House Bill 5245 creates the “Governor’s Cup Challenge,” an annual athletic competition between Marshall University and West Virginia University in selected NCAA Division I sports. The bill ties the competition to a scholarship purpose: it is intended to generate money for scholarships for West Virginia high school student-athletes who participated in extracurricular athletics but did not receive an athletic scholarship to an in-state institution of higher education and are pursuing college there.
Under the bill, the two universities would compete annually, with the location rotating between the institutions or potentially being held elsewhere in the state by agreement. Each contest win earns one point, and the institution with the most points at the end of the year is named the Governor’s Cup Challenge winner. The bill also creates the West Virginia Athlete Scholarship Fund, into which each institution must deposit 20% of net profits from ticket sales, merchandise, concessions, and other game-related revenue. The annual winner receives 65% of the fund balance for scholarships at its institution, while the other institution receives 35% for the same purpose.
Impact
The bill would add a new section to West Virginia Code Chapter 18C governing student aid and scholarships, creating both a new state-recognized athletic competition and a dedicated scholarship fund. It would require Marshall University and West Virginia University to allocate a portion of game-related net profits to the West Virginia Athlete Scholarship Fund and would direct how those funds are distributed for scholarships to in-state high school athletes. Oversight would be assigned to the vice chancellor for administration, making the proposal part of the state’s higher education financial-aid structure.
Sentiment
No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of legislative debate or formal support/opposition in the available materials. The bill’s framing suggests a generally positive, promotional intent: it combines school rivalry, fundraising, and scholarship support for West Virginia students. The caption and note indicate the measure is presented as a way to create opportunities for student-athletes who did not receive athletic scholarships.
Contention
The main potential points of contention are the mandatory revenue diversion from athletic events, the unequal 65/35 distribution of the scholarship fund based on the annual competition winner, and the administrative burden placed on the universities and the vice chancellor. Questions could also arise about whether the bill effectively uses a sports rivalry to determine scholarship funding, and whether the scholarship criteria fairly target student-athletes who were not awarded athletic scholarships. Because no transcripts are available, no specific objections or supporters are identified in the record provided.
Requires public institutions of higher education to provide student-athletes who lose athletic scholarships because of injuries sustained while participating in athletic program with equivalent scholarships.
AN ACT relating to the use of Hathaway scholarships at private post secondary institutions; defining terms; creating a scholarship; establishing eligibility requirements; establishing payment of scholarship funds to private post secondary institutions; specifying success curriculum requirements; modifying the duties of the department of education; providing a sunset date; requiring rulemaking; requiring reporting; making conforming amendments; and providing for an effective date.