Gov. Noem and Colleagues Urge NCAA to Fix NIL Settlement

PIERRE, S.D. – On Sep 17th, Governor Kristi Noem and four of her fellow governors urged NCAA President Charlie Baker to restructure its settlement with student athletes on Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) sponsorships to fix the undue burden on smaller athletic programs in more rural states.

“Unfortunately, the proposed settlement is unfair for the colleges and universities in our states,” wrote Governor Noem and her colleagues. “In trying to rectify the issue of NIL payments, the NCAA must keep all student athletes across the country top of mind, not just those at athletic programs with the deepest pockets and greatest influence. We urge the NCAA to restructure the settlement to take the concerns of our colleges and universities, who make up a majority of your member conferences.”

You can find the full letter here.

Earlier this month, a federal judge placed the settlement on hold and urged revisions. Last Tuesday, South Dakota filed a lawsuit against the NCAA seeking an injunction of this settlement so that the interests of smaller conferences are duly considered when restructuring another proposed settlement.

The letter points out that NIL sponsorships are more popular among Power Five athletic conferences, but the proposed settlement will hit colleges and universities outside of the Power Five with nearly $1 billion in financial obligation.

“The settlement means our programs stand to lose hundreds of thousands of dollars per year. This may not seem like much to larger athletic programs, but to the student-athletes in our states, it is a significant hit to their programs,” continued Governor Noem and her colleagues.

Governor Noem was joined in signing the letter by Montana Governor Greg Gianforte, Idaho Governor Brad Little, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, and Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon.