Student-Athlete Revenue-Sharing Deals Must Be Transparent
For years, universities have kept student-athlete financial deals private, citing privacy and trade secret protections. While this was first done to protect Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals, it’s now being used to hide new revenue-sharing contracts. This lack of transparency is a major issue and hurts both taxpayers and student-athletes.
Why the Secrecy Is a Problem
- Public Money: Public universities are funded by taxpayers. When they pay anyone—from faculty to student-athletes—that information should be public. Hiding these contracts makes it impossible to see how public funds are being spent.
- Athlete Equity: The secrecy makes it difficult to ensure fairness for all athletes. Without transparency, it’s impossible to tell if payments are equitable between male and female athletes, as required by Title IX. Athletes should be able to see how much their peers are earning, which can help them in their own negotiations.
- The End of Amateurism: By hiding these contracts, schools are holding on to the outdated idea that college sports are all about amateurism. These new revenue-sharing deals are a form of payment for labor, and the public has a right to know the details of this new commercial relationship.
The Push for Transparency
A group in New Mexico, the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government, is taking legal action against two universities to force them to release these contracts. They argue that payments from public universities to anyone should be public record.
For the sake of both public accountability and the future of student-athlete rights, it’s crucial for these financial details to be made public. Transparency has always been a key tool in protecting athletes’ rights, and now, more than ever, it’s needed to ensure a fair and equitable system.