PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia City Council’s education committee approved a bill on Wednesday that provides help for young athletes navigating the rights to their names, images and likenesses. It’s a second crack at a bill that former Mayor Jim Kenney pocket-vetoed on his way out of office.
The assistance for what are known as NIL deals has broad support. In fact, after the bill passed the first time, its sponsor, Councilman Isaiah Thomas, partnered with Temple University Law School to begin providing the help.
Professor Ken Jacobsen told the Council committee he’s already met with 75 high school athletic directors, who conveyed questions that underscore the need for assistance with the new deals.
“This was a question from an athlete: ‘I’m receiving a pair of sneakers. Is that compensation?’ The answer to that is ‘Yes.’ ‘I’m receiving some other things, is that taxable?’ and the answer to that could be ‘Yes’ depending on your tax bracket,” Jacobsen said. “So the area of name, image and likeness is one that has a lot of ambiguity.”
The committee gave unanimous approval, as it did the first time around. Thomas still hasn’t received an explanation for why Kenney pocket-vetoed the bill by failing to sign it before leaving office. However, the Parker administration seems more likely to sign the measure, once it passes the full Council.
Vanessa Garrett-Harley, from the Office of Children and Families, submitted written testimony in support of the bill, though she added the administration did not want to fund the effort.
“Although the administration is not in favor of devoting city resources to this effort, we are supportive of the concept,” Harley wrote, adding the administration is glad that Temple has stepped up to provide the service for free.
The bill now goes to the full Council.