Wisconsin Assembly passes NIL bill that would send $14.6M to Wisconsin athletics

(The Center Square) – The Wisconsin Assembly approved a bill that would send $14.6 million in general purpose taxpayer funds to University of Wisconsin-Madison annually for maintenance and debt service on athletics facilities.

The bill was labeled a name, image and likeness bill that also would require athletes to disclose to the school any third-party NIL deals but would make those deals exempt from public records.

The athletic department is currently required to pay for 40% of the principal and interest costs on athletic facilities from athletics funds.

The Assembly approved the bill on a 95-1 vote Thursday, the final day the Assembly was scheduled to be in session. Rep. Dan Knodl, R-Germantown, was the lone “no” vote.

It remains unclear if the Senate will take up the bill and send it to Gov. Tony Evers.

UW-Madison athletics operated with a $4.3 million surplus in its most recent annual NCAA financial report released last month covering the fi...