Photo: CBS 12
College athletes should do their due diligence before signing an NIL contract.
That's the advice from a sports law expert after Florida Atlantic University filed lawsuits against four former football players, claiming they broke their Name, Image, and Likeness agreements.
"Hiring a specialist. Hiring an agent. Hiring a lawyer to help walk them through that situation, that's going to be the safer pathway for them."
David Weber, the faculty director of the Sports Law Program at the University of Oregon, tells CBS 12 News that this is all new territory.
“Initially, we saw universities being a little hesitant to sue athletes. We saw them maybe going after other universities who were poaching their athletes - now we’re starting to see universities feel more comfortable going after athletes themselves."
The university also wants a judge to decide if a clause requiring players to pay back half the money after transferring holds up or crosses the line under state law.
The players being sued by Florida Atlantic include wide receiver Asaad Waseem, who left FAU for Purdue after signing a two-year Name, Image, and Likeness contract with the Owls. FAU is seeking $30,000 from him and a total of $69,000 from all four players combined.