era of college sports.”


Lady Lions star Anna Camden was one of twelve Nittany Lions athletes to take part in the event on Monday.

Camden, as well as football receiver Jahan Dotson, said she was excited to work with Penn State Athletics’ New STATEment Program, which aims to help student-athletes learn more about branding, social media accountability, financial literacy, media training, and more.

Intercollegiate Athletics Vice President Sandy Barbour said her department will work with student-athletes to develop their business acumen and navigate the NIL landscape properly.

“The word we use at Penn State… is ‘entrepreneurial.’ The opportunity to engage in entrepreneurial activities works exactly the same as any student on this campus – any student on this campus now has, ”said Barbour. “Student-athletes were not allowed before. That’s what’s right, and we’re excited to see what they’ll do with this opportunity.

To date, over 25 states have already legalized their own NIL policies, all backed by the NCAA global legislative change, too much.

Although the possibilities seem endless, there are limits to compensation NIL. Athletes cannot use their schools’ intellectual property (such as the Nittany Lion logo) for their own brands. In addition, they cannot enter into agreements with companies of tobacco, adult entertainment, gambling and other vices. Schools could also prevent NIL-related efforts if they “conflict with institutional values,” but they cannot prevent athletes from making money entirely.

Matt is a journalism graduate and editor of Onward State. He’s a huge Philadelphia sports fan, fantasy football enthusiast, and failed batsman from Collegeville, PA. The quickest path to her heart is Margherita pizza and the “Arrested Development” quotes. Follow him on Twitter @mattdisanto_ if you hate yourself or email Matt at [email protected] if you hate it.

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