Learfield's NIL Summit, ND/WME, Collectives In-House?, + ICYMI & More | NIL Newsletter #179
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Major News
Learfield Executives Gather for NIL Summit
This week, over forty Learfield executives attended their NIL summit in Atlanta, providing updated NIL stats which include:
$8 million in NIL earnings by student-athletes through deals with Learfield sponsors
75 universities participating in sponsorships that use NIL
1,000 athletes involved in NIL deals through Learfield sponsorships
“NIL is picking up by the day, the week, the month,” said Solly Fulp, Learfield EVP and one of the company’s senior leaders. “It’s pervasive. It’s impacting every part of Learfield’s business, and it’s a top priority for our leadership.”
More on the Learfield NIL summit is available HERE.
Notre Dame-focused Collective Partners with WME Sports
Golden Touch, a Notre Dame collective, partnered with WME Sports, the sport specific arm of William Morris Endeavor agency.
The agreement is billed as a “first-of-its-kind collaboration” between a collective and a sports agency.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Golden Touch, and we share their mission of impacting student-athletes at such a critical time,” said Garrett Yaralian, head of WME’s NIL division. “We’ve had great success and learned a lot through in these first years of NIL, and we’re well positioned to help elevate these athletes that are already a part of one of the best brands in college sports.”
WME Sports already represents a number of the largest student-athletes in the NIL space, including Livvy Dunne (LSU), Maason Smith (LSU), and Sam Hurley (Texas).
More on the deal is available HERE.
Tom McMillen Advocates Bringing Collectives In-House
McMillen, the former U.S. Congressman and current LEAD1 CEO, endorsed bringing NIL collective activity under university fundraising efforts.
Texas A&M, through the 12th Man Foundation and 12th Man+ Fund, previously attempted this, but shut down operations as a result of the IRS memo aimed at non-profit collectives.
McMillen compared college athletics to professional leagues in advocating for his position: ““The NFL and the NBA would never allow collectives to handle their most important asset, which is the players. The rationale for bringing it in-house is that you’ve got structure, you’ve got accountability, you’ve got Title IX.”
More from his interview is available HERE.
Legal Update
House v. NCAA Update
According to Professor Sam Ehrlich, there will be a public Zoom hearing on September 21st for House v. NCAA.
The court will hear arguments on three motions: two to exclude expert opinions and one to certify the plaintiffs’ class.
For Admins
Notes for the Week
Oklahoma is launching their own Athlete Services Division (“ASD”) in partnership with Altius Sports Partners.
The ASD will assist student-athletes in their NIL partnerships, from content creation to compliance.
More on the Division is available HERE.
ICYMI
The Ole Miss-focused Grove Collective partnered with Circle & Square Brewing Company to release a beer which will be sold at their football stadium this year. LINK
California Legends, a Cal-focused collective, launched a 72-hour $1 million fundraising campaign, with Commander’s Head Coach Ron Rivera matching up to $500,000. LINK
Colorado partnered with Campus Ink to launch an NIL merchandise store. LINK
UMass partnered with INFLCR to launch the Massachusetts Exchange. LINK
Michigan State Head Coach Mel Tucker believes that the program is a “recruiting class behind” when it comes to NIL pitches. 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!