Legislative Letter

My name is Kai Flickinger, and I am a senior at Judge Memorial Catholic High School in your district. I am writing to you about bill HB297, an issue that directly affects me as a soon-to-be college student, along with students, families, and communities across Utah. I am concerned about the evolving changes happening in college sports surrounding Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) and private equity groups partnering with colleges to provide funding for athletics. I respectfully urge you to support HB297, which would require Utah public universities to receive approval from the state Legislature before signing, renewing, or modifying any private equity deal tied to college athletics, in order to maintain the integrity and rich tradition that college athletics embodies.

College athletics is evolving at a rate and scale we have never seen before, particularly following the NCAA’s allowance of athletes to receive compensation for their Name, Image, and Likeness through their schools and outside sponsorships. Universities, particularly larger institutions with storied athletic programs, have begun leveraging significant financial resources to offer athletes substantial compensation to attend their schools. The next step for many universities is entering into agreements with private equity firms, which can provide funding to attract athletes and enhance athletic programs in various ways. The proposed legislation, HB297, would strengthen oversight of these major universities as they pursue such deals. Our own state university, the University of Utah, is among the first schools to sign a private equity agreement of this kind with Otro Capital, which is reportedly investing $500 million into Utah’s athletic programs. Because this issue has begun in our own backyard, it requires immediate attention to ensure colleges are protected and that such deals do not become routine without proper review.

One of the biggest concerns involves the colleges themselves, which may be giving up significant control in exchange for financial backing from private equity firms. The University of Utah’s deal, for example, raises concerns because it reportedly includes sharing rights related to commercial operations, media and content control, and portions of revenue streams. This bill would provide colleges with added oversight and support in determining whether such agreements truly serve their long-term interests or risk ceding too much control. I am also concerned about the broader impact of universities having access to hundreds of millions of dollars for athletics with limited checks and balances. We have already seen disparities in funding across college athletics, and creating additional avenues for large universities to accumulate even more financial advantages—while smaller schools fall further behind—could be unhealthy for the future of collegiate sports.

This is a pressing issue for me and many of my classmates who will soon be college students and understand how important college athletics can be to a meaningful college experience. As someone who hopes to work in sports, possibly in college athletics, this policy issue is personal. I respectfully urge you to support HB297 to help balance the playing field for college athletics across our state as this landscape continues to evolve.

Thank you for your time, service, and commitment to our community. I appreciate your consideration and hope you will continue working toward policies that serve the long-term well-being of the people of Utah.

Sincerely,
Kai Flickinger
376 N H Street