NAME, IMAGE, AND LEVERAGE: CONDITIONING FEDERAL GRANTS TO RESOLVE CRISIS IN COLLEGE ATHLETICS.

Formed in 1910, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) maintained amateurism as the essence of college athletics for over a century. However, in 2021, the foundation of amateurism quickly crumbled as college athletes gained the ability to enter name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals. As a result, many college athletes now earn compensation through means such as marketing contracts, social media presence, and personal business ventures. Although the decline of amateurism has benefited many student-athletes, lack of cohesive regulation in the NIL marketplace has sent college athletics into a state of disarray. Simultaneously, colleges and universities across the United States continue to rely heavily on federal grants. The federal government can leverage these grants to establish cohesion in NIL regulation, promote transparency in the NIL marketplace, and stabilize college athletics for years to come. This Note proposes a statute requiring colleges and universities to publicly disclose individual NIL deals as a condition to receiving federal grants. In turn, this Note argues that the proposed requirement would provide student-athletes with a basis for making informed decisions about where to attend college, thereby improving the college athletics experience for both athletes and fans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]