Partner Ron Gaither is quoted in a Sept. 19 ALM Daily Report article about college athlete name, image and likeness (NIL) deals and their legal implications. NIL deals have become more complicated since their early days, when individual college athletes worked directly with potential advertisers, Gaither says. Increasingly complex NIL deals mean that multiple practices need to be involved when advising clients on such deals.
For example, when school boosters pool donations to create for-profit entities that help athletes connect with potential advertisers, it raises tax issues, Gaither says. And as the National Labor Relations Board considers whether to designate student-athletes as employees of the schools they play for, labor and employment attorneys need to be involved and stay informed, he says.