thebigabd
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Oklahoma lawmakers target athletic agents with stiffer penalties
From Tiny Gallon to Dez Bryant, Oklahoma's college athletes have had their eligibilities jeopardized by agents.
The state is fighting back.
The Oklahoma legislature passed a bill last week that would punish agents and their runners with fines up to $250,000 for giving athletes loans, lying or contacting athletes before they're eligible to be drafted.
"We're putting some teeth into the athlete-agent bill," said the bill's co-author, Senate Pro Tem Brian Bingman, R-Sapulpa.
Oklahoma already has a version of HB 1586 in place. But the updated bill, which is awaiting a signature from Gov. Mary Fallin to become law, would make a few major changes.
Runners and financial advisers weren't regulated under the past law but would be considered agents under this bill. That's an important distinction, because gifts from runners or financial planners have led to NCAA scandals.
Gallon sparked an investigation into the University of Oklahoma men's basketball program after a financial adviser allegedly wired his family money.
The NCAA deemed South Carolina tight end Weslye Saunders ineligible last fall in part because he took gifts from an agent runner.
"Our umbrella has to capture all the people that are involved," said Jason Leonard, OU's executive director of athletics compliance.
The second major change would increase the fines for agents who provide impermissible benefits to student-athletes.
The current law calls for first-offense fines up to $10,000. The new bill increases fines to $250,000 for the first violation.
A second offense would be a felony and subject to a fine of $500,000 or three years in jail.
The steep penalty is important because the NCAA has little power over agents who break rules, but violations could be crippling for players.
"They can put student-athletes at risk without ever putting themselves at risk," said Kevin Fite, Oklahoma State's associate athletic director for compliance.
Bingman and former OU kicker Todd Thomsen - now a state representative - worked with the OU and OSU compliance departments to draft the bill after a scandal-ridden 2010.
North Carolina, Georgia and Alabama had players suspended for violations involving agents, prompting Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban to compare agents' actions to pimps.
"We appropriate dollars to our universities," Bingman said. "Fans in Oklahoma are part of our constituents. When something happens and universities get penalized, then fans suffer, too."
The law also targets agents who contact underclassmen who aren't eligible to be drafted but could still be penalized by the NCAA.
The NCAA began investigating OSU's Bryant after his sophomore season to see if he had improper contact with an agent. Bryant missed the final nine games of his junior year for lying to the NCAA.
"To me, that (change) is important because really agents don't need to be talking to our student-athletes at that point," Fite said.
The NFL lockout makes state laws even more important.
The NFL Players Association regulates agents. When the NFLPA decertified in March, no one was left to police the agents.
OU's Leonard released a statement soon after, reminding agents that underclassmen in Oklahoma who aren't eligible to be drafted can't be contacted or friended on Facebook under state law.
"We've just got to stay on top of these things," Leonard said. "With social networking, everything's changing. It's just new avenues every single day. It's a work in progress, so to speak."
Original Print Headline: State may hike fines on agents
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Matt Baker 918-581-8358
matt.baker@tulsaworld.com
By MATT BAKER World Sports Writer
http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsext...id=234&articleid=20110510_231_B1_CUTLIN981087
From Tiny Gallon to Dez Bryant, Oklahoma's college athletes have had their eligibilities jeopardized by agents.
The state is fighting back.
The Oklahoma legislature passed a bill last week that would punish agents and their runners with fines up to $250,000 for giving athletes loans, lying or contacting athletes before they're eligible to be drafted.
"We're putting some teeth into the athlete-agent bill," said the bill's co-author, Senate Pro Tem Brian Bingman, R-Sapulpa.
Oklahoma already has a version of HB 1586 in place. But the updated bill, which is awaiting a signature from Gov. Mary Fallin to become law, would make a few major changes.
Runners and financial advisers weren't regulated under the past law but would be considered agents under this bill. That's an important distinction, because gifts from runners or financial planners have led to NCAA scandals.
Gallon sparked an investigation into the University of Oklahoma men's basketball program after a financial adviser allegedly wired his family money.
The NCAA deemed South Carolina tight end Weslye Saunders ineligible last fall in part because he took gifts from an agent runner.
"Our umbrella has to capture all the people that are involved," said Jason Leonard, OU's executive director of athletics compliance.
The second major change would increase the fines for agents who provide impermissible benefits to student-athletes.
The current law calls for first-offense fines up to $10,000. The new bill increases fines to $250,000 for the first violation.
A second offense would be a felony and subject to a fine of $500,000 or three years in jail.
The steep penalty is important because the NCAA has little power over agents who break rules, but violations could be crippling for players.
"They can put student-athletes at risk without ever putting themselves at risk," said Kevin Fite, Oklahoma State's associate athletic director for compliance.
Bingman and former OU kicker Todd Thomsen - now a state representative - worked with the OU and OSU compliance departments to draft the bill after a scandal-ridden 2010.
North Carolina, Georgia and Alabama had players suspended for violations involving agents, prompting Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban to compare agents' actions to pimps.
"We appropriate dollars to our universities," Bingman said. "Fans in Oklahoma are part of our constituents. When something happens and universities get penalized, then fans suffer, too."
The law also targets agents who contact underclassmen who aren't eligible to be drafted but could still be penalized by the NCAA.
The NCAA began investigating OSU's Bryant after his sophomore season to see if he had improper contact with an agent. Bryant missed the final nine games of his junior year for lying to the NCAA.
"To me, that (change) is important because really agents don't need to be talking to our student-athletes at that point," Fite said.
The NFL lockout makes state laws even more important.
The NFL Players Association regulates agents. When the NFLPA decertified in March, no one was left to police the agents.
OU's Leonard released a statement soon after, reminding agents that underclassmen in Oklahoma who aren't eligible to be drafted can't be contacted or friended on Facebook under state law.
"We've just got to stay on top of these things," Leonard said. "With social networking, everything's changing. It's just new avenues every single day. It's a work in progress, so to speak."
Original Print Headline: State may hike fines on agents
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Matt Baker 918-581-8358
matt.baker@tulsaworld.com
By MATT BAKER World Sports Writer
http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsext...id=234&articleid=20110510_231_B1_CUTLIN981087
