- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Wisconsin Allocates Millions to Support University Athletic Programs
New legislation addresses NIL rights for student-athletes at UW campuses
Apr. 9, 2026 at 8:18pm
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
New Wisconsin legislation aims to bolster the state's public university sports programs and protect student-athlete NIL rights.Madison TodayWisconsin Governor Tony Evers has signed a bill that will provide millions in annual funding to support athletic facility maintenance, debt service, and name, image and likeness (NIL) provisions at several University of Wisconsin campuses, including UW-Madison, UW-Milwaukee, and UW-Green Bay. The legislation also prohibits the UW system from restricting student-athletes' ability to use their NIL outside of official team activities or from obtaining professional representation.
Why it matters
This legislation aims to help Wisconsin's public Division I athletic programs remain competitive by providing much-needed funding for facilities and addressing the evolving NIL landscape for student-athletes. It reflects the growing importance of NIL rights and the need to balance supporting athletic programs with ensuring student-athletes can benefit from their name, image and likeness.
The details
Under the new bill, UW-Madison will receive $14.6 million in annual general purpose revenue, while UW-Milwaukee and UW-Green Bay will each get $200,000. The funding is intended to help maintain athletic facilities and cover debt service. The legislation also prohibits the UW Board of Regents or individual institutions from restricting athletes' use of their NIL outside of official team activities or from obtaining professional representation. However, the bill bars the use of state funds to directly create or support NIL compensation agreements.
- The bill was signed into law by Governor Tony Evers on April 9, 2026.
The players
Tony Evers
The Governor of Wisconsin who signed the legislation allocating funding to UW athletic programs and addressing NIL rights.
University of Wisconsin System
The public university system in Wisconsin, which includes UW-Madison, UW-Milwaukee, and UW-Green Bay, the state's only public Division I athletic programs.
The takeaway
This legislation demonstrates Wisconsin's commitment to supporting its public university athletic programs while also ensuring student-athletes have the freedom to benefit from their name, image and likeness. It reflects the evolving landscape of college sports and the need to balance the interests of athletic departments, student-athletes, and state funding.
