Derrick Gragg | northwestern.edu
Derrick Gragg | northwestern.edu
The signing of SB 2338, the Student-Athlete Endorsement Rights Act by Gov. J.B. Pritzker has had athletic directors from all over the state voicing their approval of the landmark law.
During a news conference held at State Farm Center where Pritzker signed the bill into law, then- incoming Northwestern athletic director Derrick Gragg joined those extolling the benefits student-athletes will be able to realize.
"I'm actually not on the clock yet but this is a big deal," Gragg said. "I wanted to be here and as a former student-athlete, I understand the importance and significance of a day like this… whenever we can be a part of something this historic it's important for us to stand up and stand beside and stand behind or student-athletes.”
As an incoming athletic director, Gragg expressed his excitement in working at Northwestern, and listed what have traditionally been common experiences and responsibilities for student-athletes.
"There's certain things about being a student-athlete that are universal," Gragg said. "First, go to class, obtain knowledge, and graduate. Second, integrate into mainstream campus society. Third, is we want to train to become champions; fourth, is we want to be exposed to the leadership on our campuses. Fifth, we want them to give back."
He then added a sixth one related to the NIL law.
"But now we've added something, and we've added something for them and that is to be able to profit off of their own image and likeness and again I can't stress the significance of that and we're doing a lot to educate them across the country and we're looking forward to it."
Gragg officially started his new role on July 1.
The act, “Sets forth provisions concerning the conditions in which a student-athlete may and may not earn compensation for the use of the student-athlete's name, image, likeness, or voice while enrolled at a postsecondary education institution.”
In liability provisions, the NIL law also “provides that no postsecondary educational institution shall be subject to a claim of any kind under the Act.”
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