Connecticut has become the latest state to allow college athletes to make money from their names and likenesses.
Current NCAA rules don’t allow college athletes to sign endorsement deals, but this Connecticut measure would change that. Athletes could make money from commercials, promotional material or even video games.
They could also endorse products, including on social media. A 2020 study found women could especially benefit from the change because they tend to have bigger social media followings.
Eighteen states have passed similar bills, and more than a dozen are considering the issue. And both U.S. Senators from Connecticut — Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal — have backed bills to do the same on the federal level.