South Carolina Governor Vetoes Bill to Hide College Athlete Contracts

Legislature must now decide whether to sustain veto and create more transparent rules around public disclosure of contract details.

Mar. 19, 2026 at 9:05am

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South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster has vetoed a bill that would have allowed the state's public colleges, including the University of South Carolina and Clemson University, to hide details about the contracts they sign with star student-athletes. The bill, H.4902, would have created a broad exemption to the state's Freedom of Information Act, allowing the schools to conceal information about the money paid to individual players as well as other contractual terms. McMaster argued the public has a right to know how taxpayer funds are being spent, even if player names are redacted.

Why it matters

This veto is a victory for government transparency and the public's right to access information about how public universities are spending money, even in the lucrative world of college athletics. However, the Legislature must now decide whether to sustain the governor's veto or pass a new bill that could strike a balance between student privacy and the public's need to understand the full scope of these revenue-sharing contracts.

The details

H.4902 would have required USC, Clemson, and other state-funded colleges to hide all details about the 'revenue-sharing contracts' and 'name, image and likeness contracts' they sign with star athletes, who can receive more than $20 million in total payments. McMaster argued this would undermine the state's Freedom of Information Act and the public's ability to monitor how taxpayer funds are being used, even if individual player names were redacted. The governor suggested a narrower exemption that would only shield the specific dollar amounts paid to each player, while still requiring disclosure of other contractual terms and conditions.

  • On March 19, 2026, Governor Henry McMaster vetoed H.4902.
  • The South Carolina Legislature now has the opportunity to either sustain or override the governor's veto.

The players

Henry McMaster

The Governor of South Carolina who vetoed the bill that would have hidden details about college athlete contracts from public view.

University of South Carolina (USC)

A public university in South Carolina that would have been required to hide contract details under the vetoed bill.

Clemson University

A public university in South Carolina that would have been required to hide contract details under the vetoed bill.

Jay Bender

A media attorney who argued in a guest column that the world of college athletics would not be harmed by disclosing the overall allocation of revenue-sharing funds.

Frank Heindel

A Mount Pleasant, South Carolina businessman who requested contract details from the University of South Carolina, prompting a lawsuit that led to the Legislature's attempt to create new exemptions.

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What they’re saying

“The Legislature needs to sustain that veto and get to work on a better bill that creates a narrow exemption that follows the governor's suggestions but expands on them to include an even more important principle that he didn't.”

— Editorial Board

“Clearly, the colleges don't really believe that either, or else they wouldn't have run to the Legislature demanding that giant exemption to state law.”

— Editorial Board

“We're not sure why Mr. McMaster didn't mention this problem — which we consider much more significant than the dollar amounts — in his veto message. But lawmakers need to make it clear in their do-over bill that while information about individual students can be shielded by law, other details in the contracts cannot.”

— Editorial Board

What’s next

The South Carolina Legislature must now decide whether to sustain Governor McMaster's veto of H.4902 or pass a new bill that balances student privacy with the public's right to know how taxpayer funds are being spent on college athletics.

The takeaway

This veto represents an important victory for government transparency, but the Legislature must now find the right approach to ensure the public can access key details about the lucrative contracts between public universities and star student-athletes, without compromising individual privacy.