SEC school presidents voted Monday to introduce a standard format for athlete payment contracts across the conference, a group of college sports programs. The decision takes effect immediately. The SEC becomes the second major conference to adopt this approach, following the Big Ten. Schools will still be able to customize parts of the new agreement.
The contracts cover rights to use an athlete's name, image and likeness, known as NIL, as well as money that schools share directly with players. When athletes sign NIL agreements, they give schools permission to use their names and images. Schools can share up to $21.6 million directly with athletes this academic year.
The decision is another step toward the SEC managing more of its own affairs. However, presidents postponed a vote on a separate proposal concerning transfers between SEC schools. The proposal would bring back a rule that required players moving between conference programs to miss one season. Those restrictions were removed in June 2021.
