South Carolina Senate Overrides Governor's Veto on College Athlete NIL Deals

The new law will keep schools' name, image and likeness payments to athletes private.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 12:05pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a fragmented, multi-angled view of a college football game, with the sharp planes of the field, players, and stadium rendered in the official colors of the University of South Carolina and Clemson University.The new law shielding college athlete NIL deals from public view aims to preserve the competitive edge of South Carolina's top sports programs.Columbia Today

The South Carolina Senate voted 30-12 to override Governor Henry McMaster's veto of a bill that will shield college athletes' name, image and likeness (NIL) contracts from public records requests under the state's Freedom of Information Act. The House had previously voted 88-22 to override the veto. Athletic directors testified that no state funds have been used for these NIL payments.

Why it matters

The new law aims to protect the competitive interests of South Carolina's collegiate sports programs by keeping details of NIL deals private, which supporters say is necessary to avoid putting the state's schools at a disadvantage. However, the governor had raised concerns about the public's right to know how public funds are being spent.

The details

The bill was temporarily stalled in the Senate over claims that colleges were using state funding for NIL and revenue-sharing payments, but athletic directors testified this was not the case. Clemson University's athletic director stated plainly that no appropriated state funds have been used to make NIL payments to student-athletes.

  • The House passed the bill in February 2026.
  • The Senate voted 30-12 to override the governor's veto on April 3, 2026.
  • The House had previously voted 88-22 to override the veto on March 25, 2026.

The players

Henry McMaster

The governor of South Carolina who vetoed the bill, citing concerns about the public's right to know how public funds are being spent.

Graham Neff

The athletic director of Clemson University, who testified that no appropriated state funds have been used to make NIL payments to student-athletes.

Davey Hiott

The Republican House Majority Leader from Pickens, South Carolina, who supported the bill to keep NIL contracts private in order to maintain the competitiveness of the state's sports programs.

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What they’re saying

“'I want to state this plainly — no appropriated state funds have been used to make NIL payments or revenue-sharing payments to Clemson student-athletes.'”

— Graham Neff, Clemson University Athletic Director

“'Especially in the South, there are hundreds of thousands of people attending football games. We've got to make sure they're competitive so the people of South Carolina are proud of their sports programs.'”

— Davey Hiott, House Majority Leader, R-Pickens

What’s next

It is unclear when this new law will officially take effect.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing debate between protecting the privacy and competitive interests of college athletes versus the public's right to transparency in how public funds are used. The override of the governor's veto demonstrates the legislature's prioritization of maintaining South Carolina's collegiate sports programs' competitiveness, even if it comes at the expense of some public oversight.