South Carolina governor vetoes bill to keep college athlete pay secret

Gov. Henry McMaster says the public should know how much schools spend on individual sports teams, even if player contracts remain private.

Mar. 11, 2026 at 11:53pm

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South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster has vetoed a bill that would have kept secret the revenue-sharing payments made by universities to college athletes under new Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) rules. McMaster said the bill went too far in shielding how much schools spend on individual sports teams, even if the specific player contracts remained private.

Why it matters

The debate over transparency in college athlete compensation has become a major issue as schools navigate the new NIL landscape. Advocates argue keeping the details secret prevents schools from recruiting top talent, while critics say the public has a right to know how universities are spending money, even if individual player contracts remain private.

The details

The vetoed bill would have exempted NIL revenue-sharing contracts between universities and student-athletes from state open records laws. It would have also allowed schools to keep secret how much they spend on individual sports teams. McMaster said he would sign a bill that kept individual player contracts private but required disclosure of overall team spending.

  • The bill was fast-tracked through the South Carolina legislature this year.
  • McMaster vetoed the bill on March 11, 2026.

The players

Henry McMaster

The governor of South Carolina who vetoed the bill to keep college athlete pay secret.

University of South Carolina

A university in South Carolina that advocated for the bill to keep NIL revenue-sharing payments secret.

Clemson University

A university in South Carolina that advocated for the bill to keep NIL revenue-sharing payments secret.

Frank Heindel

An open-records advocate who filed a lawsuit against the University of South Carolina seeking to make NIL revenue-sharing payments public.

Daniel Coble

A Circuit Court Judge in Richland County, South Carolina who put Heindel's lawsuit on hold to decide whether the university was required to reveal its payments.

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What they’re saying

“I think it hurts college football, particularly. On the other hand, that is the direction that this ocean is going, and we don't want to put ourselves at a disadvantage, but there needs to be some action taken at some point, perhaps at the federal level, to clean this mess up.”

— Henry McMaster, Governor of South Carolina

What’s next

The South Carolina General Assembly could still override McMaster's veto, which would require support from a supermajority in both chambers.

The takeaway

This veto highlights the ongoing debate over transparency in college athlete compensation, as states and schools navigate the new NIL landscape. While some argue secrecy is needed to remain competitive, others believe the public has a right to know how universities are spending money, even if individual player contracts remain private.