TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Kate Prince on Jan 21, 2020

Sen. Brian Kelsey, R-Germantown, and Rep. Antonio Parkinson, D-Memphis, have introduced legislation that would allow Tennessee college athletes to financially benefit from the use of their names, images and likenesses, the Commercial Appeal reports. If the bill passes, athletes would be able to sign contracts to advertise for local businesses or other companies. It would also prohibit schools from “discriminating against players based on donations by coaches to universities." Kelsey sponsored a resolution in May calling on public universities to oppose the NCAA prohibition on compensation for college athletes and added the provision about donations by coaches after the NCAA suspended University of Memphis basketball player James Wiseman over questions about his eligibility.