Carroll Backs Higher Salaries, Better Representation for Student Athletes

NORTHBROOK, Ill. – State Rep. Jonathan Carroll, D-Northbrook, is supporting legislation which will combat the exploitation of student athletes by allowing them to take advantage of endorsement opportunities and obtain professional representation.

“Student athletes work long, strenuous hours and generate tremendous amounts of revenue for the schools they attend, and they deserve fair compensation for their hard work,” Carroll said. “For too many years, wealthy universities have raked in huge profits from their sports teams while the dedicated athletes on those teams get almost nothing in return. It’s time for that to end.”

Carroll is sponsoring House Bill 3904, the Student Athlete Endorsement Act, which allows student athletes at any public or private university or college to accept endorsement opportunities. Endorsements can result from a company wishing to use students’ names, images or likenesses.

This legislation is following a recent court ruling which stated the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) could not prevent payments to student athletes without violating anti-trust laws.

“This bill is about treating college athletes who have been taken advantage of with the fairness and dignity they deserve,” Carroll said. “Whether someone is working in a factory, in an office or on a basketball court, they should be getting reasonable compensation for their time and effort. No school can take that right away.”