Newsletter #33 | Mikey Williams x Puma, Sarah Fuller x NOCAP, Jackletes, 63-year-old sophomore golfer + Monday news/tips for the week
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This Monday Newsletter includes:
1. Major NIL news of the week
2. What’s coming up in the world of NIL
3. Athlete-Agent NIL Representation Tracker by OSC
4. News/tips for administrators, student athletes and agents
Major News
Touted basketball prospect Mikey Williams signs with Puma
Williams, a 6’2” combo guard out of Vertical Academy in Charlotte, N.C., is the first American high school basketball player to sign a sneaker deal with a global brand. He’ll join Puma’s young ambassador list that includes 20-year-old NBA Rookie of the Year LaMelo Ball, 21-year-old RJ Barrett and 23-year-old Deandre Ayton.
"I am excited to join the Puma family this early in my basketball journey," Williams said. "Puma really understands how to mix hoops and culture, two things I am passionate about."
According to 247 Sports, Williams is rated the No. 14 overall prospect in the class of 2023. The star has scholarship offers from several high-profile schools including Kansas, LSU, Pittsburgh and Tennessee.
Sarah Fuller named Director of Athlete Relations for NOCAP Sports
NOCAP Sports, a Philadelphia-based NIL startup, announced a deal with Sarah Fuller, the current soccer goalkeeper at the University of North Texas, as the company’s Director of Athlete Relations.
“Fuller, who made global news in November 2020 by becoming the first woman to play in a Power 5 NCAA football game, continues to break glass ceilings, this time focusing on helping athletes navigate the NCAA NIL space,” the company said in a press release.
In her role as Director of Athlete Relations, Fuller will oversee the ideation and build-out of NOCAP’s athlete products, the creation of new online initiatives focusing on user acquisition, as well as content development, among others. Sarah also is a NOCAP spokesperson.
“With the rapidly-changing NIL landscape, there is a huge need for an organization that my peers can trust while they are trying to both maximize their opportunities and be protected at the same time,” said Fuller. “With NOCAP Sports, I found a company that is looking to operate in the best interest of the student-athletes, educate us and encourage us to act as positive role models to our schools and communities. All of these attributes resonated very strongly with me and I am excited to work with the team at NOCAP to achieve what is possible for student-athletes across the country.”
Jack in the Box announces NIL program JACKLETES
Jack in the Box unveiled the brand’s inaugural “Jackletes” roster - Jack in the Box’s new brand ambassador program.
Students who are named Jackletes have lifetime status and will be provided with exclusive access to upcoming Jack events and new menu items, a $5,000 sponsorship, and a $500 inaugural food credit to use towards their favorite Jack in the Box menu items.
“Jack in the Box has always been a brand with a focus on those usually overlooked... the curly fry in the world of regular fries. That’s what sparked the motivation of our inaugural Jackletes roster to include both mainstream and under-represented collegiate sports,” said Ryan Ostrom, CMO of Jack in the Box.
2021 Roster of Jackletes: Angel Jackson, Basketball (Center) at University of Southern California; Jack Jones, Football (Defensive Back) at Arizona State University; Jack Pineda, Baseball (Shortstop) at Baylor University; Jackie Nylander, Tennis at Southern Methodist University; Jackson Stone, Wheelchair Basketball (Center) at University of Arizona; Jacquelyn Hill, Track & Field (Distance) at University of California, Los Angeles; T.Q. Jackson, Football (Wide Receiver) at Southern Methodist University; Jack McCallister, Football (Punter) University of Washington; Jacqueline Dianis, Basketball (Guard) University of New Orleans; Jack Pulliam, Tennis University of Washington
63-year-old sophomore earns NIL deal with Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux
63-year-old Debbie Blount is a sophomore on the Reinhardt University women’s golf team. Blount joined the team as a freshman walk-on and has since received a partial scholarship and her first NIL deal with Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux as their “Walk-On of the Week.” The program aims to highlight the underdogs in sports and support collegiate walk-on athletes across the country.
“I had to work very hard to keep my grades up and qualify for all the tournaments, but I had a ball as a walk-on,” said Blount. She’s now playing in the lead spot and boasts a 4.0 GPA.
What’s Coming Up Next For NIL
November, 2021 | NCAA Board of Governors constitutional convention
December 15, 2021 | NCAA Constitution re-draft proposals due
January 1, 2022 | Arkansas’s state NIL policy goes into effect
January 1, 2022 | Nevada’s state NIL policy goes into effect
January 1, 2022 | Tennessee’s state NIL policy goes into effect
Special Announcement
OSC has launched the Athlete-Agent NIL Representation Tracker
The continually updated tracker includes SAs, their school, sport (position if necessary) along with their NIL representation. Link to the exclusive tracker can be found HERE.
