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Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville called the current patchwork of state laws governing collegiate name, image and likeness (NIL) compensation for college athletes a “disaster” in a video released to USA Today. Tuberville, a former college football coach with stints at Ole Miss, Auburn, Texas Tech and Cincinnati, said he planned to meet with constituents from across college sports Wednesday in Washington, D.C., to address the situation.
“Today we are meeting with coaches, athletic directors and administrators from several different conferences here in Washington, D.C., talking about the disastrous new NIL rules. And they are a disaster,” Tuberville said in the video.
Tuberville wants athletes to have the opportunity to earn NIL compensation but believes the current system is rife with abuse. He is working alongside West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin to draft a bill addressing NIL regulation.
“I’m for players being able to be compensated for their hard work in athletics as well as academics,” Tuberville added. “We have to come to some kind of agreement where we can help the NCAA make improvements to this runaway NIL situation that we’re in as we speak. Players transferring at any time? Players making deals with the help of agents with schools and then not being compensated after making these deals? We’re looking out for the player as much as for the university. But we’re looking out for education and we’re looking out for the sanctity of college sports.”
Tuberville compiled a 159-99 overall record as a college coach, including an 85-40 mark while guiding Auburn from 1999-2008. He was elected senator in Alabama in November 2020, and assumed office in January 2021.
His comments come a day before a convoy of college coaches and administrators are expected to lobby a similar stance on NIL in front of lawmakers in the nation’s capital. Alabama football coach Nick Saban and SEC commissioner Greg Sankey are expected to attend the event.