How Liz Murrill is using state money to fund NIL deals for LSU athletes

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill is launching an anti-vaping campaign using LSU athletes in name, image and likeness deals, Louisiana Illuminator reports.

The campaign—the first state-funded NIL deal in Louisiana—will be funded by a settlement from e-cigarette maker Juul Labs, which is required to be used to reduce vaping among teens and adults under age 21.

Public records show the state so far has agreed to spend $281,000 on NIL deals with athletes, with $225,000 going to LSU athletes over three years. The rest will be paid to athletes at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, Grambling State University, Northwestern State University, Southeastern Louisiana University and McNeese State University.

Louisiana law currently doesn’t restrict public funds going toward NIL deals, but a publicly accessible database of state contracts shows no other agencies have entered into such deals.

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