A Tulane law professor yesterday appeared before the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics and "offered an extensive proposal under which college athletes could be allowed to use their names, images and likenesses to make regulated endorsement deals while playing their sports in school," according to Steve Berkowitz of USA TODAY. Gabe Feldman, who also serves as Tulane's Associate Provost for NCAA Compliance, said that while the NCAA's "concern about the impact of this type of commercialization of athletes is legitimate, 'commercialization is already happening' in college sports." Commission member Len Elmore said that there is a "property right related to athletes' names, images and likeness, although he would prefer to see group licensing arrangements rather than individual endorsement deals." Feldman proposed that athletes "be allowed to make these agreements or receive benefits of existing agreements only if they are in good academic standing and making progress toward a degree." His proposal "would not allow athletes to make deals for what he termed in-game use of their names and images like broadcasts, rebroadcasts or photos." Feldman's proposal would let athletes "be involved in product endorsements, as well as receive pay for personal appearances and autographs, as well as for appearances on TV and radio shows." It would also allow them to "enter into group licensing arrangements for items such as video games, trading cards and jersey sales" (USA TODAY, 5/11). Oklahoma men's basketball coach Lon Kruger yesterday at the Knight Commission said that he "understood arguments on both sides of allowing student athletes to be paid for making paid appearances," but added that it "would only affect a tiny percentage of student athletes" Kruger: "It would require significant oversight to make sure there aren't abuses" (OKLAHOMAN, 5/11).
