NFLPA Unites With College Group to Explore Student Athletes' Marketing Rights

Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

The National Football League Players Association has partnered with the National College Players Association to explore how student athletes can be paid for the use of their name, image and likeness.

The NFLPA and NCPA released a statement on Monday announcing their new alliance.

"Under this new partnership, the NFLPA and the NCPA will explore opportunities for merchandise, gaming and other officially licensed products," the statement said. "We will also review how recent developments impact television broadcast revenues in pursuit of fairness."

The partners plan to ensure "group licensing representation" is available to every student athlete whose state passes a law allowing them to make money. REP Worldwide, a licensing subsidiary of the NFLPA, "will look to advance and market the group licensing rights of college athletes of all sports."

California signed the Fair Pay to Play Act into law in September to become the first state to allow athletes to receive compensation for their name, image and likeness. It does not force schools to pay athletes, but it allows athletes to hire agents who can procure business and sponsorship deals. The act will go into effect in 2023. A similar bill has been filed in Florida, and several other states are exploring introducing their own legislation.

The NCAA currently does not allow athletes to be paid for the use of their name, image and likeness. A working group is expected to present a "set of principles" on those rights to the NCAA's board of governors on Tuesday.