Universities, NCAA see pros and cons of new state NIL laws

The way Texas A&M athletic director Ross Bjork sees it, his department is taking on a new role in helping athletes make money from name, image and likeness deals starting this month: matchmaker.

Bjork and his staff won’t serve as athletes’ agents, but as of July 1, a new law taking effect in Texas clears the way for them to get more directly involved in pairing athletes with local companies or thick-walleted fans. The law also provides the Aggies and other schools in Texas with some new ways to encourage fans to open those wallets.

Bjork’s comfort level with their new reality is miles away from the hands-off approach he felt was necessary two years ago when athletes first started making NIL money.

“It’s a big shift, honestly,” Bjork told ESPN in an interview earlier this week.

He’s not alone. Athletic departments have overcome their initial wariness and are growing eager to get more involved in the NIL marketplace to help athletes navigate an evolving set of rules — and to make sure their teams stay competitive in recruiting. However, with each additional step toward helping direct the flow of money from fans to athletes, the schools move closer to paying players directly, a line that separates the NCAA from professional sports.

The NCAA’s national office believes parts of the new law in Texas step over that line. Texas is one of a handful of states, including Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma, among others, to pass laws in recent months that clash with the NCAA’s stance in seeking to protect the ability of schools to get more involved.

Without a clear nationwide set of rules, each new state law presents an opportunity for lawmakers to give their schools a leg up on rivals in raising money for athletes, and therefore in recruiting the best talent.

Bjork and his colleagues view this shift as the best way to help…