Recapping NIL This Week(end):

Texas A&M adds Tarleton State, New Mexico to future football schedules

Video shows Texas A&M staff discussing NIL opportunities with recruits

In a recently leaked video, a Texas A&M staff member is heard allegedly talking to recruits about the NIL deals that the Aggies can offer via donors. The staff member is heard saying, “Y’all getting a lot of money from the people behind these suites if you decide to come to play here.”
Last month Alabama head football coach Nick Saban suggested that Texas A&M has been using NIL to pay players as a recruiting tactic, and needless to say, Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher didn’t respond well.
In an emergency press conference following the Saban comments, Fisher said, “You can call me anything you want to call me, but you ain’t calling me a cheat. I don’t cheat and I don’t lie. I learned that when I was a kid. If you did, the old man would slap you upside the head. Maybe somebody should have slapped him.”
Texas A&M has the #1 ranked recruiting class heading into 2023, ahead of Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State and Texas. A&M currently boasts 8 five-star recruits- UGA trails with 5, and Alabama/Penn State each have 3.

RedditCFB @RedditCFB

“Y’all getting a lot of money from the people behind these suites if you decide to come play here” But Jimbo was highly offended when Saban said they bought their class 😂😂

Saint Peter's pulls March Madness shocker, moves to Elite Eight - The Washington Post

NIL hasn’t made a difference for most in enjoyment of college sports, Washington Post - University of Maryland poll finds

Inside athletic departments and among the most avid fans, high-profile NIL agreements have turned into eye-catching headlines that seem to indicate a dramatic shift in how college sports operate. Outside that insulated bubble on college campuses, however, the rule change has been met more with indifference, according to a Washington Post-University of Maryland poll.
About half of Americans (48 percent) have heard “a lot” or “some” about the NCAA’s decision last year to allow college athletes to be paid when their name or image is used commercially, such as in video games or to sell merchandise. Among those who have heard about these NIL agreements, the majority (60 percent) say it “hasn’t made a difference” in their enjoyment of college sports. For those who say the rule change has made a difference, more than twice as many say it had a “positive impact” (28 percent) over a “negative impact” (11 percent).

The change is particularly popular among Black Americans who have heard about it, with 53 percent saying payments for athletes have had a positive impact on their enjoyment. The change is also relatively popular among Hispanic and younger adults who have heard about the change, with more than 4 in 10 of each group saying it has made college sports more enjoyable.

Caden Cox at the Chick-Fil-A College Football Hall of Fame

First college football athlete with Down Syndrome inks NIL deal

The first person born with Down syndrome to play and score in a college football contest did not stop writing in the history books after the season ended. Hocking kicker Caden Cox used MOGL, an NIL marketplace, to sign a deal to create his own clothing line and become Chief Brand Ambassador for Jake Max, an apparel brand on a mission to maximize the creativity of people with special needs through art.
Cox, who kicked four successful extra points for the Hocking Hawks during the 2021 football season, has his own exhibit in the College Football Hall of Fame. Through his NIL partnership with Jake Max, Cox will be receiving a percentage of the sales he helps generate for the collection that features his artwork.
“I’m so happy. This is awesome. I’m excited for the amazing chance to share my artwork and experience entrepreneurship through my new Jake Max merchandise collection,” said Cox. “It is awesome to spread awareness and to support my community, and through Jake Max and MOGL, that’s exactly what I’m doing.”
Tyler Greenberg, founder of Jake Max, says the brand is excited to work with Cox. “We are proudly sharing and amplifying Caden’s creative design and story through clothing,” said Greenberg. “Jake Max focuses on combining apparel, art and advocacy to help people who partner with us discover what it is like and what it means to be an entrepreneur.” The Jake Max apparel collection designed by Cox features a football with his jersey number on it, soaring through goal posts and reads, “KICKIN’ DOWN BARRIERS.”

Paige Bueckers unveils new custom Gatorade bottle

Last November, Paige Bueckers became the first college athlete to sign with Gatorade. The deal was a multi-year partnership advertised as a way to “drive impact on the women’s game.”
Trevor Lawrence, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Sydney McLaughlin to design the Fuel Tomorrow Gx Collection. Each athlete worked with Gatorade’s design team to co-design the bottles, allowing each athlete to express themselves. The four join Serena Williams as the only athletes to ever have co-designed bottles with Gatorade.
Paige’s design is meant to bring her personality to life. The blue and pink overlapping ribbons are a subtle nod to Paige’s iconic game day braids, featured alongside a basketball hoop inspired by her iconic nickname, Paige Buckets.
“From her electrifying performances on the court to fueling change off of it, Paige exemplifies everything it means to be a Gatorade athlete, and partnering with her is a statement to the next generation of our continued commitment to women in sport,” Jeff Kearney, global head of sports marketing at Gatorade.

ICYMI Ticker

Per The Action Network’s Darren Rovell, Under Armour has released their full NIL strategy. According to the release, UA has already signed nearly 100 student athletes, including Naismith Player of the Year Aliyah Boston (South Carolina). Full announcement HERE.
In an article written on ESPN, Jay Bilas took a shot at the NCAA over NIL misconceptions, explaining how wrong the original detractors were regarding the issue. “Critics of NIL predicted that only the top 1% of athletes would make any money. It was said that the star quarterback would benefit while the linemen blocking for him would be penniless and upset at the disparity. Coaches said that differing levels of compensation would lead to fights and dissension in the locker room because it just wasn’t fair unless everyone was getting the same amount in the NIL space. Of course, none of that was really true. Athletes, from star players in high-revenue sports to walk-ons to charismatic athletes in lesser-viewed sports, have found the NIL space to be quite lucrative.”
The second YOKE player-driven collective of the week has been announced, this time with Minnesota football’s Twin Cities NIL Club. The Golden Gophers join a growing list of schools to adopt YOKE’s NIL platform. Texas, Michigan State, Auburn, Arkansas and Kansas State each have their respective clubs. Minnesota quarterback Tanner Morgan and a select group of other Golden Gophers players announced the formation on Twitter on Tuesday. “We have always known that we have some of the best fans in the nation, and now we get to show the fans that we care,” Morgan wrote in his Tweet.
New Penn State AD Pat Kraft: “We have to get [NIL] fixed. I have a plan. It’s not something amazing. We just have to be better at communicating with all constituencies. We have a great infrastructure, but we’re not supporting it the right way. The coaches are on an island. The donors are on an island. I believe we will have the best NIL situation in the country, but it’s going to take time.” More HERE.
A collective on behalf of Purdue athletics has formed. The Boilermaker Alliance, a non-profit organization, launched a website and its mission is to “champion charitable organizations through the utilization” of name, image and likeness of Purdue athletes. “I’m excited and inspired by this,” said Indianapolis-based attorney and Purdue graduate Jeff McKean, a co-founder of the Boilermaker Alliance. “The more I look at it, the more possibilities exist. Purdue has significant resources. We’re a large university, we’ve got a large passionate alumni base and Purdue can do this really well.”
Wake Forest AD John Currie discussed NIL multiple times - including the new DEACTOWN Marketplace and collaborations with Opendorse - in his new fiscal year letter to supporters. Full letter HERE.
Kansas State and The Brandr Group (TBG) have established a group licensing agreement for the university's student athletes covering all the Wildcats' 16 teams. Full announcement HERE.
Iowa State, in conjunction with INFLCR+ Local Exchange, has launched the Cyclone Exchange. More HERE. Auburn, with INFLCR, has announced the launch of the SPIRIT Exchange. More HERE.

Optimum Sports Consulting Newsletter

NIL Newsletter #101 | Texas A&M recruiting…