Ep. 142 State Of NIL 2 #BEARinMIND Podcast

"The Voice of the Golden Grizzlies" Neal Ruhl has an updated discussion about the state of name, image and likeness with renowned local attorney Jeffrey Lance Abood of the Abood Law Firm. Abood, a member of the Sports Lawyers Association, gives his input on the current state of name, image and likeness and what he believes the future may hold.

Episode Transcript

(00:01):
Welcome back everyone to the Bear inMind podcast here on the Golden Grizzlies iTunes
and SoundCloud pages wherever you're listening.We certainly do appreciate it. Remember you
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We had a lot of positive feedbackto our episode just a few episodes ago

(00:25):
where we talked to Jeff Abood fromthe Abood Law Firm about the state of
name, Image and likeness. Sowe figured, you know what, why
not? This is an ever evolvingthing, So let's get Jeff back here
as news continues to be made aroundthe world of name, Image and likeness
and Jeff, as always, weappreciate your time. I feel as though
we could do like a Netflix seriesthat would go on for years on name

(00:45):
Image and Likeness, couldn't we?Yeah? I think we could. Thanks
for having me on. It's greatto be on with you. Definitely,
it's ever changing and nobody knows whatit's back and I don't even think the
people that are trying to change things, learn act anything, really know what's
going on and what the future lookslike. Yeah. Absolutely, and that's

(01:06):
why I like to kind of pingpong these ideas off you and get kind
of an educated perspective for those thatdon't know. Obviously, Jeff of the
Aboud Law Firm also a member ofthe Sports Lawyer Association, so this is
not unfamiliar territory for him, butwe do. We just want to kind
of pick his brain because, Jeff, last time we talked, and this
has kind of been a reoccurring thingwhen I've talked about name, image and

(01:26):
likeness, it's kind of been thegreat unknown, Like we know, we
know that you know, athletes cando it's doing, athletes can do it
and everything like that. We don'tknow exactly how things we're gonna evolve.
But Jeff, it looks like we'restarting to get some clarity. Latest news
that really struck struck a chord withme. The House of Representatives, Yes,

(01:47):
the US House of Representatives. Look, they're looking to move forward with
a bill that kind of this ismy terminology here, maybe put up some
guardrails about name, image and likeness. What what what's your initial you know,
thought on that as you hear that, because it is it's going all
the way up the ladder to theUnited States government, Well don't I don't
think that it's surprising at all.I think lest I checked, and there

(02:09):
may be more now, but Ithink thirty two states have their own individual
state laws governing or guiding and somehowrelated to an IL deals. So it's
only a matter of time before thethere was going to be some sort of
push or a federal law keet enactedin order to be able to cover that.
Another question is is it ever goingto get past what's it going to

(02:32):
look like? And how often isit going to get is it going to
change? And my understanding is rightnow there's a huge political debate in between
the Republicans and Democrats, and withthe way our country is right now and
so divided, and it just Idon't see anything, And then I may
be wrong, And I'm hope thatthey can work together to reach some sort

(02:53):
of happy medium or something in themiddle. But it seems like the two
sides are kind of poorized opposites interms of certain issues. Yeah, and
you know, obviously, when whenthings get into political arena, there are
political radomifications that seem to get attachedto it, and they get associated with
it, So you know absolutely youknow that that's kind of my first inclination

(03:14):
of what we've seen as well.But but you mentioned that, and anytime
it gets in the political arena,you talk about compromise and can the two
sides come together? How murky doyou think this will get? In your
opinion, I think I know theanswer to it, because I think everybody
listening right now list saying, well, I can tell you the answer to
that, Neil, I mean,these are gonna it's I'm almost of the

(03:35):
opinion, Jeff, as we talkwith Jeff Abood to the A Bood Law
Firm, I'm almost of the opinionthat the further we go down this road,
the more murky it will get.And my initial inclination is I think
we're gonna find more questions than answers. No, I agree with you.
I think it is going to beextremely mur I think that there's going to
be you're gonna see what we arealready, then obbyists or the universities and

(04:01):
institutions enacting what they want. It'sgoing to benefit them or they believe it's
going to benefit them, which mightnecessarily not necessarily be an investmentors to the
students from student athletes. And Ithink that's the big, the big problem,
or the big disconnect, and that'swhere it's going to get really murky,
is how can you put something inplace it's going to be it's going

(04:23):
to govern and be beneficial to bothsides. And I think it could be
done yet and should something probably bein place, probably because it is.
And I think we talked about thislast time. I think we even use
the term wild world less one ofthose you or me, but it really
is and people don't know what they'redoing. And we talk about last time
also how there's a lot of managersor so called managers free student athletes that

(04:46):
may be short selling or underselling theirclients and may not also necessarily have the
background or training or knowledge, andeven from a lot of people do.
There's a lot of lawyers and alot of agents that don't even necessarily know
what they're doing, and they're gettinginto and it's no fault of their own,
but everybody trying to figure it out, right, and I think that

(05:10):
it could be in the best impisof the athletes to have some sort of
form or formal protocol or training orsomething in place, some sort of guideline,
but at the same time, tosit here and make it one hundred
percent beneficial for the universities, Ithink could disencourage some of the athletes from
doing what I think is good aboutNILS, which is allowing students and student

(05:35):
athletes to stay in school longer.And I don't know if you'd remember,
but I heard recently one of theLSU women's basketball players who won championship this
year. I forget who was exactly, but I think they after when or
if she's going to leave college tojoin the w NBA, and she said
she's a no rush too, becauseshe's making good money now with the NIL

