Tennessee NIL Leadership & Innovation Commission — a planned thought-leadership, education, research, and policy framework for the future of college sports.
TNLIC™ is not a governmental agency, regulator, or state entity. It is a planned education, innovation, research, and leadership initiative being developed inside The Couth Standard Collective™. Nothing on this page should be read as official Tennessee state action or endorsement.
All intellectual property contained in the COUTH Act framework — including the TNLIC™ name and commission model, the KPAEI Framework, the Three-Step Registration Framework, the TNLIC NIL Ecosystem Registry concept, the Athlete Content Access Right framework, the Athlete Entrepreneurship Program, the Nashville NIL Cultural Program, and all associated program names, structures, and branding — is the proprietary intellectual property of Couth Sports Group, LLC and The Couth Standard Collective™. Unauthorized reproduction or commercial use without written authorization is prohibited.
NIL legislation tracking, public comment, comparative state policy.
NIL literacy, financial education, leadership curriculum.
White papers, longitudinal studies, athlete outcome data.
Sandbox pilots — entrepreneurship, AI, sports technology.
Athletic directors, compliance, attorneys, athlete leaders.
Mental health, transition, identity, rights education.
Athlete workforce, NIL-driven small business.
Service, civic engagement, rural and urban access.
Athlete-led ventures, incubators, capital formation.
House settlement, rev-share, governance evolution.
TNLIC™ is envisioned as an education, innovation, research, and leadership initiative — not a regulator. It convenes athletic directors, athletes, compliance officers, attorneys, educators, legislators, and business leaders to raise the standard of NIL in Tennessee and beyond.
Every TNLIC module exists in Draft, Private, Beta, or Public Launch mode. Administrator controls determine visibility — the framework is built today so the launch is instant tomorrow.
Full title: the Tennessee Intercollegiate Name, Image & Likeness Education, Governance & Protection Act. Lead sponsor: Representative Jeremy Faison (H-11). The COUTH Act is the revised, expanded successor to SB 1419/HB 1386 (114th General Assembly, Reps. Harris/Akbari) and is built directly on top of SB 536/HB 194 — the NIL law Governor Bill Lee signed on May 1, 2025.
The COUTH Act is proposed legislation, drafted for introduction in the 115th General Assembly. It has not been enacted. TNLIC's role as a certifying and enforcement body described on this page is the role the Act proposes to create — not a role TNLIC currently holds.
The Act's organizing structure comes directly from the research of Dr. Michael D. Johnson Jr. — Beyond the Game (Nova Southeastern University, 2026) — which the bill adopts as its constitutional framework in Section 1.03.
Equipping every stakeholder — athlete, agent, coach, athletic director, collective — with NIL literacy, financial competence, legal awareness, and ethical grounding.
Shielding student-athletes from exploitation and fraudulent misrepresentation through enforceable standards: state registration, criminal background verification, agent fee caps, and a private right of action.
Ensuring every student-athlete has equitable access to NIL opportunity regardless of institution, sport, gender, or socioeconomic background — including specific provisions for Tennessee State University addressing a documented, court-recognized resource gap.
Full citation: Johnson, M.D. Jr. Beyond the Game. Nova Southeastern University, 2026. (nsuworks.nova.edu/fse_srp/456)
The COUTH Act does not limit or modify any right established under SB 536/HB 194. It proposes enforcement infrastructure, agent accountability, and athlete-protection mechanisms layered on top of that existing foundation.
Every NIL agent must already obtain a Certificate of Registration under T.C.A. § 49-7-2104. The Act proposes a distinct “NIL-Specific Agent” category within the Secretary of State's system.
The Act proposes requiring every registered agent to clear a criminal history check through the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation's TORIS system (Tennessee Open Records Information Services, tbibackgrounds.tbi.tn.gov) before representing any Tennessee athlete — and again at each annual renewal.
The Act proposes that only after completing Steps 1 and 2 could an agent obtain a “Certified NIL Representative” credential from TNLIC — including a competency assessment, a signed fiduciary commitment, and disclosure of all fees. TNLIC would maintain a public, real-time registry of certified agents.
Tennessee adult criminal history — arrests and convictions in-state. It does not include out-of-state records on a basic name-based search, and juvenile records are excluded unless the person was tried as an adult. This is why the Act treats it as step two of three, not the whole picture.
Modeled directly on Louisiana's SB 389 (effective July 1, 2026) — the Act positions TNLIC as Tennessee's equivalent of the Attorney General's Public Protection Division for NIL agent oversight.
Tennessee State University is Tennessee's only state-funded land-grant public university in Nashville, founded in 1912. For decades, the state maintained a documented dual system of higher education, underfunding Tennessee State relative to the University of Tennessee. This was litigated for 38 years in Geier v. University of Tennessee, resolved through the 1984 Stipulation of Settlement and the 2001 Geier Consent Decree, with the state appropriating more than $245 million in court-ordered remediation. The COUTH Act frames its Tennessee State University provisions as a continuation of that remedial obligation — not a new preference — designed to close a resource gap the state itself has already legally acknowledged creating.
For a Tennessee State University representative.
For TSU NIL infrastructure investment (vs. 1:1 for other public institutions).
For NIL collectives operating exclusively for TSU athletes.
Dedicated pipeline connecting TSU athletes to Nashville's music, entertainment, media, and hospitality industries — including a paid NIL fellowship and matchmaking events with local pro sports teams.
Geier v. Alexander, 593 F.Supp. 1263 (M.D. Tenn. 1984); Geier v. Sundquist, 128 F.Supp.2d 519 (M.D. Tenn. 2001).
If the Act passes, athletes could sue agents, financial handlers, or institutions directly in chancery court, with no forced arbitration and a 4-year window to file.
Every representation agreement would have to disclose fees, registration numbers, and the athlete's right to sue, in writing, before work begins.
Anyone managing more than $1,000/year of an athlete's NIL income would need to register, disclose terms in writing, and pass a TBI background check.
Right now, an athletic department films a highlight reel, a collective produces a promotional video, or a service entity runs a brand campaign — all using a student-athlete's name, image, and likeness. The athlete gets whatever compensation was negotiated. But the content itself? The athlete has no guaranteed right to receive it, use it for their own brand, or repurpose it for their NIL marketing. In many cases, athletes are actively blocked from downloading their own game film or content from the athletic department's servers. That's a structural contradiction: you can sell your NIL, but you can't access the content that was built from it.
Section 4.06 of the COUTH Act eliminates that contradiction. Every Tennessee intercollegiate and high school athlete whose name, image, or likeness appears in content produced by an institution, athletic department, NIL Collective, or NIL Service Entity has the non-waivable right to receive that content — at no cost, within 30 days of written request — and to use it for their own purposes, without restriction.
The COUTH Act is drafted and ready for introduction in the 115th General Assembly under Representative Jeremy Faison. It has not yet been filed with bill numbers or brought to a vote. This page will be updated as its legislative status changes.
Annual flagship event celebrating innovation, leadership, integrity, education, and impact across the NIL ecosystem.
Professional development and certification ecosystem — fundamentals, compliance, brand strategy, HBCU equity, and executive tracks.
A public thought-leadership hub connecting TNLIC™, CHIEF™, Couth Sports Group™, Couth Education™, and Couth Intelligence™.
TNLIC™ is an invitation to the leaders, educators, athletes, and institutions ready to shape what NIL becomes — through research, education, and innovation. Not regulation.