Governor Stitt Signs Order to Support Oklahoma Student-Athletes With NIL Payments

Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt

OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) — Governor Kevin Stitt signed Executive Order 2025-01, aiming to keep Oklahoma’s postsecondary institutions and their student-athletes competitive in the changing world of intercollegiate athletics.

The order allows institutions to facilitate direct payments to student-athletes for the use of their name, image, and likeness (NIL) while federal and legal decisions on NIL payments are still pending.

“Oklahoma is home to some of the nation’s most outstanding student-athletes,” said Governor Stitt. “This executive order ensures that these student-athletes have access to the same opportunities as their peers in other states. It’s about leveling the playing field and maintaining the competitive edge that defines Oklahoma athletics. This action is a critical step to protect Oklahoma’s student-athletes and ensures they have the opportunity to succeed on and off the field.”

The order permits the creation of foundations to serve as a clearinghouse for entities to contribute to NIL funds without fear of retaliation or investigation from athletic organizations such as the NCAA or athletic conferences. It also ensures that Oklahoma taxpayer dollars will not be used for these payments.

Stitt said this proactive measure addresses the inconsistent national rules governing NIL payments, which have led to uncertainty and disparity among states and athletic conferences. Oklahoma institutions, which belong to different conferences with varying regulations, faced potential disadvantages that this order seeks to mitigate.

Key provisions of the executive order include:

• Authorization for Oklahoma postsecondary institutions to facilitate NIL payments to student-athletes.
• Protection for institutions and individuals from investigations or adverse actions by athletic organizations for engaging in NIL-related activities.
• Restrictions preventing the use of state-allocated funds for NIL payments.
• Automatic expiration of the order upon final settlement approval in the federal NIL litigation or the enactment of a federal law governing student-athlete payments.