Senate approve Wisconsin athletics $15M NIL bill, sweeping records exemption

(The Center Square) – The Wisconsin Legislature has approved sending $15 million each year to the Universities of Wisconsin for athletics facilities along with creating a sweeping public records exemption related to all spending and revenue within the athletic department.

The Senate approved the bill on a 17-16 vote without discussion.

UW-Madison Athletics Director Chris McIntosh said in committee that the $14.6 million in funding annually to the school’s athletic department for facilities debt is essentially for the athletic department to remain competitive and supporting 23 sports and 600-plus athletes. He said that women’s and Olympic sports were at stake related to the bill.

“In the event that this legislation is not passed, we will be forced to reconcile our revenues with our liabilities, like we always have,” McIntosh told the Senate committee. “And that will come through a series of painful reductions, further emphasis on increasing our revenues.

“And, ...