Congressmen Brett Guthrie and Gus Bilirakis have announced a legislative hearing to discuss the SCORE Act, aimed at standardizing Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) policies for student-athletes. The hearing, titled “Winning Off the Field: Legislative Proposal to Stabilize NIL and College Athletics,” will take place on June 12, 2025, at the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, D.C.
Guthrie and Bilirakis emphasized the importance of a national framework for college athletics. They said that “stability, clarity, and transparency will be central to creating clear guardrails that support student-athletes and preserve the core educational mission of these schools.”
Sherika A. Montgomery, Commissioner of the Big South Conference and former student-athlete, testified before the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade. Her testimony highlighted challenges within current NIL policies due to conflicting state laws across 32 states. She argued that this patchwork creates an uneven playing field for student-athletes.
Montgomery called for federal legislation to establish a uniform national NIL standard. She also urged for protection against litigation for NCAA and conferences complying with federal rules. Additionally, she emphasized that classifying athletes as employees could harm smaller athletic programs.
Montgomery praised the SCORE Act’s efforts but stressed the need for inclusive policies protecting smaller conferences. She concluded by advocating for bipartisan legislation to maintain college sports’ integrity and ensure fairness.
The hearing is open to the public and will be live-streamed online.
Information from this article can be found here.
