BEAUMONT, Texas — For about two years, all NCAA Divison I, Division II, and Division III student-athletes can profit off their name, image and likeness.
Almost one year after NIL deals were created, Lamar got a new athletic director, Jeff O'Malley. Then, at the start of 2023, the CardNIL Exchange was launched to help LU student-athletes navigate NIL business opportunities.
"We think we're in a unique position," O'Malley said. "I know we're in a unique position, and like I said, we're one of the first ones in the Southland Conference to have this set up."
The CardNIL Exchange is a resource for Lamar student-athletes to create business connections, keep track of payment and reporting to the university, and providing tax information for transactions.
The CardNIL Exchange creates a separation between Lamar and an athlete's NIL opportunities. INFLNCR and Lamar are not involved in any negotiations.
"Then, this way, we know what's going on, we know that the transaction's being held or being provided in a great manner, and then we also know we're trying to give our student-athletes every opportunity that they can to earn their money," O'Malley said.
There are no federal regulations on NIL deals, however, in Texas there is a bill passed in the Senate that would allow an employee with the university to help currently enrolled student-athletes find NIL opportunities.
If the bill gets Governor Abbott's signature then it'll go into effect on July 1.
Since members of both parties support the bill, it's expected to get the green light, so Lamar is trying to set up the right steps to get ahead of the change to best serve its student-athletes.
"It may not directly benefit the athletic department in terms of money where it has before where they're gonna pay 'x' amount of money for signage, but it's gonna benefit the athletic department because it's gonna benefit our student athletes," O'Malley said. "That's all part of it. That's gonna benefit our athletic program, it's gonna benefit Lamar, and it's gonna benefit the Beaumont community."