Category: College Athletics

One of the biggest questions about West Virginia House Bill 2595 is simple: does this law privatize college athletics?

The short answer is: not completely. But it does allow public colleges to move certain athletics-related operations into private nonprofit corporations.

What “privatize athletics” sounds like

When people hear privatization, they may imagine a public university selling its athletic department to an outside company. That is not really what HB 2595 says.

The law allows colleges to contract with nonprofit corporations that support institutional goals, including athletics operations, economic development, fiscal activities, and educational development services.

What the law actually allows

HB 2595 allows a university to create or use a nonprofit corporation that can act as a more flexible operating arm for certain activities. In the athletics context, that corporation can help manage business, financial, property, and operational matters tied to athletics.

That could include sponsorship structures, property use, fundraising-related activity, business partnerships, and athletics support services depending on the final agreement.

Why would a school want this?

College sports now move fast. Schools are competing for athletes, donors, sponsors, facilities, visibility, and media attention. A traditional public institution may move slowly because it has to follow state rules and procedures.

A nonprofit corporation can sometimes move faster and operate with more business flexibility.

What keeps it connected to the school?

HB 2595 includes governance requirements. For athletics-related corporations, voting directors must be employees of the institution or an affiliate of the institution. That means the school still has major control over the entity.

The risk: less public oversight

The concern is that moving activity into a private corporation can reduce transparency. If athletics-related matters are exempt from certain open meetings and public records laws, the public may have less visibility into how decisions are made.

Simple way to think about it

HB 2595 does not turn a public university into a private university. It does not automatically sell the athletic department. But it does allow colleges to create a more private, more flexible operating structure around athletics.

Bottom line

West Virginia colleges are not fully privatizing athletics under HB 2595. But they are getting permission to use private nonprofit corporations to handle more athletics-related business. That is a meaningful shift, especially as college sports become more commercial.

Related reading: Does HB 2595 Reduce Transparency? | What Can These Private Corporations Actually Do?

House Bill 2595 is one of those laws that sounds technical at first, but it could have a real impact on how public colleges in West Virginia manage athletics, money, property, and private partnerships.

In simple terms, the bill allows state institutions of higher education to work with private nonprofit corporations for certain activities, including research, economic development, and intercollegiate athletics.

The big idea behind HB 2595

The main idea is flexibility. Public colleges often have to follow state rules for spending, contracting, property, public meetings, and records. HB 2595 gives colleges a way to use nonprofit corporations to move faster in certain areas, especially athletics.

The law says colleges may contract with private corporations to conduct operational, economic, fiscal, and educational development activities related to intercollegiate athletics.

Why college athletics matters here

College sports are changing quickly. NIL deals, sponsorships, media revenue, athlete compensation debates, conference realignment, and donor-funded collectives have made athletics much more business-driven.

HB 2595 appears designed to help West Virginia colleges compete in that environment by allowing more flexible athletics-related operations.

What kind of private corporation can be used?

The corporation must generally be a nonprofit, nonstock corporation organized for charitable, educational, or scientific purposes. The law also requires control by institutional employees or affiliates in certain athletics-related entities.

That means this is not a simple sale of a university athletic department to a random outside company. It is closer to creating a controlled nonprofit operating arm for the school.

What can these corporations do?

Depending on the agreement, these corporations may handle financial, operational, property, and development-related responsibilities. They may receive, purchase, hold, lease, use, sell, and dispose of real and personal property. For athletics-related entities, the law also gives broad authority to undertake activities allowed under the West Virginia Nonprofit Corporation Act.

The transparency issue

The most controversial part of the bill is transparency. Matters related to athletics operations, economic activity, fiscal activity, and educational development services may be exempt from certain open meetings and public records requirements.

Supporters may argue this allows colleges to compete in a fast-moving sports marketplace. Critics may argue it reduces public oversight over institutions that still serve a public mission.

Why regular West Virginians should care

This law matters because public colleges are public institutions. When athletics, property, money, and private entities overlap, questions naturally follow:

• Who controls the money?
• Who makes the decisions?
• What information remains public?
• How does this affect students and athletes?
• What happens if a private corporation makes a bad deal?

Bottom line

HB 2595 gives West Virginia colleges more flexibility to use nonprofit corporations for athletics and other institutional purposes. It may help schools compete in the modern college sports economy, but it also raises serious questions about transparency, public accountability, and how much of college athletics should operate like a private business.

Related reading: Can West Virginia Colleges Privatize Athletics? | Does HB 2595 Reduce Transparency? | Do I Need a Lawyer as a Potential College Athlete?