(05:56):
deals, And so I think thatthat's good that it's encouraging students to stay
in school longer. I don't knowhow necessarily the professional leaves feel about that,
but I think it is. It'sa positive for students, and to
make it more difficult or take thataway I think could be a problem.
But at the same time too,I don't think that these student athletes should
necessarily be some of themselves short orhaving somebody represent them that that is not

(06:21):
U. I'm going to say,I guess I don't want to say credential,
but maybe as as a knowledge orat least be able to negotiate something
that's that's truly going to be beneficialand under behalf and not be so short
sighted. What I'm seeing so muchwith college athletes and their managers is they're
just too short sighted and they're notreally looking at setting them up for the

(06:46):
future. So if there's something inplace that's going to help with looking forward
to the future, I think thatthat could be more important or that could
be beneficial. Talk with Jeff Boodhere on the Bear in Mind podcast and
the Golden Grizzlies tunes and SoundCloud pages. Remember you can subscribe the latest episodes
will come right to your phone.Jeff of part of the Abuda Law Firm

(07:08):
and also a member the Sports LawyerAssociation. This is part number two of
a discussion we've had. The firstone was so good. If you haven't
listened to it, you can goback. But it's amazing how the news
keeps coming. And I guess,kind of going off the script a little
bit, Jeff, you brought upan interesting point to about student athletes staying
in school longer, and that issomething where we've talked about and depending on

(07:30):
which side of the fencheron in thisdiscussion, it could be a positive,
it could be a negative. We'vetalked about some of the positives or negatives,
and a lot of them not evennecessarily were known or factored in,
They just kind of appeared. Ithink that's something because I know I never
really thought about it with the name, image and likeness thing, that it
would help keep student athletes in schoollonger. That is a positive that's attached

(07:55):
to it, wn't you think Idefinitely do. Thinks so, and oh,
you know, and listening whether they'reI think a lot of a lot
of star student athletes have pressure toget that at school, probably quicker,
especially if they can't afford to,you know, and listen, there's some

(08:16):
students that student loans only go sofar. Um, So I think that
that education should definitely be a priorityand listen looking at it alongside not necessarily
I don't take that to think thatI'm saying necessarily just a formal education,
but I think that that experience isimportant in building that through whatever training or

(08:37):
education that somebody gets in order tobe able to manage life and finances and
everything else better when they get getout into the league at such a young
age. And again I'm not againstplayers joining the league at a young age.
It's an amazing thing. But atthe same time that the common thread
I hear from young professional athletes,not just student but when they make it

(09:00):
to the pros, and also froma lot of their agents and managers is
that they need to put um needto help them get the training and experience
in order to be able to managelife better and finance it is better and
everything else. And so if schoolallows them to do that or can help

(09:22):
to facilitate that, while at thesame time still being able to to be
able to afford to eat and housing, weather in school, and transportation,
then I think it's a one win. And Jeff, you know, we
we've kind of spun this, youknow, on our discussion here today about
name, image and likeness as wetalked to Jeff about of the about law
firm. You know, this wholething, US House of Representatives getting involved,

(09:46):
Republicans, Democrats, concessions, uh, you know, just all the
all the you know, the buzzwords, A big business, right that.
That's what this says to me.It's it's big business and everything like that,
you know, as is the fans, you know, from a fans
perspective, which I am, andyou know you're you're more versed in this
obviously than I am. I mean, is it just as simple as that?

(10:09):
Though? Jeff? Like, canit be? You know, the
House proposes a bill, it getsapproved. All of a sudden, there's
regulations attached to name, image andlikeness that that weren't there before that I'm
being a little too idealistic here,aren't I Yeah, Well, I mean
listen, that's how als get passedand that's how things happen. But as
with any law that or any anybill that's being proposed, there's obviously going

(10:33):
to be debate on both sides.They can go a long time, but
ultimately, if something gets passed,that's going to be the law until somebody
changes it, until there's a newbill that passes. And right now,
is anything going to pass? Idon't know. It depends on I mean,
I think less I read was thatthe Republicans proposed this and Democrats are
pushing for whatever bill that they wouldapprove would have to include health and education

(10:58):
benefits for athletes, and my understandingis that the Republicans are opposed to including
that language in the proposed bill rightnow. So I think it's I think
that that I think it's becoming morepolitical than probably it should, and we
should think about the people here andthe athletes here and listen, one side

(11:20):
wants to protect the universities, otherside wants to protect the athletes, at
least the way I read it andkind of understanding it. But at the
same time, listen, does doeseverybody needs protection? Yeah, and because
the university's made some guidance and assistance. Yeah. But at the same time,
I think the whole nil was designedfor the athletes, for the student

(11:41):
athletes, and it could be abeautiful thing if if everybody can figure out
how to do it right. Butagain, with it being a new just
like anything else, it's it's goingto take a while to figure it out,
and like you said, it's goingto be murky for a while.
I believe, well, Jeff,we certainly do appreciate your time when you
come up with the answers to allthis, you know, go ahead and

(12:01):
make that known and you'll make yourselfa lot of money. Okay, I'll
let you know if you get theanswers before me. I'd love to hear
our all right, Jeff. Asalways, we appreciate your time and I'm
sure and hopefully we can do somethinglike this again. You know, as
new information continues to present itself,we certainly will seek your counsel on it.
Thanks again for the time. Yeah, no, I'd love to and

(12:22):
I'm trying to people up to dateon everything as well, and I have
please share any information that we geton our end. Thank you. All
right. That will wrap things upfor the Bear in Mind podcast. Remember
you can subscribe on the Golden GrizzliesiTunes and sound cloud pages for Jeff Aboot
of the Aboot Law Firm. Myname is Neil Role. Thanks for listening
to everybody. Well, see youlater.