Ohio College Athletes to Have Control Over Endorsements

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed an executive order on Monday that will allow Ohio athletes to profit from endorsements over their names, images, and likeness, according to a report from Spectrum News 1.

The executive order focuses solely on college athletes profiting from their fame. When it goes into effect, collegiate student-athletes in Ohio can sign endorsement deals with brands, as long as the deals don’t affect the endorsements in place at their colleges, according to Spectrum News 1.

DeWine’s decision comes after state lawmakers added language to Senate Bill 187 that caused disagreements among the group. According to Spectrum News 1, the original language of the bill focused on NIL nuances for college student-athletes and received bipartisan support. Other stipulations were added last week by Rep. Jena Powell that banned transgender girls from participating in women’s sports.

“This legislation is crucial to preserving women’s rights, and the integrity of women’s and girls’ sports,” Powell wrote in a statement.

“These are children we’re talking about,” House Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes wrote in a statement. “Children deserve compassion and care from adults. The adults in this room must provide that as leaders. This body has failed our kids today.”

Spectrum News 1 reported the decision on the bill is now in the hands of DeWine, who criticized the updated language, for passage.

“This issue is best addressed outside of government, through individual sports leagues and athletic associations, including the Ohio High School Athletic Association, who can tailor policies to meet the needs of their member athletes and member institutions,” the governor said in a statement.

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In terms of NIL, Ohio will join Kentucky, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida as states to have similar laws for collegiate student-athletes profiting from endorsement deals.