Florida Gov. signs off on law allowing student-athletes to profit from likeness

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law Friday that will allow college athletes in the state to make money from endorsements starting July 1, 2021, according to ESPN's Dan Murphy.

"This whole issue of student-athletes and being able to receive compensations for their likeness or image is something that's been bubbling to the surface in the last couple years," DeSantis said. "I viewed it as something that was a matter of fairness."

Florida is the third U.S. state to pass a NIL law following California and Colorado. However, Florida's law will come into effect 18 months before the two other states' targetted date of January 1, 2023.

In response to California's Fair Pay to Play Act, the NCAA said in September the bill was "unconstitutional" and called on Gov. Gavin Newsom not to sign it.

In April, the NCAA's board of governors said it supported changes that would allow student-athletes to profit from third-party endorsements. A vote on the proposal is expected in January 2021.

NCAA president Mark Emmert has previously raised concerns about allowing each state to create its own NIL rules, which could potentially give some schools a competitive advantage in recruiting.