WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH), Subcommittee on the Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust Chairman Scott Fitzgerald (R-WI), Congressman Russell Fry (R-SC), Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Brett Guthrie (R-KY), Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg (R-MI), and a bipartisan coalition of members led by Congressman Shomari C. Figures (D-AL) introduced the SCORE Act — legislation to establish a national framework for Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) in college athletics.
“Student athletes are the embodiment of the American Dream. But that dream is at a crossroads due to the uncertainty facing college athletics,” said Subcommittee Chairman Fitzgerald. ”The SCORE Act provides the necessary framework to recapture the principles and spirit of collegiate sport, while ensuring our student athletes can be fairly compensated and adequately protected for years to come. I’m grateful to the University of Wisconsin and all who participated in our Judiciary Committee roundtable, which helped expand our understanding of the current landscape around antitrust liability for the NCAA and informed the development of this legislation.”
“The current college sports environment has drastically changed in the NIL era and this bill provides a framework to where students can not only be compensated but also have access to resources like health care and financial literacy courses, to ensure they have a solid foundation for their lives after college and we can get back to just playing ball,” said Congressman Figures. ”I look forward to continuing the bipartisan work to make this the strongest bill possible and protect student athletes, schools, and our athletic conferences.”
“The SCORE Act is a significant step forward for name, image, and likeness (NIL) in college sports. A lack of clear rules and the inability to enforce them have turned the NIL landscape into the Wild West,” said Congressman Fry.”This bill will finally bring order to the chaos—protecting universities and conferences from a flood of litigation, safeguarding Olympic and women’s sports teams, and creating a fair, national framework that allows student-athletes to profit from their name, image, and likeness. It strikes the right balance between supporting student-athletes and preserving the integrity of college sports.”
“NIL offers an endless array of opportunities for student-athletes to make the most of their college experience, but the lack of clear guardrails has left athletes and universities on unstable ground. The SCORE Act creates a national framework that supports student-athletes and recenters the educational mission of college athletics,” said Chairmen Jordan, Guthrie, and Walberg. “We are proud of this landmark legislation, and we look forward to working with our colleagues to strengthen this American institution.”
Background:
Without clear federal standards, college athletic programs and athletes face a chaotic patchwork of state laws, legal uncertainty, and growing threats to traditional sports programs. The SCORE Act restores order by:
- Reaffirming the student-first model;
- Defending Olympic sports;
- Shielding athletes from being exploited by bad actors;
- Establishing clear regulatory authority and enforcement mechanisms; and
- Improving transparency and accountability to better protect athletes and universities.
The SCORE Act’s original co-sponsors:
- Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH)
- Rep. Shomari Figures (D-AL)
- Rep. Scott Fitzgerald (R-WI)
- Rep. Russell Fry (R-SC)
- Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-KY)
- Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) — Sponsor
- Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI)
- Rep. Lisa McClain (R-MI)
- Rep. Janelle Bynum (D-OR)
Click HERE to read the bill text.
Click HERE to view the SCORE Act fact sheet.
