Caitlin Clark, Sports Wagering Module, Red River Donation Campaign, + ICYMI & More | NIL Newsletter #191
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Major News
Caitlin Clark signs NIL Deal with State Farm
This week, Clark became the first collegiate athlete to sign a deal with State Farm, joining professional athletes like Patrick Mahomes and Chris Paul.
“Welcoming Caitlin Clark to our team expands and strengthens our ability to positively impact communities and reinforces our commitment to raising the visibility of women’s sports,” said Kristyn Cook, State Farm’s chief agency, sales, and marketing officer. “As a fellow Good Neighbor, we can’t wait to drive progress forward together with Caitlin for years to come.”
As part of the deal, Clark may appear in commercials, on State Farm social media, or at events.
“State Farm is a team that looks out for others, which is exactly the kind of legacy I want to leave beyond the basketball court,” Clark said. “I’m honored to be the first college athlete to join the Good Neighbor team — in khakis of course — and look forward to growing the women’s game together.”
NCAA Launches Sports Wagering Module for Athletes
The NCAA launched its first sports wagering model for student-athletes this week, focused on NCAA rules and social media harassment.
A recent survey from NCAA President Charlie Baker revealed that 58% of 18-22 year olds have engaged in at least one sports betting activity.
“We believe this new program will help protect student-athletes from the risks that come with sports wagering,” NCAA President Charlie Baker said. “The data is clear that athletes with firsthand experiences connect with current student-athletes better than any other material we could develop, so we are incredibly grateful for their participation in this effort.”
Oklahoma-focused Crimson and Cream Donation Campaign
On the back of their Red River Rivalry victory over Texas, the Oklahoma-focused Crimson and Cream collective, which is operated by Student Athlete NIL, is launching a donor campaign.
Over 90 Oklahoma football players are under contract with the collective, and will be promoting the campaign on their social media accounts.
“It’s almost like a flash sale, taking advantage of the big win,” Student Athlete NIL founder Jason Belzar said. “But I think it does lead to the necessity or having the nimbleness to be able to do this. And that’s the value of the institutions that we work with. We can put a full graphic design team behind a fundraiser.”
For Athletes
Deal of the Week
The Houston-focused LinkingCoogs collective has facilitated another massive team-wide deal for Houston athletes.
This week, LinkingCoogs announced a team-wide deal with Daspit Law Firm worth $350,000 for the Men’s basketball team. In April, Daspit signed a $1 million deal with Houston’s football team.
ICYMI
After four days of testimony, an NLRB decision on the Dartmouth Men’s Basketball team’s case is expected in the next few weeks. LINK
Mike Aresco, commissioner of the American Athletic Conference, believes the NCAA should outsource enforcement. LINK
Turnpike United launched to support Hofstra University athletes. LINK
Robert Morris partnered with EmpwrU to launch a new NIL program. LINK
Have you checked out OSC’s website?
Head to www.OptimumSportsConsulting.com to find important resources and features relating to all things NIL. These resources include State by State Resources for Admins, Agents and Athletes, including our initial “OSC Summaries” for over a dozen states coming soon.
More to come too, including links to helpful state information- agency laws and information about school policies, as well as seminar/congressional notes, worksheets, and much more!