Are you an SA, admin or agent and know of a representation deal not listed on the tracker? Shoot us an email- contact@optimumsportsconsulting.com!
FOR ATHLETES
Examples of Success Last Week
Kansas guard Remy Martin received a new car as part of an NIL deal with Crown Toyota.
HopCat to partner with Michigan State QB Payton Thorne.
Iowa WBB Caitlin Clark became the first NCAA student-athlete to announce a partnership with Hy-Vee.
Kennedy Chandler and Brandon Huntley-Hatfield, Five-star freshmen for Tennessee MBB, partnered up with Alumni Hall UT.
Sun Devils QB Jayden Daniels has signed an NIL deal with State Forty Eight, a popular lifestyle and apparel company in Arizona.
UCLA’s Tyger Campbell has an NIL deal with Fat Sal’s Deli, a sandwich shop in Westwood. The redshirt junior guard’s custom sandwich, the “Fat Tyger,” made its debut on the Fat Sal’s menu Oct. 15.
Tip of the Week: Support teammate NIL projects
UCLA’s Tyger Campbell recently signed a deal to have a sandwich named after him at a deli near campus. In press releases announcing the deal, his coach and teammates have talked up the product- with one even saying it’s been part of his offseason dieting program. Here’s an excerpt: “But while [Coach] Cronin hasn’t tried the sandwich himself – as he said he doesn’t want to become a “fat coach” – Campbell’s teammates tell a different story. Freshman guard/forward Peyton Watson said he’s already had a few Fat Tyger sandwiches, which he said he has loved every time. He added that the sandwich has been a part of his offseason diet, an eating regimen that has helped him go from 193 pounds to 210 pounds.” Supporting a teammate’s NIL deals can have multiple positive outcomes- it adds new audience members, can lead to group licensing deals, and boosts morale and cohesiveness amongst a team.
FOR ADMINS
Notes for the Week
Here is an in-depth breakdown of TCU’s NIL class for SAs.
Feature on BYU’s NIL class. About 100 student-athletes, representing all 21 BYU sports, are currently enrolled in the 2.0-credit class. Utah does not currently have NIL legislation.
Tennessee MBB HC Rick Barnes on NIL and recruiting: “If some of the things that I've heard in recruiting are true, I've told people I think the transfer portal is going to be bigger than ever. I think the transfer portal is big because I don't think coaches are always truthful in recruiting.” He continued, “People are going to throw out numbers that say, 'You're capable of doing this.' People are going to come up short and that will be another reason that kids will look to leave places.”
Tip of the Week: NIL classes vary from school to school- here is what you can do to make your’s impactful
Each school has taken a different approach to “teaching” NIL to their SAs. Some states have specific requirements in their NIL legislation, while others either make no reference to it or don’t have NIL laws at all. Here are some tips for making the most out of a class: 1) A common complaint has been that classes are short, generalized PowerPoints that SAs often don’t pay attention to. Making the lessons into a curriculum for an actual 1-3 credit class can incentivize SAs to treat it more seriously, and it also shows that the school is adding actual and customized value. 2) Go beyond the basics. Taxes and budgeting are great, but most SAs have already had to learn that on the fly in the first four months. Make sure a class is evolving and takes on topical issues like NFTs, cryptocurrency, group licensing, charities, and other areas that pop up seemingly overnight. 3) Classes should be centered around both how an SA will manage their brand in school as well as afterwards. Multiple coaches have said in interviews that they care about how SAs manage money well after school, especially if they don’t head to the pros. 4) The class should be so effective that it’s open to more than just SAs. TCU’s class, for example, has students in it that want to be sports agents and attorneys. Many industries are affected by NIL- from business and law to agency and marketing. If a class really is impactful, non-SAs will want to take it too.
FOR AGENTS
Notes for the Week
Accelerate Sports Ventures released a digital NIL online course.
Sports Attorney Darren Heitner noted that a fundraiser he is organizing with UF QB Anthony Richardson would have completely violated NCAA rules just 4 months ago.
Tip of the Week: Incorporating charities into NIL opportunities could be a new spinoff in the industry
In Thursday’s NIL Newsletter, we discussed OSU’s Harry Miller and his charitable work with those living in poverty in Nicaragua- a country he has visited regularly on service trips since he was in middle school. Similarly, UF’s Anthony Richardson is auctioning off replica jerseys to support the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund that helps support children fighting cancer. Charities are just another way professional representation can bridge the gap between an SA’s interests/values and their actual marketability in the space. It is not strictly a numbers game- SAs have many passions and connecting them with organizations and charities that share those values could make for some amazing NIL deals.
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!