Shomari Figures making bipartisan play to address NIL with support from GOP leaders, Alabama AD Greg Byrne

A new effort across party lines to bring order to the chaotic world of name, image and likeness (NIL) in college sports took a big step forward this week with the introduction of legislation proposing to establish a national framework for student-athlete compensation — thanks in part to an Alabama congressman.

The NIL era in college sports has brought a period of unprecedented chaos where legal pay-for-play has ruled the landscape and only widened the gap between those with financial backing to buy entire rosters and those without.

Even in the wake of the House settlement, the need for government intervention and federal legislation has become increasingly clear, though years of legislative momentum on that front have yet to produce results.

U.S. Rep. Shomari C. Figures (D-Mobile) announced this week that he was co-sponsoring a bill known as the Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements (SCORE) Act, which would enact a national framework for NIL.

“The current college sports environment has drastically changed in the NIL era, and this bill provides a framework to where students can not only be compensated but also have access to resources like health care and financial literacy courses, to ensure they have a solid foundation for their lives after college and we can get back to just playing ball,” Figures said in an announcement this week.

“I look forward to continuing the bipartisan work to make this the strongest bill possible and protect student-athletes, schools, and our athletic conferences.”

Republican U.S. Reps. Brett Guthrie (R-KY), Tim Walberg (R-MI), and Jim Jordan (R-OH) are also signed onto the bill, representing the Chairmen of the the U.S. House Committees on Energy and Commerce, Education and the Workforce, and the Judiciary.

The legislation also has the support of one of the most powerful figures in college sports: Alabama Crimson Tide Athletics Director Greg Byrne.

Byrne signaled his support for the SCORE Act on Friday and thanked Figures for helping to lead the charge.

Thank you, @repscfigures for your support of student-athletes and college athletics!

Wonderful to see a bipartisan effort with the introduction of the SCORE Act that could lead to stability for college athletics. #RollTide https://t.co/aZRY85YIHF

— Greg Byrne (@Greg_Byrne) July 11, 2025

Byrne expanded on the message on social media with an official statement within the release announcing the bill.

“We sincerely thank Congressman Figures for leading a bipartisan solution for intercollegiate athletics that recognizes the importance of creating a long-term sustainable model that provides the best opportunity to preserve broad athletic opportunities for student-athletes for generations to come,” he said.

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey — one of the most powerful figures in all of college football — issued a statement of support as well.

“I welcome the commitment of Representative Shomari Figures to support a sustainable future for college athletics,” Sankey said. “During this time of historic change, his efforts to provide clarity and stability to student-athletes, universities and the broader collegiate sports landscape are meaningful. We will continue building upon this momentum to deliver a national solution that athletes, coaches, and universities both need and deserve.”

This is hardly the first attempt from the government to take some sort of legislative step to address NIL.

In 2023, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) and former U.S. Senator Joe Manchin advocated for a bipartisan bill known as the PASS Act.

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has also been at the center of tons of NIL related discussion including heading up roundtables in Washington that have included former Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban.

Now originating in the U.S. House, the SCORE Act is expected to gain momentum during the current session of congress.

Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP and hear him every weekday morning from 6 to 9 a.m. on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5, available free online.