UGA Fans to Georgia Legislature, WTH!
Why on earth did the Legislature think a NIL bill with a provision that allows the withholding of player earnings by his/her school without checking out the competitive environment (ya think Kirby might have screamed about that provision if asked) is hard to imagine? It is an unnecessary complication that UGA will have to contend with until repealed – early next year, hopefully.
The Senator sees it as a possible reason for Bear Alexander’s decommitment, and sure, it is possible that the young man decommitted because of the wording of Georgia’s (the state’s) NIL bill. The well-intentioned law allows schools to hold players’ earnings for later payment at the institution’s discretion.
While it may be a great idea to force student-athletes to save part of any NIL income, it does not take a marketing guru to see such a provision – even one that allows rather than requires university management of student funds – will be a negative recruiting bullet point for competing programs. As we move toward early signing day, there will be tight recruiting battles between UGA and League rivals. At the least, Kirby Smart will have to spend valuable face-to-face time covering the NIL law, and other programs will not fail to mention it – however, obliquely.
Georgia could have a relief on the horizon through Federal government action on a national NIL bill soon.
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