Donna Lopiano, former University of Texas AD and a leader for women’s rights in collegiate athletics, recently sent out the following missive in her role as President of the Drake Group. ““Newly enacted laws give college athletes the opportunity to earn substantial incomes by monetizing their names, images and likenesses (NILs) through product endorsements, appearances for local businesses, lessons, or clinics for developing athletes, and more. But the realities of past and continuing less favorable treatment of female athletes in areas that significantly affect individual brand building – promotion and publicity (especially television and other media platforms) and recruiting – will have a profound impact on NIL opportunities for female athletes if they remain unaddressed. As institutions begin developing NILs as the newest “coin” in the recruiting arms race, namely, directly or indirectly, assisting in creation of the most lucrative NIL opportunities for its prospective and current college athletes, it is likely that female athletes will continue to take a backseat to men’s football and men’s basketball unless athletic departments change their ways.” The full letter can be viewed here.
Former AD: College Athletic Programs Must Not Evade Title IX Obligations Critical to Female Athletes’ Success in Monetizing New NIL Rights
