College Football HQ

Florida Makes Change to NIL Law: What you need to know

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill making a big change to how NIL is done in the state
James Parks|
Florida Makes Change to NIL Law: What you need to know
Florida Makes Change to NIL Law: What you need to know

Universities in the state of Florida can now directly take part in name, image, and likeness (NIL) opportunities for student athletes.

That's after Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill amending the state's previous practice, a week after the Florida Senate voted unanimously in favor of new NIL language that allows schools to assist in NIL discussions.

What changed? Prior to this bill being signed, schools or coaches in Florida were not allowed to be directly involved with NIL deals for athletes, rules that were seen as more strict than in other states.

What it means: The law strikes down the restrictions on schools or coaches in facilitating NIL deals, allowing programs in Florida to work under rules comparable to states with less restrictive NIL measures in place.

Coaches protected: The new measure also implements liability protection for coaches in case they have to bench or suspend players so to not open them to lawsuits if their decisions are seen to effect the player's NIL deals.

Still no pay for play: College athletes are still very much amateurs as schools are still prohibited from paying players directly, but the change allows for coaches to be more involved in obtaining NIL deals for players.

What they're saying: Sports lawyer and university professor Darren Heitner said the move means "no more prohibition on schools 'causing compensation' and a major emphasis on educating athletes to set them up for success."

Dignitaries in attendance: Present to watch Gov. DeSantis sign the bill in person were several names well known to football fans in the state including Florida head coach Billy Napier, Florida State coach Mike Norvell, and Seminoles quarterback Jordan Travis.

More: NIL in college football: What you need to know

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James Parks
JAMES PARKS

James Parks is the founder and publisher of College Football HQ. He has covered football for a decade, previously managing several team sites and publishing national content for 247Sports.com for five years. His work has also been published on CBSSports.com. He founded College Football HQ in 2020, and the site joined the Sports Illustrated Fannation Network in 2022 and the On SI network in 2024.

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