NIL Newsletter # 155 | NIL Summit, Collectives in Washington, Video Game Boycott?, Lone Star NIL, + ICYMI & More
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Major News
NIL Summit Generates Awards, Earnings, Predictions
The 2nd Annual NIL Summit, presented by INFLCR, took place this past week at the College Football Hall of Fame.
Over 500 student-athletes attended, with major winners of NIL Awards including Florida’s Trinity Thomas as Female Athlete of the Year and Elon’s Jon Seaton as Male Athlete of the Year.
Student-Athlete NIL (SANIL) released their first look at NIL Compensation averages across Men’s Football and Men’s Basketball, available HERE.
Max Forer, a partner at Miller Nash, said at the Summit that he does not expect federal action on NIL. He also predicted that student-athletes would be classified as employees, ultimately working under union protections as bargaining as professionals already do. LINK
Collectives Visit Capitol Hill in Lobbying Effort
On Wednesday and Thursday, a group of Power 5 collectives visited Washington, D.C., lobbying lawmakers to pass legislation creating uniformity in the NIL landscape.
The group of collectives includes Tennessee’s Spyre Sports, Ole Miss’ Grove Collective, Clemson’s TigerImpact, Georgia’s Classic City Collective, and Washington’s Montlake Futures.
Waller Jones, Executive Director of the Ole Miss-focused Grove Collective, spoke at the University of Arizona’s Future of College Sports summit.
“It is a critical time in the evolution of NIL, and we are confident that the perspective from our group of collectives can help add value and direction towards a sustainable model for all parties.”
More on the Collective trip is available HERE.
Oklahoma Football’s General Booty Discusses Upcoming EA Sports Game
A few weeks ago, EA Sports announced that student-athletes could opt into their upcoming College Football video game, the first to be released since 2013.
The cash pool for student-athletes is reported to be around $5 million, and would pay out around $500 per student-athlete.
Oklahoma QB General Booty discussed conversations in the Oklahoma locker room:
“We’ve actually been talking about that in the locker room. So, we’ve all talked about it because we want the game to come out, obviously.”
“Well, guys maybe like, like you mentioned Caleb Williams, may say no and then he’s not in the game.”
“They are going to have to have one price, and I say like $600 to $800 would get everyone in.”
Other athletes expressed their elation at simply being included in the game.
UAB’s Tejhuan Palmer: “It’s a game I was playing as a kid, so it’d just be good to be in the game, honestly.”
UAB’s Fish McWilliams: “I appreciate the NIL for the NCAA game. But I really just want to play the video game and just get it back out there cause it’s been gone for almost 10 years now.”
More on the story is available HERE.
Lone Star NIL Announces Texas-exclusive NIL Program
On Tuesday, Lone Star NIL, owned by Southwest Sports Partners, announced a new NIL program established exclusively for Texas-based student-athletes.
The launch of the program is the first ever statewide program of its kind, and “encourages the enrollment, retention, and graduation of homegrown academic and athletic talent at 116 Texas institutions.”
Lone Star NIL is pursuing business, education, and technology partnerships to encourage NIL activity within the state itself.
The full release from Lone Star NIL is available HERE.
Legal Update
Colorado Governor Signs New NIL Bill into Law
On Thursday, Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed the state’s new NIL Bill into Law.
The new law has two significant characteristics:
Colorado Universities are permitted to identify, create, solicit, facilitate, and otherwise enable NIL opportunities for student-athletes; and
Charitable organizations (not Universities) which qualify under § 501(c)(3) are permitted to compensate student-athletes. This does include athletic foundations.
More from the new Law is available HERE.
For Athletes
Deal of the Week
Sam Bennett, the top Amateur from this year’s Masters Tournament, competed in his professional debut this past week.
Having previously discussed Bennett’s amateur-level deals HERE, it comes as no surprise that Bennett signed a multi-year deal with PING.
It is the same brand, of course, that Bennett partnered with through his collegiate career.
Although not an NIL deal per se, Bennett’s deal with PING is OSC’s deal of the week, given the unique context in which it arose.
More on his new deal is available HERE.
For Admins
Notes for the Week
Senators Tuberville and Manchin have finished the text of their Federal NIL bill, but will “continue to make improvements.” LINK
NCAA President Baker believes there is a “fair amount of interest in leadership in both [chambers of Congress] regarding a Federal NIL Law. LINK
The New York Senate passed amended NIL legislation, which prohibits the NCAA, conferences, and other organizations from penalizing universities for engaging in NIL activities. LINK
For Agents
Notes for the Week
Arizona Football Head Coach Jedd Fisch explains the two transfer portal idea:
“There’s the elite-player portal, and then there’s the portal. And the elite-player portal is where NIL is coming into play. The other 95% are doing it because they can’t make it on the team. They don’t feel like they are the right fit because they’re the third linebacker rather than being in the two-deep, or…(it’s because) ‘you brought in a freshman who’s better or a portal (player) who’s better, so I’m going to just move on and try my luck in a different program.’” LINK
ICYMI
Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed a new NIL law which (similar to New York’s) prohibits the NCAA from penalizing universities for engaging in NIL activities. LINK
UAB Football Head Coach Trent Dilfer notes that he is competing against Georgia and Alabama for retention. LINK
Former Stanford Golfer Rose Zhang wins her first professional tournament, in her pro debut, two weeks after winning her second straight collegiate national title. LINK
McNeese is working to finalize an NIL Collective called “The Ranch.” LINK
Utah partnered with Accelerate Sports Ventures as the school’s official NIL consultant. LINK
What’s Next?
An IRS memo says nonprofit NIL collectives offering tax-deductible donations could be illegal. 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!