Outgoing Ohio State President Michael Drake said that he is "looking forward to a new era in the NCAA where student athletes will be given some 'more opportunities' to benefit from the use of their name, image and likeness," though he also is "concerned about going too far," according to Hayleigh Colombo of COLUMBUS BUSINESS FIRST. Drake said it is "critically important" that athletes maintain their "status as students ... rather than as professional athletes or ... employees of the university." Drake said that one issue of concern is "setting back the cause of 'gender and other types of equity.'" Colombo noted this likely is because football and men's basketball are the "most financially successful sports at Ohio State, and Drake is concerned that only men would have opportunities to benefit from sponsorship deals." Drake: "We don't want to do anything that causes us to move back in the progress we've made on making sure opportunities are available to students broadly." Drake also expressed concern in a "state-by-state approach" to lifting NIL restrictions. He said that different rules in different states "could create 'great challenges' for students in the recruiting environment" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 2/3).
