HBCUs Remain Disadvantaged As Unregulated NIL Rules Divides College Athletics

NIL remains an ongoing concern for HBCU players and athletic programs, especially as they try to strengthen their teams.

HBCU sports enthusiasts are concerned about how unregulated NIL rules could impact players.

With collegiate athletes now able to make money off their name, image, and likeness (NIL), many are more aware of the potential, if not current, exploitation of players. Now, players may feel obligated to throw away games or join certain schools to receive a sizable paycheck.

One HBCU athletic chair, Trayvean Scott, has already warned of the negative impact of NIL, which could jeopardize the future of college athletics. A previous college athlete and NBA player, Scott is well aware of the pressure surrounding players at all levels.

In his latest position as the vice president for intercollegiate athletics at Grambling State University, Scott wants to protect athletes from exploitation. However, he believes that federal regulation remains needed for NIL rules.

Although not official yet, Congress is working on a nationwide standard for college athletes. If passed, schools that generate high revenue from sports would have to provide health benefits and at least 16 varsity sports.

In Scott’s opinion, the laws are crucial to ensuring that players across various institutions, such as HBCUs, can still recruit and retain top talent.

“The word I kept coming back to [during testimony to Congress] was opportunity,” he told Capital B News. “If we continue not to regulate what we’re doing, we’re going to miss opportunities.”

With this new standard in college athletics, HBCUs stand at a disadvantage, with fewer funds to go around to pay all-star players. With this in mind, many fear losing current and future athletes to bigger schools, but Scott believes federal intervention can pave the way for more financial gain.

“We’re in a space at HBCUs, at Grambling, for example, where 95-98% of our athletes are Pell Grant eligible,” Scott said. “Being able to understand where they are can sometimes be able to help assist with getting the necessary resources.”

However, new NIL legislation has divided HBCU supporters, as it could either thwart or aid athletic programs. President Donald Trump issued an executive order in March that would limit athletes to one transfer during a four-year degree program.

While some champion the effort, others have criticized the proposed law for restricting players’ ability to grow their careers and paychecks. However, the executive order has also urged schools not to take away women’s sports or other less-profitable teams to make way for bigger payouts.

Currently, many HBCU athletes, typically competing in smaller conferences, have gone without the lucrative NIL deals that other schools have capitalized on. However, as NIL becomes a more prevalent aspect of collegiate sports, HBCU players hope that regulation will put them on an equal playing field.